Angola-Tanzania: Towards a Rail Link Between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans

Closer cooperation between Angola and Tanzania is opening up new prospects for African logistics integration. The two countries have expressed their intention to connect the Benguela Railway to the TAZARA railway network, potentially linking the Port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast with the Port of Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean.

Cooperation between Angola and Tanzania is entering a new phase. During Angolan President João Lourenço’s state visit to Tanzania on 29 and 30 October 2026, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic relations and developing strategic connections in transport, logistics and trade.

At the centre of the discussions was the proposed railway interconnection between Angola’s Benguela Railway and the TAZARA (Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority) network, which connects Tanzania and Zambia. If implemented, this connection could establish a rail route linking the Port of Lobito, on Angola’s Atlantic coast, to the Port of Dar es Salaam, on the Indian Ocean, through Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A strategic ambition for regional trade

This prospect aims to bring two major African maritime gateways closer together and strengthen connections between production areas, industrial centres and international markets.

Improved railway connectivity could facilitate the movement of goods, particularly minerals, agricultural products and industrial inputs. It could also help diversify logistics routes across Southern and Central Africa while making the territories along these routes more attractive to investors.

The Lobito Corridor is already a strategic route for the export of mineral resources from Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. Its potential connection to the TAZARA network would create new prospects for linking the continent’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines.

Cooperation agreements to facilitate trade

The presidential visit also resulted in the signing of cooperation agreements across several areas. One concrete development was an Air Services Agreement, intended to establish the legal framework for air links between the two countries.

The possible introduction of direct flights between Luanda and Dar es Salaam could facilitate travel for businesspeople, investors and institutional representatives, while supporting the development of bilateral trade.

The two countries also discussed closer cooperation in information and communications technology, meteorology and satellite applications. Angola notably expressed its willingness to share some of the capabilities of its ANGOSAT-2 satellite with Tanzania, including applications related to agriculture and economic development.

A railway project yet to be implemented

Despite the strategic importance of this ambition, several steps remain before an operational railway connection between Lobito and Dar es Salaam can be achieved.

The project will depend, among other factors, on coordination between existing railway networks, the development of missing infrastructure, technical studies, financing arrangements and agreements between the countries involved.

It is therefore important to distinguish the political commitment expressed by the two states from a project whose implementation, timetable and financing have yet to be defined.

Opportunities for investors and businesses

For businesses and investors, this development could create opportunities across several sectors, including railway infrastructure, construction, engineering, logistics, freight transport, warehousing, port services and activities linked to regional trade.

It also highlights the growing importance of African partnerships in developing economic corridors capable of connecting the continent’s markets to major international trade routes.

For ABBB, closer ties between Angola and Tanzania illustrate the potential of intra-African cooperation and the importance of infrastructure in strengthening economic relations between Angola and the world.

Connecting the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean is about more than transport: it is an ambition to bring markets closer together, expand trade and create new investment opportunities across Africa.

Source: Official statements by the Presidents of Angola and Tanzania, 29–30 October 2026; information published by Angolan authorities and regional media.