Workers’ compensation rebrand aims to improve service delivery

Workers’ Compensation says its recent rebranding marks […]

Workers’ Compensation says its recent rebranding marks a new chapter for the institution as it seeks to improve service delivery, increase public awareness and respond to the changing nature of work in Zambia.

Speaking during an interview with Zambian Business Times -ZBT at the 98th Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show, Manager of Corporate Affairs and Customer Service Kennedy Zulu said the institution’s new identity reflects its commitment to serving a broader workforce while continuing to protect employees against workplace injuries and occupational diseases.

 “The core of this rebranding is service delivery. We wanted to recommit ourselves to the public by improving the kind of services we provide,” Zulu said. The institution, formerly known as the Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board, officially unveiled its new brand on June 19, 2026, after research found that the previous name was too long and difficult for many people to remember and identify with.

Zulu said the simplified name makes it easier for workers, employers and the general public to recognise the institution while preserving its long-standing identity. He said Workers’ Compensation, Zambia’s oldest social security institution with a history spanning more than 90 years, was originally established to compensate workers injured in the course of employment, those who contract occupational diseases and dependants of workers who die while on duty.

 According to Zulu, the institution initially focused on blue-collar workers such as miners and railway construction labourers, but the changing world of work has seen its coverage expand to include domestic workers, informal sector workers and employees in emerging industries driven by technology.

He said the rebranding also aligns with this year’s Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show theme, “Fostering Trade and Investment,” as the institution has increasingly invested in infrastructure and commercial projects aimed at supporting economic growth. Zulu said Workers’ Compensation has invested US$50 million in the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway project to improve the movement of goods and services while creating employment opportunities.

He added that the institution has also invested US$200 million in the Chingola-Kasumbalesa Road project to facilitate trade between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of Zambia’s major trading partners. Beyond road infrastructure, Zulu said Workers’ Compensation has deliberately invested in areas that have attracted limited private sector investment by constructing hotels in Kasama, Chinsali and Kasempa.

 He said the Kasama hotel has already been commissioned and is operational, while the Chinsali project is about 90 per cent complete and is expected to be commissioned before the end of the year. More developments are also planned in Kasempa. The institution has also invested in commercial office and retail buildings that provide business space and contribute to economic activity. Zulu said Workers’ Compensation administers an employer-funded employment injury scheme, with employers contributing to a common fund used to compensate eligible workers and their dependants.

Article by Karen Ngulube