The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) last week hosted a Copperbelt Information- Sharing Session in Kitwe, the economic hub of Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.
The session, which took place on 13 March 2025, focused on positioning the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (WBNLDC) as the preferred trade route for the Copperbelt.
The session provided a platform for key industry players to explore supply chain solutions and trade and investment opportunities through Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay and WBNLDC.
The session brought together key public and private sector stakeholders within the mining, manufacturing as well as transport and logistics industries.
It was attended by Namibia’s High Commissioner to Zambia Haindongo Siyave, Copperbelt provincial minister Elisha Matambo and deputy mayor of Kitwe, Alex Mwango.
Siyave highlighted the significance of the strong bilateral relations between Namibia and Zambia, particularly in the areas of trade and logistics.
“This information session is a good testimony to the cordial bilateral relations that exist between Namibia and Zambia, as witnessed in growing trade volumes between the two countries. To be specific, the increase in volumes (from the previous year) recorded ending December 2024 is 48%. Currently, for the global market, Zambia exports copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese and honey via the Port of Walvis Bay, as well as maize brane and molasses for local Namibian consumption. Namibia exports seafood (horse mackerel being the bulk of it) and facilitates in-transit mining consumables and equipment to Zambia,” he said.
Matambo highlighted the strategic importance of the Copperbelt Province and the need for efficient, cost-effective logistics solutions to enhance trade competitiveness.
“As a government, unfortunately we are aware of some of the challenges that Zambia faces when importing or exporting her goods via other trade corridors. Walvis Bay wouldn’t have come at a better time than this when the New Dawn governments want to accelerate export capacities of the country. To that end, we have placed the Zambian dry port under ZAMCARGO to increase Zambia’s presence in Namibia. Consequently, we anticipate quick growth of Zambia’s logistical footprint in your country,” he stated.
In his remarks, Mwango reaffirmed Kitwe’s role as the hub of the Copperbelt.
“Kitwe and the wider Copperbelt province continue to be the heartbeat of the Zambian economy, serving as a vital hub for the mining of mineral resources, such as copper and cobalt. Therefore, ensuring that our province is connected to the safest, efficient and cost-effective route is a key priority. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor, which connects Zambia to the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia, offers all these benefits, and more for exporters and importers in the Copperbelt Province,” he noted.
Also in attendance, WBCG’s CEO Mbahupu Hippy Tjivikua reiterated the company’s commitment to providing seamless trade, logistics and supply chain solutions to the Copperbelt market.
“Our corridors offer shorter transit times, competitive logistics solutions and an efficient connection to global markets. We encourage businesses in Zambia to leverage these opportunities to optimise WBNLDC,” he stated.
Namibian stakeholders present at the session included the Namibia Ports Authority, the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI).
In addition to the information-sharing session, the team successfully conducted stakeholder engagements in Lusaka, Ndola and Kitwe.
The engagements included site visits to Indeni Energy, Zambia’s Oil Marketing Company (OMC), as well as transport and logistics operators such as Polytra, CML and Inara Investments.
The team also conducted familiarisation tours to the three key borders that connect Zambia with the DRC, namely Kasumbalesa, Mokambo and Sakania border posts.