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After a week of speeches, presentations, and panel discussions, the Zambia Mining and Investment Insaka (ZAMII) concluded with key recommendations aimed at modernising the sector, enhancing investment opportunities, and ensuring sustainable growth.
The insights from the five-day event, held from October 6 to October 10, 2025, at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, have been consolidated into an Action Plan, which will serve as a roadmap for implementation and progress tracking.
Mines and Minerals Development Minister, Paul Kabuswe, officially closed the Insaka, while Sydney Mwamba, Executive Director of the Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC), presented the key recommendations as chief rapporteur.
Mwamba highlighted the need to develop a national mining digitalisation strategy to guide the sector’s digital transformation.
He also called for digital mineral traceability systems to track mineral origin, movement, and trade in line with international standards for responsible sourcing.
Mwamba further emphasised the promotion of smart technologies in mining, including automation, drones, sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI) for exploration, monitoring, and safety.
He urged that investors be given open access to both legacy and real-time survey data to support exploration and investment planning.
On infrastructure, Mwamba said stakeholders recommended upgrading transmission and distribution networks to reduce losses and improve reliability, expanding energy access in underserved mining areas, and strengthening regional power interconnections to support mining clusters.
He also called for the development of shared infrastructure—including energy, roads, rail, joint beneficiation facilities, and regional mineral trading platforms—and highlighted the importance of mobilising investment through blended financing and public-private partnerships.
Environmental and regulatory improvements were also stressed.
Recommendations included updating standards to align with Global Industry Standards on Tailings Dams (GISTM), strengthening ZEMA oversight, and digitising tailings dam monitoring through IoT-enabled platforms.
In his closing remarks, Minister Kabuswe assured local contractors that the government would implement the Local Content Bill, guaranteeing that 40 percent of mining company procurement goes to local suppliers.
He pledged to support skills development and capacity building to enable local businesses to deliver on contracts.
Musamu Resources Ltd Founder and Executive Chairman, Dr. Sixtus Mulenga, in a vote of thanks, praised the government for the Local Content Bill and commended the organisers of ZAMII, describing the event as a resounding success that fosters collaboration between international investors, Zambian entrepreneurs, and local industry stakeholders.
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