Alstom and AFC Partner to Build Kinshasa Metro
On 30 May 2024, Alstom and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) announced that they have signed an MoU for the building of the Kinshasa Metro (#MetroKin). The accord follows the recent official visit of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi in France at the end of April 2024.
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) was created and named MetroKin S.A. The project consists of 300 km of railway lines and will be built in four phases.
The first phase is a line from Kinshasa Central to N’Dili International Airport. The 2nd phase will expand the metro rail along the conurbation main arteries. In the 3rd phase, a city loop around Kinshasa will be built. Fourth, the N’Djili Airport will be linked to Maluku.
“We are pleased to welcome a global institution of high repute like Alstom to the project. Their expertise will be crucial as we push forward with this project, which promises to reshape Kinshasa’s economic landscape, create numerous jobs, and transform lives.
AFC Sr Director of Project Development & Technical Solutions Amadou Wadda
AFC will act as lead arranger for financing the project and has already committed to an initial outlay of USD3 million to fund project development with the aim to achieve financial closure. The project development phase is expected not to go beyond the end of 2024.
The Managing Director of MetroKin S.A. Erick Oneepunga Yongo expressed his satisfaction that a company such as Alstom is joining the project as it mans the materialization of the project is becoming a reality.
Alstom will bring its experience in deploying urban molibility across Africa, notably in South Africa, Cote d’Ivoir and Senegal. The Managing Director of Alstom Africa was keen to underline that Alstom is pleased to bring its expertise to develop an effective mass urban transit solution for Kinshasa.