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Partnering in Mobility
Delivering Prosperity

Thelo develops and operationalises integrated (rail, port and rolling stock), multi-freight, multi-user transport corridors to efficiently move Africa’s valuable resources at economies of scale.

Thelo is an African transport and logistics group, developing and operationalising integrated (rail, port and rolling stock), multi-freight, multi-user transport corridors to move the continent’s mining commodities, agricultural produce, containers, fuels and other bulk freight.

The Group has a compelling track record of providing bespoke transport and logistics solutions to operators, freight owners and financiers. Alongside its “best-of-breed” global partners, Thelo has the skills, capacity, experience and expertise to develop, implement and support complex railway, port and rolling stock projects.

The Group is committed to facilitating inter and intra African Trade in support of economic development and the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) single market.

Thelo Group

Our strategic partner

We deliver end-to-end from conception to completion, through specialist expertise including:

  • Railway Corridor Infrastructure Development Services (End-to-end)
  • Engineering & Consulting Services
  • Operations & Maintenance Management Services
  • Rail Sector Reform & Regulatory Services
  • Skills Development, Capacity Building & Training

Our strategic partnership with Deutsche Bahn (DB) – amongst the largest railway operators in the world – affords us the proven expertise, clout and capacity to develop complex projects for the continent.

Thelo Infrastructure Development Thelo Rolling Stock

Rising to the challenges and the opportunities

Three critical challenges characterise Africa’s Transport and Logistics Sectors which present key transformative opportunities.

Read more The Transformative Opportunity

A cross-cutting solution to unlock Africa’s development potential

Leaving a lasting legacy to advance economic development

Read more Our approach
Read more Our approach

MEDIA

Thelo Group ushers in a new era of growth for African railways

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Thelo to raise $250 million with eye on Africa’s giant rail corridors

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Thelo to raise $250 million with eye on Africa’s giant rail corridors

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A cross-cutting solution to unlock Africa’s development potential

Leaving a lasting legacy to advance economic development

one

A fully integrated, fit-for-purpose transport and logistics model for Africa

two

Driven by a trusted, independent African partner

three

With a strategic role in the operation and management of regional development corridors

The vision of the Thelo Group is to deliver a sustainable commercial model that will advance economic growth and development of the continent through a fully integrated, fit-for-purpose transportation and logistics solution for Africa.

Our approach

Rising to the challenges and the opportunities

Three critical challenges characterise Africa’s Transport and Logistics Sectors which present key transformative opportunities

one

Lack of transportation for strategic minerals and agricultural produce

Transportation capacity for Africa’s trade including minerals, agricultural produce, containers and bulk liquids is a critical enabler for trade, job creation, skills, economic development and regional integration.

two

Realisation of projected AfCFTA benefits

Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) is expected to increase intra-African trade by 81% by 2035, according to the World Bank, translating to a need for various transport modes, including rail, rolling stock and ports. The UN Economic Commission for Africa indicates that the transport sector is expected to expand by nearly 50% as a result of the Agreement.

three

Africa’s trade corridors increasingly controlled by foreign entities

Key national rail and port operators are under foreign control and several major African logistics operators have been acquired by non-African conglomerates. Whilst working with international partners, Africa needs to ensure a fit-for-purpose approach to deliver strong strategic continental assets.

However, the opportunity for delivering commercial and developmental returns in addressing the challenges are both large and transformative.

The Transformative Opportunity

Together for Africa’s Mobility

An integrated Transport and Logistics Infrastructure and solutions model

Thelo Group has evolved to take advantage of the key opportunities, demands and trends within the sector and represents a credible solution to multiple market failures:

As a consequence, the Thelo Group builds and harnesses strategic partnerships to optimise Africa’s Transport and Logistics value chain, to deliver integrated infrastructure and holistic solutions with strong commercial returns and high development impact.

This strategic expansion is designed to yield significant benefits for our clients (freight owners), host governments, financiers, partners, and the regional economies within which it operates.

As an independent African partner – we have developed a fully integrated, fit-for-purpose transport and logistics model for Africa, by Africa – which includes playing a holistic and strategic role in the development, operation and management of regional multi user, multi freight corridors.

Our model