Keypoints:
- China‑led 30‑year concession revamps TAZARA
- Freight capacity to increase six‑fold in four years
- Project fuels regional trade, green transport
CHINA is leading a major revival of the iconic Tanzania–Zambia Railway (TAZARA) under a 30‑year concession with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), in a push to transform the 1,860 km line into a modern trade corridor benefiting Southern Africa.
Built with Chinese support in the 1970s, TAZARA has long stood as a symbol of Africa–China friendship. Under the agreement, CCECC will upgrade tracks, communication systems, locomotives, carriages and workshops to boost the line’s efficiency and reliability
Freight surge and export boost
TAZARA currently carries about 400,000 tonnes of cargo a year — mainly copper from Zambia and the DR Congo — and serves roughly 450,000 passengers annually, according to China Daily.
Post-modernisation, capacity is expected to reach 1.2 million tonnes in year one and climb to 2.4 million tonnes by year four, positioning TAZARA as a critical export channel
With the Port of Dar es Salaam acting as the shortest route to global markets — especially in Asia and the Middle East — TAZARA’s strategic importance to Zambia and DR Congo remains undiminished
What the modernisation entails
Under the concession, CCECC will handle track refurbishment, install new signals and communication systems, procure modern rolling stock, and rebuild workshops across the route. Investments will also include new quarry equipment and upgraded maintenance facilities to enhance safety and longevity
Bruno Ching’andu, TAZARA’s CEO, told China Daily the overhaul will cut transit times and costs, aligning with goals under the African Continental Free Trade Area
He added: ‘With reliable locomotives and modern tracks, TAZARA won’t just be a railway — it will be a competitive enabler of intra‑African trade and industrialisation’
Skills, jobs and sustainability
The initial three years will focus on intensive rehabilitation, creating thousands of construction jobs. The following 27 years of operations under CCECC will generate longer‑term employment and include training programmes, technology transfer and local capacity building
‘Local knowledge and participation are vital,’ Ching’andu emphasised. ‘The deal includes mechanisms for training and knowledge sharing so long after the concession ends, benefits endure’
By the concession’s end, TAZARA aims to operate as a self‑sustaining, high‑capacity rail network supporting regional industrialisation, easing road traffic and reducing carbon emissions in line with green transport visions for Africa
Strengthening rail diplomacy
This modernisation builds on China’s broader rail investment footprint across Africa, including projects in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya. It reinforces long‑term ties between China and African nations through infrastructure diplomacy
With ownership remaining with TAZARA while operations fall under CCECC’s remit during the concession, the project aims to merge local stewardship and technical expertise to secure sustainable gains
