TAZARA Positions $1.4 Billion Revitalisation to Unlock Corridor Investment at Land-Linked Zambia 2026
The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) will participate in Land-Linked Zambia 2026 (23–24 April) and The Corridor Economy Forum 2026 (7–8 May), both in Lusaka, to present new investment opportunities and call on logistics companies to engage with its $1.4 billion revitalisation programme.
The Authority’s CEO will contribute to both forums, which are aligned around advancing Africa’s transport corridors as engines of trade and export growth. Land-Linked Zambia 2026 is themed “Re-Imagining Africa’s Transport Corridors for Prosperity”, while TCEF 2026 focuses on “Mapping, Financing & Populating Industrial Hubs for Billion-Dollar Exports on Zambia’s New Corridors.”
At the events, TAZARA will outline details of its capital investment programme, the largest rehabilitation initiative in the railway’s history. The project is being implemented in partnership with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation.
Transformative Freight Growth Targets
The three-year rehabilitation programme is underway and currently at the survey and design stage. Upon completion, TAZARA projects:
- Freight volumes reaching 1.2 million tonnes in the first year of operations
- Growth from the current 400,000 tonnes to over 2.4 million tonnes within four years
- Transit times between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi reduced from 7–10 days to under 5 days
These improvements will be supported by upgraded track infrastructure, new rolling stock, refurbished workshops and quarries, and enhanced operational efficiency, positioning TAZARA as a more competitive and reliable corridor railway.
Beyond the Rail: Unlocking Corridor Economies
TAZARA is calling for coordinated investment along the corridor to maximise the railway’s impact. Priority areas include:
- Manufacturing zones near key stations
- Agro-processing facilities to support exports
- Inland Container Depots (ICDs) along the Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi route
- Mineral logistics and transport
These interventions are expected to reduce logistics costs, stimulate job creation, and develop a more competitive corridor-based economic ecosystem.
New Northern Corridor Route: Dar es Salaam – Luapula – DRC
TAZARA is also highlighting the emerging northern corridor linking Dar es Salaam to Zambia’s Luapula Province and onward to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Progress on the Kasomeno–Mwenda toll road is expected to shorten access into the DRC.
Further investment will be required in the Nakonde–Kasama–Luapula segment to unlock connectivity to high-growth mineral and agricultural regions.
A Call to Action for Logistics Companies
TAZARA’s CEO is expected to issue a direct appeal to logistics operators, investors, and financiers:
“The investment opportunities opening up along the TAZARA corridor are unprecedented. We call on logistics companies and financiers to take a serious interest and rise to the challenge. The railway is being rebuilt with enhanced capacity. Now is the time to step forward and shape the future of regional trade.”
