Mining corridors as catalysts: Building on the Lobito model

Executive summary

In an era defined by technological advancement and strategic competition, African critical minerals are central to US economic competitiveness and national security. The continent holds approximately 30 percent of the world’s known mineral reserves, including inputs vital to defense systems, energy technologies, and the digital economy. This geological endowment places Africa at the nexus of the global supply chain and energy security.

Current US dependence on adversarial nations—particularly China—for processed critical minerals creates strategic exposure that African partnerships can mitigate. Since launching the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, Beijing has established significant economic inroads through billions of dollars of investments in transportation, infrastructure, and energy across the continent. The US response must prioritize not only access to raw materials but also the development of processing infrastructure, transparent governance frameworks, and equitable partnerships that deliver mutual prosperity. Logistic corridors and processing hubs are key to this approach.

The successful development of the Lobito Corridor linking Zambia and the DRC to Angola’s port of Lobito over the past three years has demonstrated that collaborative partnerships between the US government and African development finance institutions (DFIs) can deliver transformative infrastructure, unlock mineral wealth, and promote regional integration.

This model can be replicated through four additional mining corridors and hubs. These include the proposed Liberty Corridor connecting Guinea’s iron ore belt to Liberia’s coast; the Northern Corridor linking Kenya’s port of Mombasa to landlocked East African states and eastern DRC via a multimodal network; the Nacala Corridor, which connects northern Mozambique to Malawi and Zambia through rail, road, and the Port of Nacala; and Morocco’s emergence as a near-term mineral processing and manufacturing hub, particularly for battery supply chains. Together, these projects have the potential to deepen US-Africa partnerships, strengthen supply chain resilience, counter Chinese influence, and advance sustainable development.

By applying lessons from the Lobito Corridor and pursuing corridor-based strategies in resource-rich African markets, the United States can position itself as the partner of choice for infrastructure development while securing access to the critical minerals needed for long-term economic competitiveness and national security.

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Image: A view of Lobito Port, on the day of a visit by US President Joe Biden, in Lobito, Angola, December 4, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz