The Trans-Kalahari Railway Project Management Office (TKR-PMO) has revealed that 12 companies/groups submitted Expressions of Interest (EOI) to develop the Trans-Kalahari Railway between Botswana and Namibia.

The 12 companies/groups are NGE Contracting (France), Orascom Construction (Egypt), Lesedi Nehawu Investment JV (South Africa), Helo Group (Namibia), West Coast Energy (Namibia), Mega North Holdings (Namibia), China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (China), Fullbright Investment (Namibia), Grindrod (Namibia), Rail Vikas Nigam (India), Trans-Kalahari Railway Initiative Consortium (Namibia/South Africa), and Nations Capital Projects / SevenFive Investments CC (South Africa). 

The TKR-PMO, located in Windhoek, Namibia, is seeking to implement the project through a design, build, finance, operate, maintain, and transfer contract model. Investors are seeking to finance the feasibility study and the development of a new railway corridor or the upgrade of the existing railway between the two countries. The approximately 1,500km railway will stretch from the coalfields at Mmamabula in Botswana to the port of Walvis Bay in Namibia. The pre-qualification stage is scheduled to take place from December 2023 to February 2024, with the issuance of Requests for Proposals (RFP) in March. The development phase is anticipated to commence in January 2025.