China, Zambia, and Tanzania Sign $1.4B Deal to Modernize Tazara Railway
China, Zambia, and Tanzania Agree $1.4 Billion Deal to Upgrade Tazara Railway for Copper Transport
China, Zambia, and Tanzania have signed a $1.4 billion agreement to modernize the aging Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) line — a vital transport link for moving copper and other resources out of southern Africa. The deal was officially announced by the Zambian government on Monday.
A Historic Railway in Need of Renewal
Built in the 1970s with Chinese financing and engineering under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the 1,860-kilometre (1,160-mile) Tazara line has long served as a critical trade artery for Zambia and Tanzania.
However, decades of wear and underinvestment have reduced the railway to a fraction of its original capacity.
Terms of the Agreement
Under the deal, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) will take on a 30-year concession to rehabilitate and operate the railway:
First three years: Reconstruction, track upgrades, safety improvements, and restoration of the line.
Following 27 years: Full operational management, including procurement and maintenance of rolling stock.
The investment will fund:
32 new locomotives
762 wagons and passenger coaches
Modern maintenance workshops
Upgraded signalling and communications systems
Staff training programs
Strategic Importance
Beijing had signed a preliminary accord to revive Tazara last year, despite competing transport initiatives backed by Washington and the European Union, notably the Lobito Corridor in Angola.
Once upgraded, Tazara will offer a crucial alternative route for landlocked copper producers in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The railway will bypass congestion at South Africa’s ports and border crossings, easing the transport of copper to international markets.
Tazara’s revival will also place it in direct competition with the Lobito Corridor, which links the same copper-rich region to an Atlantic outlet on Africa’s west coast.
Regional Impact
The modernization of Tazara is expected to significantly boost trade efficiency, strengthen economic integration between Zambia and Tanzania, and enhance regional infrastructure development.
For Zambia — one of the world’s largest copper producers — the upgraded railway could be a game-changer in expanding export capacity and reducing logistical bottlenecks.
