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Acting Statistician General, Sheila Mudenda, says Zambia recorded mixed export performance in December 2025, with both traditional and non-traditional exports posting modest gains while refined copper earnings declined despite a strong improvement in global copper prices.
Mudenda explained that Traditional Exports (TEs) rose by 5.6 percent, increasing from K19.1 billion in November 2025 to K20.2 billion in December 2025, and accounted for 69.0 percent of total export earnings for the month.
She added that Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) also increased by 0.4 percent, edging up from K9.0 billion to K9.05 billion, representing 31.0 percent of Zambia’s export earnings in December.
However, she noted that despite stronger global commodity prices, Zambia’s refined copper export earnings fell by 4.9 percent.
Presenting the monthly bulletin for January, Mudenda said copper export volumes also declined by 4.5 percent, from 76.2 thousand metric tonnes to 72.8 thousand metric tonnes during the same period.
This decline came even as copper prices on the London Metal Exchange rose by 9.3 percent, moving from US$10,800.8 per metric tonne in November to US$11,803.8 per metric tonne in December.
On a cumulative basis, she said refined copper export volumes between January and December 2025 reached 856.4 thousand metric tonnes, up from 802.0 thousand metric tonnes recorded over the same period in 2024, representing a 6.8 percent increase.
Turning to NTE performance, Mudenda said agricultural products accounted for 27.1 percent of NTEs in December 2025, compared to 28.3 percent in November. Export earnings from agricultural goods fell by 3.9 percent, moving from K2.5 billion to K2.4 billion.
“The leading commodities in this category were tobacco that is partly or wholly stemmed or stripped, maize flour, and other corn seed, which together shaped the overall agricultural export profile for the month.
“Non-agricultural NTEs strengthened to account for 72.9 percent of total NTEs in December, up from 71.7 percent in November,” she said.
Mudenda stated that: “Earnings in this segment increased by 2.1 percent, rising from K6.5 billion to K6.6 billion, with exports such as nickel ores and concentrates, zinc concentrates, and other non-alcoholic beverages contributing significantly to the growth.”
Mudenda said Zambia’s exports in December 2025 were dominated by intermediate goods, particularly copper anodes for electrolytic refining and electro-won high-purity copper cathodes, which together accounted for 82.6 percent of total exports.
She observed that exports of raw materials rose from 8.9 percent to 9.9 percent, while consumer and capital goods collectively contributed 7.5 percent to total exports.
“Canada emerged as Zambia’s leading export destination in December 2025, accounting for 27.9 percent of total export earnings, driven largely by demand for copper anodes, which represented 90.5 percent of Zambia’s exports to that country.
“Singapore was the second-largest destination with 15.4 percent, mainly dominated by exports of copper anodes as well,” Mudenda said.
Switzerland followed with 14.8 percent, driven by high-purity electro-refined copper cathodes.
She said the Democratic Republic of Congo accounted for 13.2 percent of exports, led by sulphur of all kinds, while China accounted for 11.3 percent, with copper anodes forming the bulk of exports to that market. Combined, these five countries accounted for 82.7 percent of Zambia’s total export earnings in December.
In the NTE category, Mudenda highlighted that the Democratic Republic of Congo was the dominant market, accounting for 42.7 percent of NTE earnings. Zimbabwe was the second-largest NTE destination at 8.6 percent, followed closely by Canada, also at 8.6 percent, with significant contributions from nickel ores and concentrates.
South Africa accounted for 7.1 percent, driven by bullion exports, while China contributed 6.5 percent, mainly through imports of tobacco. These five countries collectively accounted for 73.5 percent of Zambia’s NTE earnings in December 2025.
From a regional perspective, Mudenda reported that Asia remained Zambia’s biggest export market, contributing 31.8 percent of export earnings.
“Singapore led within this group, followed by China, with other significant markets including the United Arab Emirates, India and Hong Kong. Canada was the second-largest regional market at 27.9 percent, while the Dual SADC and COMESA bloc accounted for 17.0 percent, predominantly driven by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe,” she said.
Other regional markets included the SADC Exclusive group at 5.7 percent, COMESA Exclusive at 0.7 percent, and the European Union at 0.5 percent, with Italy and Spain dominating within the EU.
On the import side, Mudenda stated that South Africa was the major source of Zambia’s imports, accounting for 25.5 percent of the total import bill, driven largely by sulphur imports.
China was the second-largest source at 20.5 percent, dominated by imports of diesel-powered road tractors.
She said the United Arab Emirates followed with 8.8 percent, driven by gas oil imports. Japan accounted for 6.1 percent, mainly in diesel vehicles for transporting goods, while India contributed 4.5 percent, also driven by gas oils.
Regionally, Asia dominated Zambia’s import profile with 51.1 percent, followed by the SADC Exclusive grouping with 31.6 percent, the European Union with 5.4 percent, Dual SADC and COMESA with 5.2 percent, and the COMESA Exclusive grouping at 0.6 percent.
Mudenda said the December 2025 trade performance underscores Zambia’s continued reliance on copper while showing gradual diversification in non-traditional exports, even as global market conditions evolve.
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