The long-awaited Trans-Kalahari Railway project, valued at approximately N$200 billion, is gaining renewed momentum as Namibia and Botswana intensify efforts to ensure the ambitious infrastructure development moves from planning to implementation.
The proposed railway line will connect Namibia’s port city of Walvis Bay with Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, creating a vital transport corridor that is expected to transform regional trade and economic development across Southern Africa. Designed primarily as a freight railway, the 1 690-kilometre line will provide a more efficient and cost-effective route for transporting goods between the two countries and international markets.
The project is also expected to ease pressure on existing transport corridors within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), significantly expanding freight capacity across the region. A major objective of the railway is to facilitate the transportation of coal from Botswana’s vast Mmamabula coalfields to the Port of Walvis Bay. Estimates suggest that up to 90 million tonnes of coal could be exported annually through the corridor, with major markets expected to include India and China. Beyond Botswana and Namibia, the railway is expected to benefit other landlocked countries such as Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe by providing improved access to global trade routes.
The project is also expected to strengthen economic integration and support a more unified trade network linking South Africa with the rest of Southern Africa. Botswana President Duma Boko recently reaffirmed his government’s commitment to accelerating the implementation of the long-delayed project. Boko revealed that discussions with Namibia’s leadership had reinforced the urgency of moving the railway forward. “I have had a conversation with Namibia. I sent a deputation a week ago. They came back and said the President of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, says this project must be delivered. And I say the same thing. We are going to deliver it,” Boko said. “We want it delivered this year. These corridors are taking shape, having been at the conception stage for too long. Now is the time for action.”
For more than a decade, the Trans-Kalahari Railway has remained largely a vision on paper, featuring prominently in regional development discussions, policy forums, and infrastructure plans. However, recent commitments from both governments suggest that the project may finally be entering a decisive phase.
If completed, the railway would represent one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region and could significantly enhance Southern Africa’s competitiveness in global trade while unlocking new opportunities for economic growth, industrial development, and regional integration. After 17 years of planning and negotiations, the Trans-Kalahari Railway appears closer than ever to becoming a reality.
By Rudi Bowe
