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Vice President Mutale Nalumango has voiced the Zambian government’s concern over the dwindling participation of local businesses in the mining value chain, urging for greater involvement of local suppliers and manufacturers in the sector.
Speaking at the official opening of the Mining Local Content Conference and Expo, organized by the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) at Kitwe’s Garden Court on Wednesday, Nalumango stressed the need for deliberate policies to boost local content in mining operations.
“The government is worried about the reduced participation of local players in the mining value chain,” Nalumango said.
She said: “We are coming up with a local content Statutory Instrument (SI) to compel the mining industry to prioritise the procurement of goods and services from local vendors and manufacturers.”
The Vice President highlighted that the government was actively working on these policy measures to ensure that mining companies were required to source a larger portion of their inputs from Zambian businesses.
She stated that the move was aimed at enhancing local economic growth and increasing the benefits of mining activities to the Zambian population.
Nalumango further urged local manufacturers to rise to the occasion by producing high-quality and competitive products that can meet both local and international standards.
“We need our manufacturers to step up and produce competitive products that can not only meet the demands of the mining sector but can also be sold across borders,” she added.
The Mining Local Content Conference and Expo attracted a broad representation from across the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces, drawing stakeholders keen on exploring the potential for increased local content in the mining industry.
Adding to the discussion, Mines and Mineral Development Minister, Paul Kabuswe, revealed that the local content law was nearing finalization, with about 90 percent of the preparatory work completed.
He expressed confidence that the law would soon be ready for assent by President Hakainde Hichilema, further underscoring the government’s commitment to enhancing local involvement in the mining sector.
“About 90 percent of the preparatory works have been done in readiness for assent; this is how serious this government has been,” Kabuswe stated.
“We are committed to ensuring that our mining sector significantly contributes to the growth of local businesses and the broader economy.”
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Meanwhile, ZAM President, Ashur Sagar, expressed optimism about the economic revitalization of the Copperbelt region, particularly in light of the recent efforts to revive key mining operations.
Sagar highlighted the significance of the revival of Mopani Copper Mine and Konkola Copper Mine, two of the region’s major mining assets, as pivotal to the local economy.
“We are very optimistic about the future following the revitalization of Mopani and KCM,” Sagar said.
He added: “These developments signal a positive economic turnaround for the Copperbelt, and with increased local content, we expect even greater benefits for the local community.”
The new local content SI was expected to be a critical step towards achieving this goal, reinforcing the government’s broader agenda of economic inclusivity and diversity in the mining industry.
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