DRC: Kinshasa Launches an International Call to Build a National Rail Manufacturing Plant

By the Logis-T Africa Editorial Team

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has taken a new strategic step in reviving its railway network and industrializing its logistics value chain. Through the Ministry of Transport, Routes and Access (MTVCD), under the authority of the Vice-Prime Minister, the Congolese authorities have officially launched an International Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the construction of a railway rail manufacturing plant on national territory.

Referenced EOI No. 006/2025 – VPM/MTVCD/RAIL, this call aims to identify and pre-select technical, industrial and financial partners capable of ensuring the design, financing, construction, equipping and operation of this future strategic industrial facility.

A Structuring Project for the DRC’s Railway Sovereignty

According to the official document published by the MTVCD, the project pursues a clear ambition: to provide the DRC with a national industrial capacity for the production of high-quality railway rails, notably UIC 54 and UIC 60 standards, which are used on modern, high-capacity rail networks.

Currently, all rails used in the DRC are imported, resulting in:

  • high procurement and transport costs,

  • delivery delays incompatible with rehabilitation projects,

  • and structural dependence on foreign suppliers.

With more than 5,000 km of railway lines to be rehabilitated or modernized, the DRC seeks to secure local supply of railway equipment while strengthening its industrial sovereignty.

Three Strategic Sites Selected: Kisangani, Kinshasa and Banalia

The project is based on a multi-site industrial organization structured around three complementary hubs:

  • Kisangani:

    • main production unit,

    • hot rolling mills for UIC 54 and UIC 60 rails,

    • strategic position as a river-rail multimodal hub and gateway to the north-east.

  • Kinshasa:

    • machining unit,

    • quality control and logistics storage,

    • export platform towards western corridors, notably Matadi–Banana.

  • Banalia (Tshopo Province):

    • extraction and processing of raw materials,

    • iron ore, limestone and metallurgical coal,

    • strong local energy potential.

This configuration aims to optimize the industrial supply chain, from mining extraction to regional logistics distribution.

Modern Industrial and Energy Infrastructure

The plant will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including:

  • electric arc furnaces,

  • modern rolling mills,

  • metallurgical laboratories and strength testing benches,

  • a hybrid hydro-solar power plant,

  • a technical training and industrial apprenticeship center.

Beyond production, the project seeks to structure a railway industrial ecosystem, promoting skills transfer and workforce upskilling in the DRC.

A Public-Private Partnership Institutional Framework

The project will be implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), in the form of a BOOT model (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) or an industrial joint venture.

The institutional setup involves:

  • the Congolese State, through the MTVCD and the Ministry of Industry,

  • technical and industrial partners (steelmakers, heavy engineering companies),

  • international investors and lenders: AfDB, EIB, World Bank, Afreximbank, TDB, Eximbank,

  • a dedicated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for design, financing, construction and operation.

What Profiles Are Being Sought?

The government is targeting in particular:

  • steel and metallurgical companies specialized in rail manufacturing,

  • EPC contractors and heavy industrial engineering firms,

  • development finance institutions and industrial investment funds,

  • mining companies with steel production capacities,

  • technical training centers or institutes for know-how transfer.

Contents of the Expression of Interest Dossier

Applicants will be required to submit:

  1. A letter of interest addressed to the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Transport;

  2. A detailed presentation of the company or consortium;

  3. Up-to-date legal and administrative documents.

Participation modalities, selection criteria and additional information are detailed in the official document published by the MTVCD.

A Cornerstone for Regional African Corridors

This industrial project fits into the dynamics of major regional integration corridors, notably:

  • the Lobito Corridor,

  • the East–Central Corridor,

  • the Kinshasa – Matadi – Banana axis,

  • and the river-rail connections of the Congo Basin.

In the long term, the DRC aims to become a regional hub for rail production, serving not only its national network but also railway projects across Central and Southern Africa.

By launching this international EOI, Kinshasa sends a strong signal to investors: Congolese railways are entering a new era—industrial, integrated and sovereign.

Logis-T Africa will continue to closely monitor this strategic project for the future of transport and supply chains in Africa.

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