President Hakainde Hichilema has warned mining companies against holding mineral licences for speculative purposes, saying Government will enforce a “use it or lose it” policy to ensure Zambia’s mineral wealth contributes to economic growth and job creation.
Speaking at the 2026 Zambia Mining and Investment Insaka in Lusaka today, President Hichilema said Zambia’s target of producing three million metric tonnes of copper annually could be achieved by unlocking stalled mining projects, expanding operations and increasing exploration across all provinces.
He cited the revival of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) as key developments, saying stakeholders had agreed that the mine should contribute 300,000 tonnes towards the national production target.
The President urged mining companies to move beyond conventional corporate social responsibility initiatives, arguing that employment, skills development and contracts for local businesses offered greater long-term benefits to communities than isolated donations.
He cited Lumwana Mine and the US$1.3 billion S3 expansion at Kansanshi Mine as examples of projects incorporating local contractors and young people into mining operations, manufacturing and supply chains.
Mr. Hichilema also highlighted the Kitumba Greenfield project in Mumbwa District, which was unlocked after years of litigation, as an example of how resolving investment bottlenecks could stimulate provincial economic activity.
He said Government had invested nearly US$100 million in a nationwide, high-resolution geophysical mapping survey covering Zambia’s 752,000 square kilometres to reduce exploration risks and attract investment.
On regional cooperation, President Hichilema called on Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana to establish cross-border joint ventures and harmonise standards in critical minerals and energy.
He said reliable electricity generation, shared transmission infrastructure and an open-access energy market were essential to supporting deep-level mining and mineral beneficiation, which adds value to minerals before export.
The President urged the three countries to strengthen regional partnerships and build the scale needed to compete in global mineral markets.
Speaking at the same occasion, Botswana’s Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, called on African countries to move beyond exporting raw minerals and invest in local processing, manufacturing and technology to retain more economic value on the continent.
Ms Kenewendo, who represented Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko, urged Botswana, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to strengthen regional integration and invest in shared infrastructure to develop mineral-based industries and regional value chains.
She said Africa had for too long exported raw materials while other economies captured the benefits through processing, manufacturing and technological advancement, adding that the model could no longer define the continent’s economic future.
Ms Kenewendo noted that Botswana, which had built its development foundation on the responsible management of diamond resources, was diversifying into copper, base metals and critical minerals.
She said the move was intended to position Botswana and the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region as leading global mining jurisdictions, while promoting industrialisation, job creation and greater regional economic cooperation.
Democratic Republic of Congo Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba said Zambia and the DRC shared the copperbelt stretching between Kolwezi and Ndola, with significant deposits of copper, cobalt and other minerals critical to the energy transition.
He said mining success should be measured not only by production and exports, but also by the jobs, infrastructure and skills generated within local economies.
Mr Kabamba urged the two countries to pursue complementary industrial development rather than compete unnecessarily, citing the proposed battery and electric vehicle value-chain project linking Musompo and Ndola.
He also called for investment in reliable rail infrastructure to ease truck congestion at border crossings, particularly Kasumbalesa, alongside stronger cooperation in geological research, mineral traceability and efforts to curb illicit mineral trade.
He stressed that regional industrialisation and shared prosperity depended on peace, stability and respect for national sovereignty.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House, The Republic of Zambia.