Ein Überblick über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten entlang des Lobito-Korridors

This research paper examines the economic activities and value-addition potential of the Lobito Corridor, a strategic transport route linking the Atlantic port of Lobito in Angola to the Copperbelt mining regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia via the Benguela Railway. The author argues that while the corridor is designed to catalyze economic development beyond mineral exports, there is a significant disconnect between the high-efficiency logistics used for raw material exports and the inadequate infrastructure available to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

• The Lobito Corridor is anchored by the 1,300 km Benguela Railway, which provides a shorter route from the Copperbelt regions of Zambia and the DRC to the port of Lobito in Angola compared to other existing routes. While intended to foster value addition in agro-processing, battery production, and mining, the current operational focus remains largely on the transport of mineral exports.
• The Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) consortium—consisting of Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis—focuses primarily on logistics and the transport of minerals and metals rather than industrial diversification. Trafigura's involvement is specifically linked to facilitating the trade of mineral products, such as copper and cobalt concentrates moving west and sulphur and fuel moving east.
• A stark duality exists between the modern logistics of the LAR and the dilapidated state of the Caminho de Ferro de Benguela (CFB), the Angolan passenger rail operator. The CFB's inadequate equipment and poor service limit local trade and SMEs to cargo loads of less than three tonnes, creating a barrier to inclusive economic growth.
• Successful value-adding ventures in the corridor currently depend on state facilitation and specific natural endowments. Examples include Pensana Plc, which utilizes the Angola Sovereign Wealth Fund to develop rare-earth elements (REE) at Longonjo in Huambo province, and Flying Swans, which partners with the Angolan and Dutch governments to export avocados via the Caala Logistic Platform.
• The Lobito Corridor Investment Promotion Authority (LCIPA), launched in 2023 to attract business, lacks transparency because it is privately owned by Lerna Group LLC rather than being state-owned. There is no publicly available evidence that the LCIPA has successfully facilitated any investment deals to date.
• Specific regional endowments along the Angolan route provide potential for diversification: Huambo is suited for agriculture and is home to the Agronomy School of Angola; Luena is ideal for rice cultivation and honey production; and Luau serves as a logistics platform for trade with the DRC.

APA

Chabala, E. D. W. (2025). Ein Überblick über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten entlang des Lobito-Korridors. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/ein-uberblick-uber-die-wirtschaftlichen-aktivitaeten-entlang-des-lobito-korridors-en

Chicago

Chabala, E. D. Wala. Ein Überblick über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten entlang des Lobito-Korridors. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/ein-uberblick-uber-die-wirtschaftlichen-aktivitaeten-entlang-des-lobito-korridors-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chabala |first1=E. D. Wala |title=Ein Überblick über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten entlang des Lobito-Korridors |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=4 December 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/ein-uberblick-uber-die-wirtschaftlichen-aktivitaeten-entlang-des-lobito-korridors-en |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chabala2025ein, author = {Chabala, E. D. Wala}, title = {{Ein Überblick über die wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten entlang des Lobito-Korridors}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/ein-uberblick-uber-die-wirtschaftlichen-aktivitaeten-entlang-des-lobito-korridors-en}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }