Equity Group Holdings is planning a major expansion into Southern Africa as it positions itself to capitalise on growing trade opportunities linked to the Lobito Corridor, one of Africa’s most strategic emerging transport and logistics routes. The bank’s leadership disclosed the plans during investor and regional business engagements, according to Bloomberg and The East African.
The Lobito Corridor, backed by African governments, the United States, and international development partners, is designed to connect mining regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito. The project is expected to improve mineral exports, regional trade flows, and infrastructure connectivity across Southern and Central Africa.
Equity Bank said the corridor presents significant opportunities in trade finance, infrastructure banking, cross-border payments, and corporate lending. The lender has increasingly pursued a pan-African expansion strategy, building operations across East and Central Africa while targeting sectors linked to regional integration and industrial growth.
Analysts say Equity’s move reflects growing interest among African financial institutions in positioning themselves around major infrastructure and commodity corridors reshaping continental trade. They note that the Lobito Corridor could emerge as a key commercial route for copper, cobalt, and other critical minerals central to the global energy transition economy.
