Hichilema urges local content as ZITF opens in Ndola

NDOLA — The 60th Zambia International Trade Fair is under way after Vice-President Mutale Nalumango opened the fair on 4 July on President Hakainde Hichilema's behalf.

The stakes are immediate for Zambian business. Hichilema urges firms, retailers, banks and public institutions to prioritise Zambian-made goods and supply chains, arguing that the shift can widen local industry and protect jobs as the country pushes toward deeper industrialisation.

Nalumango touched down at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola at about 10:10 hours on Saturday 4 July, according to a Zambia News and Information Services dispatch. Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development Siakazongo Siakalenge received her before she headed to the fairgrounds. The 60th edition runs under the theme "Bridging Markets, Building the Future."

Nalumango travelled with a delegation that included the Office of the Vice-President's permanent secretary for administration, Lillian Kapusana; the permanent secretary in charge of the settlement division, Marvin Nkomeshya; and the national coordinator of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Norman Chipakupaku. Government officials and residents gathered at the airport to receive her before the party moved on to the fairgrounds.

Every time we choose a Zambian product, we support local businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.

— President Hakainde Hichilema, in a speech read by Vice-President Mutale Nalumango at the official opening, <a href="https://www.zanis.gov.zm/?p=4798">according to ZANIS</a>, 5 July 2026

Hichilema said the government wants businesses, consumers, retailers, financial institutions and public bodies to give Zambian goods and services first consideration in daily operations. Hichilema said Zambia should also lean on its position in the region to help local firms reach new markets. "As we seek to expand our production and productivity as a country, we must take full advantage of our strategic location in the region and support our businesses to access new markets and expand their presence across the region and beyond," he said.

Hichilema said his government's development agenda centres on building a strong industrial base through improved productivity, competitiveness and inclusive prosperity across every sector and province. Hichilema added that one of the government's key economic targets is to lift maize production to 10 million metric tonnes, a goal meant to strengthen food security while widening export earnings. The appeal builds on a push Hichilema made earlier in 2026, when he told the mining sector to lift local procurement — the subject of Kwacha News's earlier coverage of the local-content agenda in mining.

We have moved beyond traditional exhibitions to embrace digital innovation, virtual products showcasing and technology-driven engagement. What I exhibited today, Your Honour, extends far beyond our traditional pillars of mining and agriculture to include manufacturing among others.

— Siakazongo Siakalenge, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development, <a href="https://www.zanis.gov.zm/?p=4798">ZANIS</a>, 5 July 2026

Zambia International Trade Fair Board Chairperson Ajay Vashee described the private sector as a key driver of the country's economic transformation, ZANIS reported. Siakalenge said the fair has grown over six decades into a broader showcase than its mining-and-agriculture roots, now spanning manufacturing and services too.

Background

The fair's 60th edition lands as Zambia's external trade position improves. The country's trade surplus widened to K3.5 billion in April, Kwacha News reported at the time, a gain officials have cited as room to grow non-traditional exports alongside copper. The local-content push announced at the fair targets that opening directly: more Zambian firms feeding supply chains that still lean heavily on imports.

Local content is no longer just a line from the ZITF stage. Kansanshi Mining, First Quantum Minerals' Solwezi operation, spent about $21 million on local suppliers in the first quarter of 2026, Kwacha News has reported, evidence that mining houses are already redirecting procurement toward Zambian firms under pressure from Hichilema's government. The trade fair address extends that expectation beyond mining to manufacturing, agro-processing, retail and financial services.

What to watch

The test now is whether the appeal changes ordering decisions. Financial institutions, retailers and public procurement teams will show over the coming months whether they shift contracts toward Zambian suppliers, or whether the local-content push stays rhetoric from the ZITF stage. Kwacha News will track the follow-through as part of its business and economy coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking since the 60th Zambia International Trade Fair opened in Ndola. Short answers follow, drawn from ZANIS dispatches and Kwacha News reporting on Zambia's local-content push.

What is the Zambia International Trade Fair?

In short, the Zambia International Trade Fair is Zambia's largest annual business exhibition, held in Ndola and now marking 60 years. Simply put, it began as a mining-and-agriculture showcase and has grown into a platform for manufacturing, technology and services too. The key is scale: this year's edition runs under the theme "Bridging Markets, Building the Future," drawing exhibitors from across the economy.

How does the Zambia International Trade Fair work?

Each year, the fair opens in Ndola and runs for about a week, bringing government, exhibitors and buyers together under one roof. Data from ZANIS shows the 2026 opening carried a formal address from the Vice-President on the President's behalf, alongside remarks from the ZITF board and the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet. Research from past editions shows the fair has widened its scope every year beyond mining and agriculture.

Why is the 2026 local-content push different from past appeals?

Past appeals leaned mainly on the mining sector, urging mine houses to buy more from Zambian suppliers. According to the President's 60th trade fair address, the 2026 appeal reaches further, naming retailers, banks, consumers and public institutions directly. The answer is that Hichilema wants demand for local goods spread across the whole economy, not concentrated in one sector.

Who is the local-content push for?

The push is for Zambian manufacturers, farmers, agro-processors and service providers who stand to gain from bigger local orders. The push is also for the banks, retailers and public procurement offices that Hichilema wants to give Zambian products first consideration. In other words, the change reaches supply chains at every level while leaving import-reliant sectors under pressure to adapt.

What are the real risks of the local-content push?

Analysis of Zambia's manufacturing base shows real constraints: limited local capacity in some categories, higher upfront costs for buyers switching suppliers, and the risk that local content becomes a slogan without procurement rules to enforce it. Evidence from the mining sector's own local-procurement drive reveals the same tension — orders rise fastest where suppliers already meet quality and volume standards. Each risk is a capacity problem, not a willingness problem, and closing it will take financing and standards support as much as speeches.

Sources

Zambia News and Information Services: "Vice President arrives in Ndola to officially open the 60th ZITF," 4 July 2026; and "President Hichilema urges businesses to prioritise local content," 5 July 2026.