Enabling strategic rail transport corridors in Africa

Mota-Engil is a Portugal-based Engineering, Procurement, and Construction conglomerate operating across 21 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Europe, with a strong presence in large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects.

ILX participated in a syndicated loan originated by the IFC to Mota-Engil. The facility finances the acquisition of construction and mining equipment for projects across five African countries, with ILX’s proceeds earmarked for railway projects in Angola and Nigeria. In Angola, the investment provides over 1,500 wagons and 35 locomotives to the Lobito Corridor Railway project, a 1,289 km line connecting the DRC and Zambia to Lobito Port. The line serves as a vital transport route for critical raw materials used in the EV battery value chain. In Nigeria, the project contributes equipment to the Kano-Maradi Railway Project, a 393 km standard-gauge line designed to facilitate public transportation and catalyse growth in the agricultural economy and manufacturing industries.