Enabling Zambia’s Critical Minerals Sector through Investable Projects, Policy Reforms and Partnerships
2025
Context and Challenge
Global Copper and Cobalt demand is set to rise sharply, driven by the accelerating green energy transition. Despite ranking top ten globally in Copper and Cobalt reserves, Zambia’s ability to capture its natural strategic advantage is limited by structural barriers. Domestic refining of both minerals remains low due to ageing processing infrastructure, power unreliability, and logistics constraints. With mining currently contributing 13% of GDP and 70% of exports, and the Government targeting 3 Metric Tonnes of Copper production by 2031, Zambia has a critical opportunity to reposition itself as a strategic supplier of energy transition minerals. However, success hinges on addressing these systemic bottlenecks.
Opportunity Spaces
£6.8bn+
Opportunity size
across value chain
Underutilisation
<50%
Capacity utilisation of copper wire fabricators
Untapped Reserves
90%
of Copper reserves remain untapped
To help address Zambia’s structural barriers to investment, Growth Gateway engaged stakeholders across the public and private sectors to surface actionable insights and priorities. Our work focused on three strategic areas: (1) compiling high-potential investment opportunities and developing investment cases for priority projects, (2) conducting a Market Access Barriers (MABs) analysis to identify policy reforms across the mining value chain, (3) assessing how partnerships, particularly with UK-aligned actors, can catalyse investment and capability building. Together, these initiatives support socio-economic development and strengthen Zambia’s position in the global critical mineral supply chain.
Support Provided
Built pipeline & investment cases for priority projects
- Assessed eight focus opportunity spaces across the Copper-Cobalt value chain
- Mapped & shortlisted active investment projects based on scale, maturity, and partner availability
- Identified opportunity spaces (e.g. Copper fabrication) with limited activity but high future potential
- Developed investment cases to support investor mobilisation for midstream/value-addition projects
- Conducted 15+ interviews private and public sector players to surface challenges, opportunities and areas for partnerships
Recommended policy reforms and high-priority initiatives
- Refreshed MAB diagnostic, identifying 9 barriers and proposing sequenced reforms
- Shortlisted 3 high-impact reforms for short- to medium-term focus (addressing licensing delays, clarifying operator data access and suspension of mining rights)
- Benchmarked Critical Minerals Statutory Instrument against peer countries
- Drafted internal note on DRC–Zambia Multi-Facility Economic Zones, benchmarking status and design
Identified third country cooperation (TCC) partnership opportunities
Identified priority partners aligned with Zambia’s critical mineral ambitions:
- Shortlisted 12 priority partner countries based on strategic alignment and delivery potential
- Assessed partner strengths (e.G., Concessional finance, technical expertise, environmental social & governance [ESG] standards) against zambia’s needs
- Mapped relevant bilateral agencies and private-sector actors to each of the 9 shortlisted investment opportunities and white-space areas
Impact Achieved
9 projects shortlisted /
3 investment cases developed
across opportunity spaces including refining and manufacturing
9 MABs identified
accompanied by policy reforms
12 priority TCC partners
identified for outreach
To find out more about our impact, follow Growth Gateway on Linkedin or contact us