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Zambia has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing key bottlenecks hindering the full realisation of the Nacala Development Corridor, as the country seeks to strengthen its role in the regional transport and trade network.
Minister of Transport and Logistics, Frank Tayali, said Zambia remained focused on expediting outstanding actions under the Industry, Trade, Railways and Customs Clusters to improve efficiency along the corridor.
Tayali was speaking during the Nacala Development Corridor Council of Ministers’ Meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, on Thursday.
He identified the development of the Chipata Dry Port and the rehabilitation of the Chipata–Mchinji Railway line as priority projects requiring urgent attention to position Zambia as an effective and competitive partner within the corridor framework.
The minister said the ultimate success of the Nacala Corridor would be measured by tangible economic outcomes.
“The success of the Nacala Corridor will be measured by the reduction in the cost of doing business, the competitiveness of exports, the safety of transport networks and the livelihoods created for our people,” Tayali said.
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He explained that the Nacala Corridor is a strategic multimodal route linking the Port of Nacala in Mozambique westwards through Nampula, Cuamba and Mandimba, crossing into Malawi through Mangochi, Liwonde, Lilongwe and Mchinji, before entering Zambia at Chipata.
“The Nacala Corridor comprises the road sections from the Nacala port in Mozambique, running westwards through Nampula, Cuamba to Mandimba at the border with Malawi and continues in Malawi through Mangochi, Liwonde, Lilongwe and Mchinji at the border with Zambia to Chipata,” he said.
Tayali added that within Zambia, the corridor extended from Chipata to Lusaka via Sinda, Petauke, Nyimba, Kachole and Rufunsa, underscoring its importance to the country’s internal trade and logistics network.
He also announced that Zambia would host the next Nacala Development Corridor Council of Ministers’ Meeting in 2026, a move expected to further strengthen regional cooperation and implementation of agreed infrastructure and policy reforms.
The Nacala Corridor is regarded as a key gateway for regional trade, offering a shorter and potentially more cost-effective route for imports and exports for landlocked countries in southern Africa.
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