Nicolas Gregoir spoke this week in Cape Town at Invest Africa Ltd and Investing in African Mining Indaba

Nicolas Gregoir, COO of the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), spoke this week in Cape Town at Invest Africa Ltd and Investing in African Mining Indaba about the railway’s strategic importance and growing momentum.

“We have been operating since January 2024. Last year, we transported 200,000 tonnes of international goods in and out. This year, we aim to significantly increase that volume,” Nicolas said.

Operational progress to date:

• 200,000 tonnes of cargo moved to and from the DRC in 2025
• 12 trains per week
• 360 wagons and 28 locomotives in service
• 30,000 tonnes transported in January 2026
• Record 50,000-tonne bulk sulphur vessel received at Lobito port

LAR — a 1,300km line linking Lobito on Angola’s Atlantic coast to Luau on the DRC border — forms the backbone of the Lobito Atlantic Corridor, a major initiative connecting Angola, the DRC and Zambia.

Through a track access agreement with the DRC, the corridor extends a further 450 km to Kolwezi in the Copperbelt. The line is operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo, and the DRC is a major global source of copper and cobalt.

LAR provides the shortest route from Kolwezi to an African port, cutting inland transit times to around seven days.