The signing of a €312 million financing agreement between Proparco, the IFC and Société d'Exploitation du Transgabonais (SETRAG) marks the latest milestone in Africa's drive to expand the transport infrastructure underpinning mining sector growth. Announced in July 2026, the financing will support the second phase of the Gabon Railway Modernization and Safety Program, accelerating the rehabilitation of the 648-km Transgabonais railway linking the Port of Owendo on the Atlantic coast to Franceville in eastern Gabon. The project is expected to strengthen the transportation of manganese and other minerals to regional and international markets while supporting Gabon's ambition to increase mining's contribution to GDP from approximately 6% today to 25% by 2030.

The modernization program reflects the growing role of transport infrastructure in unlocking Africa's mineral potential. Mining already accounts for roughly 20% of Gabon's GDP, and upgrading the country's primary freight railway will improve operational efficiency, enhance safety and reduce logistics costs for exporters. To date, 457 km of track have been renewed with concrete sleepers, while 186 km have been upgraded with new 60 kg rails, laying the foundation for increased mineral exports and long-term industrial growth.

The investment driving Africa's regional transport corridors will be a key focus at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026, taking place in Cape Town from October 14-16. The dedicated panel, “Regional Connectivity: Financing Africa's Mineral Infrastructure,” will bring together representatives from the Uganda Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Zambia Chamber of Mines, Africa Finance Corporation, Transnet Freight Rail and the Trade and Development Bank to examine financing strategies, rail and port modernization, regional integration and the infrastructure needed to unlock Africa's next phase of mining growth.

Several landmark projects already illustrate this trend. Among the continent's largest infrastructure investments is the $753 million Lobito Corridor Railway Project, which reached financial close last month through financing from the U.S. DFC and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The project supports the rehabilitation, modernization and long-term operation of the 1,300-km Benguela Railway, linking the Port of Lobito in Angola with the DRC border. Once extended into Zambia, the corridor is expected to provide a faster and more cost-effective export route for Angola's diamonds and emerging rare earth projects, the DRC's copper, cobalt and tin industries and Zambia's copper sector, reinforcing Southern Africa's position within global critical mineral supply chains.

Regional railway investment is also accelerating in East Africa. The $1.4 billion revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority will modernize one of the continent's most strategic transport corridors, improving connectivity between the Port of Dar es Salaam and Zambia's Copperbelt. The project is expected to reduce transport costs while strengthening export capacity for Zambia's copper and Tanzania's growing graphite and rare earth industries, supporting both countries' ambitions to expand mineral production and downstream processing.

West Africa is similarly advancing regional connectivity through the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, where the African Development Bank and ECOWAS concluded a joint multi-country financing mission in April 2026. The 1,028-km transport corridor, linking Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria, has entered its investment phase following the completion of feasibility studies. While centered on a six-lane highway, the corridor forms part of a broader regional logistics strategy expected to improve cross-border trade, strengthen mineral supply chains and unlock new investment opportunities across West Africa's expanding gold, lithium and critical minerals sectors.

In Guinea, meanwhile, the government approved the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for Phase One of the $1.8 billion Liberty Corridor transport project, paving the way for rail and logistics infrastructure connecting Guinea and Liberia. The project will facilitate exports from the Simandou iron ore complex, the Kon Kweni project and multiple Liberian iron ore operations, supporting Guinea's emergence as one of the world's leading iron ore producers while strengthening regional trade links.

As investment in regional transport corridors gains momentum across the continent, African Mining Week 2026 will provide a timely platform for industry leaders to shape the partnerships needed to deliver Africa's next generation of mining infrastructure and strengthen Africa's role in global mineral supply chains.