About us

As a strong African industrial group, the business also leverages partnerships with top exponents in the field, including Germany’s DB (Deutsche Bahn) Engineering & Consulting (DB E&C).

The Company brings global experience and capacity to the African Railway sector, supporting development of new railway systems and enhancing the operational efficiencies of existing networks.

As a result, the Thelo Group provides unique solutions to current and prospective railway infrastructure projects, developers, and existing operators on the African continent. The group places particular emphasis on Transportation & Logistics and, more specifically, Railway Projects.

Thelo has all the ingredients to become the pre-eminent African Transportation & Logistics provider. Our long-term vision is to deliver rail for freight via a holistic, fit-for-purpose model for Africa – that will leave a lasting legacy to advance the economic development of the continent by turning its fully integrated model into key outcomes:

• Delivering a sizeable number of railway corridors and networks across the continent
• Building the capacity of African national railway operators
• Training African talent into key roles across its various functions
• Being the partner-of-choice for those who share our vision for a holistic approach, capacity building and high impact development

Africa’s infrastructure deficit results in strong demand for commercial investment in industrial and infrastructure projects. Africa can realize the opportunity for growth it offers stakeholders and investors, by meeting the challenges of underdeveloped infrastructure, energy constraints and lack of industrial capacity.

It has been estimated that Africa’s railways alone require more than USD 170 bn to update existing infrastructure and to build new railway lines.

Thelo Infrastructure Development is passionate about taking on this challenge through its integrated railway model. We deliver solutions with the view to help unlock the many strategic levers that rail offers, including advancing regional integration, sustainability and socio-economic development, and helping to address the constraints of rail infrastructure and its funding – as well as its technological administrative and structural dimensions:

• Lack of investment in rail infrastructure We help unlock alternative financing solutions
• Constraints within current rail company structures We enable public and private sector participation for project effectiveness
• Major lack of efficient rail operations We help break free from the limitations of traditional railway cultures
• Lack of experienced human capital We put unrivalled development sector expertise in place for operational effectiveness
• Outmoded maintenance facilities We spend appropriately on equipment, personnel and facilities to manage and maintain infrastructure and equipment
• Long lead-time and cost of rolling stock Effective, integrated planning enables us to optimally meet future demand
• Dysfunctional train control systems Reliable communications are a primary and core element of all our rail projects

Our Specialist Capabilities

Railway proposition to the economy

Partnering In Africa’s Mobility

Shifting the paradigm to a fully integrated railway model for Africa

The rail industry in Africa is experiencing a recovery. African countries are starting to capitalise on commercial solutions.

African railways suffer from outdated infrastructure due to challenging historical, economic, technological and institutional conditions, with operations often below international standards.

Africa requires accelerated infrastructure development if its people and businesses are to experience economic and social success. Underpinning every aspect of this developmental gap, and its requirements, is the need for rail infrastructure development and associated finance solutions.

Railways are highly complex and to put a successful project together that will optimise its conception, engineering and build, as well as its use over the long term, requires expertise, diverse capabilities and strong relationships with stakeholders across the value chain.

The vision of Thelo is to deliver a lasting legacy that will advance the economic development of the continent through a fully integrated, fit-for-purpose railway model for Africa.

We call it:

“PARTNERING FOR MOBILITY, DELIVERING FOR PROSPERITY”

We focus on building a paradigm shift in the way rail is viewed and how projects are approached – by building partnerships that combine capital, capabilities and capacity to deliver an end-to-end solution for projects of any size, with the aim to achieve exponential outcomes:

• Helping to develop and increase trade efficiencies
• Unlocking finance to grow networks, systems and operations in an integrated manner
• Supporting the creation of economic diversification
• Prioritising training, skills development and job creation for local people
• Generating additional revenue from downstream activities
• Focusing on execution for a long-term project cycle

Our Integrated Model

Benefits

We aim to deliver lasting benefits for our stakeholders – Driven to succeed together. We take pride in applying our holistic, fully integrated approach to projects, to deliver specific substantial benefits and manage key factors that are important to our diverse stakeholders.

Creating efficiencies for Freight Owners

Motivated by solutions that drive efficiencies and increase throughput, Freight Carriers trust Thelo to facilitate reliable and consistent movement of goods, helping them to increase their bottom line.

Supporting and enabling Governments

Rail can be a huge developmental tool for efficient movement of goods and people – with clear economic and operational benefits including increased FDI as a result of investment in mega-projects. Thelo has the ability to navigate these sensitivities effectively, building the trust essential in dealing with prized national assets.

Collaborating with Funders and offering value

Thelo projects provide an attractive path for DFIs and financiers seeking long-term returns and predictable revenue streams, as well as the large bankable projects that are in shortage on the continent. DFIs collaborate with Thelo to unlock the developmental impact of Transport & Logistics. Investors increasingly need to demonstrate their ESG credentials and report on the impact of their investments – and see African rail as a major commercial opportunity to contribute to developmental impact and long-term sustainability.

Availing capacity and experience to super-regulators

The development of rail projects is recognized as a legacy opportunity for supra-nationals such as the African Union. Thelo recognises the value in helping to create results, goodwill, and enacting economic development and national integration on the back of strong policy direction. The optimisation of Africa’s Rail network is also a key enabler to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Helping suppliers and capacity partners

Thelo is a consistent provider of opportunity for suppliers and capacity partners, helping them to contribute to major projects and secure business as part of our project teams.