Seven nations have agreed to transform Africa’s busiest trade route into an integrated “smart economic corridor,” aiming to unlock $16.1 billion in new GDP and create 1.6 million jobs.
Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe endorsed the North-South Corridor plan at a Johannesburg summit, shifting focus from transit to industrial growth.
Stretching 3,000 km from Durban to Kolwezi, this artery handles 60% of Southern African Development Community (SADC) trade.
It connects mineral-rich zones in DR Congo and Zambia, fertile farmlands, and critical river basins while tapping into regional power and digital networks. The redesign targets logistics modernization, cross-border efficiency, and investment in energy, agri-processing, and manufacturing.
Backed by international partners, the initiative will establish high-growth industrial hubs near transport nodes.
It promises to ease bottlenecks, strengthen supply chains, and boost SADC’s competitiveness under the African Continental Free Trade Area. With political approval secured, the project now turns to financing and multi-country coordination.
Global investors eyeing infrastructure and energy opportunities are tracking progress closely. Could this be the blueprint for transforming African trade?
