Rome is turning the Mattei Plan into an industrial instrument, placing an Italian-led consortium at the centre of one of Africa’s most consequential infrastructure projects — and a strategic Western effort to diversify critical mineral supply chains.
The news: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has selected Italy’s Webuild as preferred bidder for the Zambian section of the Lobito Corridor railway, a flagship infrastructure project connecting southern Africa’s mineral-rich interior to the Atlantic.
- Webuild will lead an international consortium with Portugal’s Mota-Engil and Turkey’s İçtaş.
- The 517-kilometre Zambian section forms part of an approximately 830-kilometre railway connection to Angola’s port of Lobito, featuring 22 bridges and viaducts, eight stations and three maintenance depots.
- The corridor is expected to reduce freight transit times to international markets from 16 to seven days.
Why it matters: The announcement marks a significant industrial development for Italy’s Mattei Plan, demonstrating how government diplomacy, development finance and private-sector expertise can work together to advance strategic infrastructure.
- At the 2024 G7 summit in Borgo Egnazia, Italy joined Angola, Zambia, the EU, the US and the African Development Bank in the memorandum underpinning the initiative.
- Since then, Rome has worked closely with CDP and SACE, alongside African and international financial institutions, to support Italian participation, building on an expanding partnership with AFC.
The bigger picture: Lobito is a priority for the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the EU’s Global Gateway, increasingly recognised as a strategic asset for transatlantic economic security.
- By opening a westward route to the Atlantic, the corridor will diversify access to international markets and strengthen regional integration, complementing existing eastward transport networks.
- Improved connectivity will support local copper, cobalt and agricultural value chains, reducing logistics costs and encouraging industrial development.
- The US-backed corridor offers an Atlantic alternative to China’s eastward infrastructure networks, including the revitalized Tazara railway connecting Zambia to Tanzania.
Between the lines: The project also creates opportunities for Italy’s extensive network of small and medium-sized enterprises, extending potential participation beyond major contractors to engineering, construction, logistics and specialized industrial services.
- This reflects the Mattei Plan’s broader approach: combining infrastructure investment with African partnerships, local employment and value creation across interconnected economic sectors.
The bottom line: Webuild’s selection gives concrete industrial substance to Italy’s diplomatic commitment at Borgo Egnazia. Lobito illustrates how the Mattei Plan can connect Italian business capabilities with African development ambitions, while advancing shared G7 and European connectivity priorities.
