Copper: $9,245/t ▲ +2.1% | Cobalt: $24,800/t ▼ -1.3% | Lithium: $10,200/t ▲ +0.8% | Railway Progress: 67% ▲ +3pp Q4 | DRC Cobalt Ban: Active ▼ Quota System | Corridor FDI: $14.2B ▲ +28% YoY | DRC Copper Output: 2.85Mt ▲ +12% YoY | Zambia Copper: 780kt ▲ +5% | Copper: $9,245/t ▲ +2.1% | Cobalt: $24,800/t ▼ -1.3% | Lithium: $10,200/t ▲ +0.8% | Railway Progress: 67% ▲ +3pp Q4 | DRC Cobalt Ban: Active ▼ Quota System | Corridor FDI: $14.2B ▲ +28% YoY | DRC Copper Output: 2.85Mt ▲ +12% YoY | Zambia Copper: 780kt ▲ +5% |

Community Profiles

Profiles of 20 communities along the Lobito Corridor: displacement risks, mining impacts, corridor significance, and advocacy priorities.

Community Profiles

The Lobito Corridor will transform the lives of millions of people living along its route. These community profiles document the settlements, cities, and populations most directly affected by corridor development — their livelihoods, their risks, and their aspirations. We stand with these communities to ensure the corridor delivers genuine benefit, not displacement and extraction.

20 community profiles across three countries, covering populations from 30,000 to 2.5 million.

Democratic Republic of Congo

CommunityPopulationSignificanceRisk
Kolwezi~700,000+Mining capital of the DRC copper-cobalt belt; railway hub; displacement epicentr...High
Bel Air Neighbourhood, KolweziEstimated several thousandDensely populated area bisected by railway alignment; primary displacement flash...Critical
Likasi~500,000Historic copper smelting town on corridor railway routeMedium
Lubumbashi~2.5 millionProvincial capital; commercial hub; logistics centreMedium
Dilolo~50,000Border town at Angola-DRC crossing point; railway junctionMedium
Fungurume~30,000Community adjacent to Tenke Fungurume mine (CMOC); direct mining impactHigh
Kipushi~100,000Historic mining town; zinc/copper mine reopening (Ivanhoe/Gécamines)Medium
Kasumbalesa~50,000 (both sides)Major DRC-Zambia border crossing community; informal economy hubMedium
Pweto~30,000Lakeside community in Katanga; representative of corridor-adjacent rural DRCLow

Angola

CommunityPopulationSignificanceRisk
Lobito~400,000Port city; corridor origin; primary export gatewayMedium (opportunity-oriented)
Luau~40,000Border town; Angola-DRC railway crossing; Benguela Railway eastern terminusMedium
Huambo~600,000Major Angolan city on Benguela Railway corridor; agricultural centreLow
Benguela~500,000Provincial capital adjacent to Lobito; historical trade centreLow
Kuito~185,000Bié Province city on Benguela Railway; post-conflict recoveryLow
Luena (Moxico)~130,000Provincial capital near DRC border; potential logistics hubLow

Zambia

CommunityPopulationSignificanceRisk
Chingola~220,000Planned Zambia terminus of greenfield railway; mining town (KCM/Vedanta)Medium
Solwezi~120,000Northwestern Province capital; FQM mines (Kansanshi, Sentinel); growing mining c...Low
Kitwe~600,000Copperbelt city; mining hub; services centreLow
Ndola~500,000Copperbelt capital; logistics hub; industrial centreLow
Mufulira~150,000Mining town; Mopani Copper Mines operations; labour rights concernsMedium

Cross-Border Communities

CommunityPopulationSignificanceRisk
Kasumbalesa~50,000 (both sides)Major DRC-Zambia border crossing community; informal economy hubMedium

Bel Air Neighbourhood, Kolwezi, DRC

Community profile for Bel Air Neighbourhood, Kolwezi: population, corridor impact, displacement risk, mining effects, and advocacy priorities.

Feb 25, 2026

Benguela, Angola

Community profile for Benguela: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Chingola, Zambia

Community profile for Chingola: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Dilolo, DRC

Community profile for Dilolo: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Fungurume, DRC

Community profile for Fungurume: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Huambo, Angola

Community profile for Huambo: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Kasumbalesa, DRC / Zambia

Community profile for Kasumbalesa: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Kipushi, DRC

Community profile for Kipushi: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Kitwe, Zambia

Community profile for Kitwe: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Kolwezi, DRC

Community profile for Kolwezi: population, corridor impact, displacement risk, mining effects, and advocacy priorities.

Feb 25, 2026

Kuito, Angola

Community profile for Kuito: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Likasi, DRC

Community profile for Likasi: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Lobito, Angola

Community profile for Lobito: population, corridor impact, displacement risk, mining effects, and advocacy priorities.

Feb 25, 2026

Luau, Angola

Community profile for Luau: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Lubumbashi, DRC

Community profile for Lubumbashi: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Luena (Moxico), Angola

Community profile for Luena (Moxico): corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Mufulira, Zambia

Community profile for Mufulira: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Ndola, Zambia

Community profile for Ndola: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Pweto, DRC

Community profile for Pweto: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026

Solwezi, Zambia

Community profile for Solwezi: corridor significance, population, and impact assessment.

Feb 25, 2026