Business October 23, 2026
By Mwebantu Newsroom 21 minutes ago No comments
JAPAN has committed about US$6.3 million in grant aid to Zambia for the purchase of railway maintenance equipment for Zambia Railways Limited.
The support seeks to improve railway services, make freight transport more efficient and strengthen the country’s transport links.
Speaking during the signing ceremony on Thursday, Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Akiteru Mikami said the grant will fund the purchase of specialised equipment manufactured by Japanese companies.
Mikami said the equipment would improve railway track maintenance, make services more reliable and help move goods more efficiently. The equipment includes motor vehicles fitted with cranes and crane trucks that can operate on both roads and railway tracks.
He noted that efficient railway transport is important to the mining sector as it can reduce transport costs, improve the movement of goods and support the growth of local industries.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said the support complements President Hakainde Hichilema’s Grow Zambia Agenda.
“Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone in our bilateral cooperation, with a grant amounting to US$6.17 million, to support the railway maintenance project. This support will strengthen Zambia’s railway infrastructure, enhance transport efficiency, and facilitate the movement of goods and people, thereby promoting trade, improving connectivity, and contributing to economic growth in line with the Grow Zambia Agenda,” Musokotwane said.
Musokotwane said Zambia needs to expand its exports because its domestic market is relatively small, and that a good railway system will help achieve this goal. Increased exports will create business opportunities, support production and raise government revenue, he said.
He added that investment in railway infrastructure and transport corridors will improve regional trade and give Zambian businesses better access to international markets.
The minister said government is pursuing the development of key railway links, among them the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, aimed at improving the transportation of minerals and agricultural produce to export markets.
(Mwebantu, Friday, 23rd October, 2026)
(Picture by ZANIS)
