DRC Mines Minister Highlights Lobito Corridor Investment Potential
DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Pushes Lobito Corridor as Investment and Industrialisation Platform
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba has called for greater investment in the Lobito Corridor, highlighting its potential to support mineral development, regional trade and industrial growth.
Watum made the remarks in New York during the “Financing Africa’s Future” forum, where government officials, investors and industry leaders discussed ways to mobilise capital for strategic infrastructure projects across Africa.
The minister presented the DRC’s vision for the Lobito Corridor as more than a transport route for minerals, stressing its potential to support economic integration and unlock investment across the region.
The corridor links the DRC’s mineral-rich provinces to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito, providing access to international markets for copper, cobalt and other critical minerals.
Zambia is also part of the broader corridor development initiative.
Watum said investment in transport, energy and other supporting infrastructure would be critical to unlocking the corridor’s full economic potential and strengthening the competitiveness of the region’s mining sector.
He also emphasised the importance of increasing value addition within the DRC rather than relying solely on the export of unprocessed minerals.
Developing processing and related industries could create additional economic opportunities and strengthen local participation in mineral value chains.
The minister’s participation comes as the DRC seeks to attract international capital into its mining and infrastructure sectors while strengthening its position in global critical-mineral supply chains.
Watum’s message at the New York forum underscores the government’s efforts to position the Lobito Corridor as a platform for investment, mineral development and broader industrialisation in Central Africa.
