Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 27, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
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AfDB and EIB are lending $275 million to upgrade Mauritania's railway, enhancing connections between iron ore mines and the Atlantic port.
RABAt (Reuters) -The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a financing package worth $275 million to help Mauritania upgrade its main railway corridor.
Under the agreement, the AfDB will contribute $150 million and the EIB $125 million to modernise the railway linking iron ore mines in Zouerate, in northeastern Mauritania, to the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou, the lenders said in a statement.
The deal, guaranteed by the European Union, was signed on the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum in Rabat, the statement added.
The financing will enable Mauritania's national industrial and mining company (SNIM) to rehabilitate the existing railway and build 42 kilometres of new track to connect future mining sites at El Aouj and Atomai, it said.
It will also allow SNIM, the country's largest employer, to acquire locomotives, wagons and maintenance equipment, it added.
(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is a regional multilateral development bank established to contribute to the economic and social development of African countries by promoting investment in projects that improve infrastructure and reduce poverty.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the lending arm of the European Union, providing financing for projects that contribute to the EU's policy objectives, including infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.
A railway corridor is a designated route for rail transport that connects various locations, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers along a specific path, often involving multiple railway lines.
Infrastructure financing refers to the funding of large-scale public works projects, such as transportation systems, utilities, and other essential facilities, often through public-private partnerships or loans from financial institutions.
A financing package is a structured arrangement of funds provided by financial institutions to support specific projects or initiatives, often involving multiple sources of capital and terms.
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