TransNamib has held off on regular train services to Oshikango as weak cargo demand makes freight operations on the Ondangwa-Oshikango railway line too costly to run commercially.

The 57-kilometer route was built to support trade between northern Namibia and Angola, but freight volumes have fallen sharply since the Covid-19 pandemic. The decline has reduced demand for rail services to Oshikango, according to the Ministry of Works and Transport and TransNamib.

Ministry spokesperson Tangi Shivute said the low volume of cargo is the main reason trains are no longer traveling the route. She said TransNamib could resume services if demand increases enough to justify longer trains and make the operation commercially viable.

TransNamib spokesperson Alina Garises said the service has not been discontinued. The last recorded train movement between Ondangwa and Oshikango was July 12, 2024, but the railway line remains operational and is being maintained.

Low cargo demand keeps trains off the route

Shivute said the Ondangwa-Oshikango railway cost N$608 million($38.13 million) to build, rather than the N$329 million($20.63 million) previously reported. She said the ministry would continue carrying out safety-related work on the railway despite the lack of sufficient freight demand.

The railway has stations at Ohangwena, Ongha and Oshikango, along with two bridges, including one between Ohangwena and Oshikango and another at Onhuno. Shivute said operating short trains with the current cargo volumes would not make financial sense for TransNamib.

Oshikango remains important to Namibia-Angola trade

Garises said Oshikango remains earmarked as a dry port as trade between Namibia and Angola develops. TransNamib is working to secure import and export cargo that could support rail and intermodal services in the future.

TransNamib, Namibia’s state-owned railway and logistics company, operates rail and road freight services across the country.

The company says the Ondangwa-Oshikango line was built to support trade with Angola, and its infrastructure remains in good condition.

If cargo volumes recover, TransNamib says it can consider restarting regular train services to Oshikango.