Vice President Nalumango launches Luapula Expo, calls for investment in value addition

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has launched the Luapula Province Expo with a call for increased investment in value addition, particularly in cassava starch, ethanol, animal feed, and other industrial by-products, to ensure greater economic returns and job creation within the province.

The expo will be held under the theme “Unlocking Luapula’s Growth,” building on the success of the 2017 expo, which attracted US$20 million in potential investments.

Speaking during the launch at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Tuesday, Nalumango emphasized that Luapula Province remained a national asset in fisheries and aquaculture, urging investors to take advantage of these sectors.

She noted that the province also presented strong opportunities in palm oil production, agro-processing, and livestock development—including cattle, goats, and poultry—supported by abundant water resources and grazing land.

On the energy front, Nalumango announced that the 50-megawatt Mabumba Solar Power Plant was already feeding 14 megawatts into the national grid, effectively ending load shedding in the province. She added that by the end of April, the full 50 megawatts would be operational, far surpassing Luapula’s current demand of about 30 megawatts.

“In addition, the government is in the process of bringing a 330 kilovolt transmission line from Pensulo in Serenje District of Central Province, a strategic intervention that will further strengthen power reliability and support large scale industrial and commercial investments,” Nalumango highlighted.

She cited the government-owned Green 2000 farm in Luena Farm Block, Kawambwa District, as an example of the impact of energy investment. The 2,600-hectare farm was connected to the national grid in June 2025.

The Vice President said the intervention had transformed Green 2000 into a strategic agricultural asset, capable of supporting large scale irrigation, mechanisation, agro processing and value addition, while also serving as model for investment ready agriculture in the province.

“Energy security in Luapula is, therefore no longer a promise-it is now a reality backed by action from the government of President Hakainde Hichilema,” she said.

On mining, Nalumango acknowledged that the sector had previously underperformed due to informal activities. She said the situation was changing with ZCCM-IH formalising small-scale miners to link them to credible markets and increase earnings.

She urged investors to partner with small-scale miners to boost production and establish value-addition industries, particularly as government expands energy supply in the province.

Nalumango also highlighted the 30 percent allocation toward infrastructure development, noting that several key roads had been earmarked for construction, including the Nchelenge-Chienge road and the Samfya-Musaila-Lubwe roads.

“The Pedicle road, a strategic regional corridor is being implemented under a Public Private Partnership, while the Tuta road is under rehabilitation,” she said.

She said these infrastructure projects would reduce the cost of doing business, improve trade facilitation, and enhance connectivity within Zambia and with neighbouring countries.

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