Burundi–Tanzania Mineral Railway to Unlock East African Nickel Exports

Burundi Mineral

The Burundi–Tanzania mineral railway will create a direct, electrified export route for nickel. The plan covers a 650km standard-gauge line to 2030. The Burundi–Tanzania mineral railway targets 3mn t/yr of nickel throughput. The African Development Bank backs the $2.15bn project. The Burundi–Tanzania mineral railway will connect Musongati to Uvinza and onward to Dar es Salaam. China Railway Engineering will support construction and technology transfer.

Route design, capacity, and schedule

The railway links Musongati’s deposits to Tanzania’s Uvinza junction. Trains will reach Dar es Salaam port within 12 hours. This halves the current transit time of roughly 25 hours. The line will use full electrification for efficiency and emissions. Designers set capacity at 3mn t/yr for nickel concentrate. The schedule targets completion around 2030, pending milestones. Standard-gauge specs enable higher axle loads and speeds.

Strategic impact on nickel and regional minerals

Burundi holds about 6% of global nickel deposits. Therefore, scalable logistics can unlock mine financing. The corridor also supports lithium, tin, gold, and copper. Potential extensions reach Kindu in the DRC and West Africa. This builds a pan-African minerals trade spine. Government partners will finalize resources and licensing work. Validation will de-risk engineering and commercial studies.

The Metalnomist Commentary

This railway shifts East African nickel from concept to credible export pathway. Execution risk sits in funding tranches, power reliability, and port interfaces. Watch EPC progress and anchor offtakes that de-risk commissioning.