Shaping the Future of Zambia’s Mining Sector: Key Updates from Mining Indaba 2026
Author: Charles Mkokweza
Date: 12 February 2026
One of the key interactive platforms at the Mining Indaba is the Zambia Breakfast hosted by the Association of Zambian Mineral Exploration Companies (AZMEC) in conjunction with the Zambia Chamber of Mines. It is usually sponsored by the top Banking and Financial institutions in Zambia.
In the interaction between industry, stakeholders, etc., and the Minister this year some crucially important feedback was offered by Hon. Paul Kabuswe in the context of the thematic goal to achieve 3,000,000 tones copper production target by 2031:
Q: Professionalism and Transparency at the Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) – the Minister emphasised that the MRC was established to ensure predictable regulation and compliance in the sector and was never designed to punish participants or overregulate the sector but to offer a framework that elevates the quality and predictability of regulation of the sector.
Q: Immigration Permits & Customs Duty on Exploration Equipment – if Zambia doesn’t have the skills locally to help achieve the thematic goal then Government will move quickly to allow fast tracked passage of the correct skills and knowledge transfer; the Minister also offered to look into the challenges hindering the importation of exploration equipment.
Q: Relevance of Rail Infrastructure – the Zambia Railways admitted that the current infrastructure and rolling stock is aged and inefficient and that financing is being sought to address this issue as well as ensuring linkage with other rail operators in the region for a seamless conveyance of mine products to the sea ports.
Q: Local Content not benefiting immediate communities – Inspections will commence soon through the Ministry and the MRC to ensure that the local content law is fully complied with especially in relation to the reservation schemes and the increase of the share by genuine Zambian suppliers in the mining supply budget for core items from 20% to 40% within the next 5 years.
Q: All suppliers should contribute to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and this should not be left only with Mining Companies (Per Snr Chief Munsele) – the Minister promised to look into the CSR policy and law to ensure that responsibility or mandates are more spread out.
Q: Current Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) Standards not economical (Per Snr Chief Munsele) – the Minister agreed and guided that the issue would be best progressed through the House of Chiefs.
Q: Publication of Airborne Survey Data – the Minister advised that the public and the sector will be guided at an appropriate time.
Q: Geoscience Act to introduce regulation and standards – the Minister confirmed that the Act is already on its way to Parliament.
We hope you found this Legal Insight valuable. Please contact our mining focused Partner, Charles Mkokweza, at CMkokweza@corpus.co.zm, if you have any questions relating to this insight.