The 2nd Angola Hub Transport & Logistics Summit (AHTLS 2026) opens in Luanda today, bringing together government leaders, global investors, and logistics operators from 27 countries for three days of discussions aimed at accelerating regional integration and mobilising financing for strategic infrastructure.
Held at the Talatona Convention Centre from September 28 to 30, the summit is organised under the theme “Connecting Markets, People and Opportunities” and the motto “Propelling Africa into the Future”.
The event, promoted by Angola’s Ministry of Transport and produced by AS Consulting, is positioning Angola as a regional logistics hub and catalyst for African economic integration.
LOBITO CORRIDOR AT THE CENTRE
The development of the Lobito Corridor is the primary focus of this year’s summit, alongside the mobilisation of financing for strategic infrastructure and the digital transformation of the transport sector.
The Lobito Corridor is a railway and logistics initiative linking Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito to the mineral-rich Copperbelt regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. The corridor is considered one of the shortest and most competitive routes from the DRC’s copper- and cobalt-rich regions to international export markets.
Once fully operational, journey times that currently stretch to 30 days could be cut to a week or less, according to industry experts.
The corridor is backed by the United States, the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the Africa Finance Corporation, reflecting its strategic importance for critical mineral supply chains essential to the global energy transition.
KEY AGREEMENTS TO BE SIGNED
The summit agenda includes the signing of several strategic agreements between Angola’s Ministry of Transport and key partners:
- International Finance Corporation (IFC) – expected to support infrastructure financing
- Opaia Motors – a partnership with the Angolan automotive group
- Angola Sovereign Fund (FSDEA) – cooperation on strategic investments
These agreements signal Angola’s intent to translate summit discussions into concrete investment decisions.
HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION
The summit features an impressive roster of speakers, led by President João Lourenço of Angola. Other confirmed participants include:
- Dr. Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu – Minister of Transport, Angola
- Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba – Vice-Prime Minister, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Mr. Frank Tayali – Minister of Transport, Zambia
- Mr. Mohammed Akoojee – CEO, DP World Africa
- Dr. Egidio Monteiro – CEO, DHL Global Forwarding, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Dr. Antonio Hou – CEO, Huawei Technologies Angola
The World Bank is also participating in the summit, which will bring together representatives from public entities and international operators including the Port of Luanda, Port of Lobito, TAAG, DP Noatum Ports, DHL, and Aviapartner.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
Each of the three days has a dedicated theme:
- Day 1 (September 28): “Connectivity and Mobility as Drivers of African Integration”
- Day 2 (September 29): “Infrastructure, Financing and Digital Transformation”
- Day 3 (September 30): “The Sustainable Future of African Transport”
Panels and workshops will address topics including African strategic corridors (Lobito, Nacala, Dar es Salaam, and Maputo), financing transport infrastructure in Africa, African rail corridors and intermodality, and the application of artificial intelligence in transport, port automation, blockchain, and digital logistics management platforms.
STARTUPS FROM 14 SADC COUNTRIES
A key feature of this year’s summit is the Startup Connections initiative, which has selected 24 high-potential startups from across SADC to participate. More than 300 applications were received during the application period, reflecting strong interest from the region’s innovators.
Selected startups will gain access to investor pitch sessions, executive networking, strategic partnerships, and regional and international visibility.
The inclusion of startups underscores the summit’s focus on innovation and digital transformation in the transport and logistics sector.