Copper worth K9 billion exported to Canada

According to official government data for the […]

According to official government data for the month of August, Zambia is reported to have exported copper anodes for electrolytic refining worth K9.2 billion to Canada.

The report further indicates that the K9.2 billion copper anodes exported to Canada represent 88.9% out of a total of K10.3 billion worth of various goods exported.

 A further check by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT shows that nickel ores and concentrates worth K921.3 million represent 8.9%, and electro-won copper cathodes (high purity) worth K220.9 million represent 2.1%. Private Sector Development Association Chairperson Yusuf Dodia has noted that the bigger concerns should not be on where Zambia copper exports are going but rather focus on addressing the issue of exporting the mineral in its raw form.

 Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Dodia noted that 62 years after independence, the country is still struggling with value addition for copper, which is a serious case that needs to be addressed.

 “When copper is being mined and exported from Zambia, we should really be concerned about where it is going but rather worry about the fact that we are exporting raw copper. 62 years after independence, now we should have had at least five or seven investments of the size of ZAMEFA producing copper cables in the country,” said Dodia.

He added by now what should be exported from the country is copper cables as opposed to raw copper, and the struggle is due to lack of proper industrialization.

 “Our program of industrialization has not worked very well in the areas of copper because we have various economic zones in Chambishi, Chibombo, and Lusaka, and yet none of these zones are actually hosting copper value addition investments,” said Dodia.

He further urged the government to offer opportunities of value addition on copper to serious investors who can buy the mineral locally and turn it into value-added products before exporting.

 Dodia noted that with the coming in of the Export Proceed Tracking Framework developed in 2023 and implemented in 2025, stick to the machine as to be followed aggressively.

Article by Justine Phiri