ZAM Eyes Intra-African Trade Partnerships to Boost Manufacturing Sector
The Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) is seeking strategic intra-African partnerships to accelerate manufacturing growth and trade integration, following its participation at the 2025 Manufacturing Indaba in South Africa.
ZAM Chief Executive Officer Muntanga Lindunda said the Indaba offered Zambia a valuable platform to forge regional connections and spotlight its strategic advantage as a land-linked nation surrounded by eight countries.
“Zambia is no longer just landlocked—it is land-linked and positioned to become a hub for cross-border trade and industrial growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” Lindunda said.
She highlighted the significance of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in scaling up industrialization, improving infrastructure, and fostering innovation. Lindunda also underscored the importance of business-to-business engagements at the Indaba in unlocking AfCFTA opportunities.
The event attracted continental leaders, business executives, and policymakers focused on Africa’s reindustrialization. Discussions centered on infrastructure development, skills transfer, and investment in value addition.
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Head of Investments (Mining & Energy), Mulumba Lwatula, reiterated Zambia’s aim to leverage Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and its land-linked geography to become a regional logistics and manufacturing hub.
Professor Horman Chitonge, a Zambian academic based in Cape Town, noted the Indaba’s role in advancing industrial transformation through collaboration and innovation.
Also attending was Zambia’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Ms. Inonge Mwenya, who joined the delegation at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
The statement was issued by Tamara Nyirenda, First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambia High Commission in South Africa.
