MODERNIZATION OF THE CONGO–OCEAN RAILWAY: Denis Sassou Nguesso Launches a Historic US $ 595 Million Project – A Major Turning Point for the National Corridor
A new era began for the Congo–Ocean Railway (CFCO) on February 27, 2026. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic and Head of State, officially launched the rehabilitation and modernization works of the railway, the backbone of the Congolese economy. This large-scale project, long awaited for decades, marks a decisive milestone in the national infrastructure development strategy, reviving the Congolese rail network and strengthening the national logistics corridor linking the country’s interior to the coastline.
Since its inauguration and commissioning in 1934, the Congo–Ocean Railway (CFCO) had never undergone any major rehabilitation or maintenance along its original route, aside from urgent interventions carried out between 2012 and 2015 on the 4.6-kilometer-long tunnel, including its high-voltage power line supplying electricity to its ventilation plant. Although commendable, these efforts were insufficient to fully restore the CFCO’s operational capacity.
In a bid to address the structural weaknesses and operational challenges affecting the railway and to revitalize it, the Congolese government signed a framework cooperation agreement on January 12, 2026, in Changsha, People’s Republic of China, with Hunan Construction Investment Group. The agreement provides financing for the reconstruction and modernization of 512 kilometers of the Pointe-Noire–Brazzaville section, as well as 91 kilometers of the former abandoned route located in the complex and rugged Mayombe forest area.
The objective of the project is to restore the CFCO’s competitiveness and resilience, reaffirming its role as a strategic national transport infrastructure and a key lever of the country’s economic competitiveness. It also aims to continuously improve operational, technical, and commercial performance through innovation, optimized rail operations, and strengthened management capacities, while meeting sustainability standards and aligning with national and subregional socio-economic realities.
Ultimately, the project seeks to position the CFCO as a reliable, competitive, and sustainable logistics tool contributing to trade facilitation, territorial connectivity, and stronger economic integration. Upon completion, it will reduce travel times and derailment risks, revitalize Congo’s role as a regional transit and connectivity platform, significantly increase cargo flows between the Port of Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville, and enhance passenger transport safety.
Hunan Construction Investment Group will face major technical challenges, particularly in the rugged terrain of the Mayombe region, to ensure the infrastructure meets international standards and long-term durability requirements.
Beyond its technical scope, the rehabilitation of the CFCO aims to improve safety, reliability, and performance of rail traffic while strengthening integration between rail, road, maritime, and air transport modes — all essential to the country’s development.
Describing the project’s features, Jean-Jacques Bouya, Minister of Land Use Planning and Major Works, emphasized that this is not merely a renovation but a true technological transformation. Major works will include the systematic replacement of old mainline rails; replacement of existing metal and wooden sleepers with concrete sleepers; ballast reinforcement; and modernization of telecommunications and signaling systems.
Given the advanced deterioration of railway stations, he noted that they will be renovated and upgraded to meet international standards. The main stations of Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, Nkayi, Bouansa, Loutété, Mindouli, and Brazzaville will be modernized, along with the reconstruction of secondary stations. The project also includes modernization of the Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire terminals; full rehabilitation and modernization of railway installations at the Port of Pointe-Noire; construction and equipping of a locomotive and wagon maintenance depot; and establishment of a passenger coach servicing facility.
Technological advances in telecommunications, signaling, and energy require upgrading existing networks and systems along the line. This includes acquiring wireless and fiber-optic communication systems linking the control center in Pointe-Noire with all stations, as well as communication systems between locomotives and stations. A modern digital light signaling system will be installed, including switch motors, axle counters, signals, and a traffic management system.
The project also encompasses rehabilitation of all engineering structures and the 4.6-kilometer tunnel, as well as the 12 tunnels located on the former abandoned route in the Mayombe region. It includes the acquisition of rail inspection vehicles for track maintenance and monitoring; handling equipment for the stations of Pointe-Noire, Dolisie, and Brazzaville; ten new mainline locomotives; four modern passenger trains; 100 wagons — including 40 container flatcars, 20 covered wagons, and 40 twenty-one-meter timber wagons — as well as spare parts inventories for maintenance of the newly acquired locomotives and wagons.
Furthermore, all technical personnel will benefit from advanced training focused on the use and maintenance of new equipment and railway systems.
With a total cost of US$595 million, this titanic project reflects the Congolese authorities’ strong ambition to restore the Congo–Ocean Railway (CFCO), a historic and strategic infrastructure, to its leading position in freight and passenger transit.
By Antoine Dustell Mbama
