Techbytes: Zambia launches trading platform to link local producers with global markets

Zambia has launched a Web3-powered digital commodity trading platform designed to connect local producers with global buyers, in a move aimed at boosting trade, promoting e-commerce, and positioning the country as a serious player in the global digital economy.

Dubbed Zambia’s Web3 Commerce Infrastructure Initiative, the platform represents a strategic leap toward modernising how Zambians trade, participate in global markets, and leverage technology to drive inclusive growth.

The Web3 Commerce Infrastructure marks a milestone in Zambia’s digital transformation, signalling a future where technology-driven trade empowers local producers, builds investor confidence, and cements the nation’s role in Africa’s evolving digital marketplace.

Speaking at the launch in Lusaka on Friday, Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary for Trade, Lilian Bwalya, described the platform as a transformative innovation that will enable Zambia to “leapfrog traditional barriers to trade” and accelerate economic growth.

“This launch is a direct result of President Hakainde Hichilema’s persistent international engagements. People have often asked why government delegations travel so much — this is one of the tangible outcomes of those meetings,” Bwalya said.

Developed in collaboration with experts from the United States and Italy, the platform is designed to enhance transparency, streamline transactions, and protect small and cross-border traders from challenges such as non-payment and commodity supply disputes.

“This solution will help sort out a number of these challenges. It will bring confidence to the way we trade and do business,” she added.
Bwalya underscored the importance of embracing technology, particularly for a Least Developed Country (LDC) like Zambia, to overcome limitations in capital and infrastructure.

“With technology, we can leapfrog and achieve quite a number of things in a very short space of time,” she said.

She further revealed that the government has prioritized trade as a key driver of economic growth, and that institutions such as the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) will play a central role in utilising the new platform for trade missions and exhibitions.

“We will work closely with ZDA and the developers to ensure this platform delivers real results and does not become a white elephant,”Bwalya assured.

Beyond facilitating trade, the platform is expected to strengthen national statistics, improve financial integrity, and support data-driven policy decisions.

Cosmic Wire Incorporated Chief Executive Officer, Jerad Finck, whose firm led the technical development, emphasized that the system was “built for Zambia” and not imported, highlighting its homegrown character.

“This system leverages cutting-edge Web3 technology. It was cultivated through extensive virtual collaboration over the past year and a half to overcome infrastructure and regional disparities,” Finck said.

“It changes how Zambia represents itself on the global stage and strengthens its independence in the digital economy.”

Meanwhile, ZDA Director-General, Albert Halwampa, said the platform’s launch follows Zambia’s successful hosting of the AfCFTA Digital Trade and Services Forum, and aligns with the implementation of the country’s National E-Commerce Strategy.

“By embracing digital trade, Zambia can unlock greater efficiencies in supply chains, expand market reach for businesses, and stimulate innovation and job creation, especially among youths,” Halwampa said.

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