The estimate covers a network of seven interconnected lines linking the central Gombe district with outlying areas including N'djili. The figure was disclosed while technical, administrative and contractual questions are still being settled between the authorities and the consortium involved in the project.
Financing is structured as a public-private partnership in which the contractor side raises the funds, with the transfer of copper and cobalt assets discussed as security. An agreement in principle was signed on 8 October 2025; the first line is targeted for service from 27 November 2027, and contract signing has already slipped more than once since February 2026.
The US$9 billion estimate covers the transport works alone and excludes the value of the mining assets under discussion. Financing arrangements have not been concluded, so the procurement packages, their sequencing and the qualification requirements imposed on bidders remain to be defined.
