President Hakainde Hichilema’s ambition for Zambia’s copper industry extends beyond increasing mineral production. At the centre of his economic vision is the idea that copper can become a foundation for wider national transformation, similar to the role oil played in shaping the economies of several Middle Eastern countries. This ambition sits within the broader Grow Zambia Agenda, which focuses on increasing production, attracting investment, expanding industries and creating more economic opportunities from the country’s natural resources. Zambia already has a major copper industry, but the larger challenge is to ensure that copper wealth contributes to infrastructure, jobs, manufacturing, energy, technology and other productive sectors. The goal is therefore not simply to produce more copper, but to use copper production as a platform for broader and more sustainable economic development.
The President’s first major international engagement of the new term in the United Arab Emirates brought this ambition into sharper focus. The UAE provides an example of how natural resource wealth can serve as a starting point for economic transformation rather than an end in itself. Oil played a major role in the development of the UAE, but the country also invested heavily in sectors such as infrastructure, logistics, aviation, tourism, healthcare, technology, finance and renewable energy. These investments helped build an economy with activities extending beyond the direct production of oil. For Zambia, the lesson is that mineral wealth can create opportunities for investment in productive systems that continue to generate economic value across multiple sectors.
Zambia’s copper resources give the country a significant opportunity to pursue this kind of economic diversification. Copper remains central to Zambia’s mining industry and plays an important role in the country’s exports and foreign exchange earnings. The metal also has growing importance in the global transition toward electrification because it is widely used in electrical systems, power infrastructure and technologies associated with modern energy systems. This creates an opportunity for Zambia to position its copper industry within changing global demand. However, producing the raw material is only one part of the opportunity, because greater economic value can come from developing the industries, infrastructure and skills that support production and processing.
The target of producing 3 million tonnes of copper is therefore more than a mining-sector objective. It represents a broader ambition to expand economic activity around one of Zambia’s most important natural resources. Higher production would require investment in mines, power generation, transport infrastructure, water systems, technology and skilled human resources. It could also increase demand for companies providing engineering, construction, equipment maintenance, logistics, financial services and other support activities. If more stages of the copper value chain develop within Zambia, the economic impact could extend beyond the extraction of the mineral itself. The wider objective is to turn increased copper production into a catalyst for investment, industrial development and employment.
Electricity is particularly important to this ambition because mining and industrial production require reliable and affordable power. Zambia has significant potential in renewable energy, including solar and hydroelectric power, but expanding productive activity requires continued investment in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Increased copper production without adequate energy supply could constrain mining expansion and other industrial activities. On the other hand, stronger investment in electricity could support mining while also benefiting manufacturing, agriculture, technology businesses and households. This makes energy development an important part of the wider economic strategy surrounding copper production.
Transport and logistics are equally important because copper must move from mines to processing facilities and ultimately to export markets. Zambia is landlocked, which means efficient regional transport networks are particularly important for the competitiveness of its exports. Better roads, railways, border facilities, storage systems and logistics services can reduce delays and improve connections between production centres and international markets. Investment in logistics can also benefit sectors outside mining by making it easier for agricultural products, manufactured goods and other exports to reach regional and global customers. A copper-led growth strategy therefore has implications for infrastructure across the wider economy.
The same principle applies to technology. Modern mining increasingly depends on sophisticated equipment, data systems, automation, geological information, environmental monitoring and specialised technical skills. Building local capacity in these areas could create opportunities for Zambian businesses and training institutions. Universities, technical colleges and vocational institutions could play an important role by preparing workers for mining, engineering, information technology, energy and manufacturing careers. Developing these skills would allow more Zambians to participate in higher-value activities linked to the mining industry. It would also strengthen the country’s ability to use technology across sectors rather than limiting its benefits to large mining operations.
Value addition is another important part of the discussion about Zambia’s copper future. Exporting refined or processed materials can create different economic opportunities from exporting unprocessed minerals, although the feasibility of each stage depends on factors such as energy costs, infrastructure, technology, investment and access to markets. Developing processing and manufacturing capacity could create demand for engineers, technicians, suppliers and other professionals. It could also encourage the growth of businesses that provide inputs and services to industrial facilities. The broader aim is to capture more economic activity within Zambia while remaining competitive in international markets.
The Zambia-UAE engagements provide an example of how this broader approach could work. Discussions and commitments involving healthcare, renewable energy, logistics and technology show that the relationship extends beyond minerals. Investment in healthcare can strengthen human capital and services, while renewable energy can support Zambia’s need for additional power. Logistics investment can improve trade connectivity, while technology partnerships can help businesses and institutions adopt new systems and develop specialised capabilities. These areas may appear separate from copper mining, but they form part of the infrastructure and economic environment needed to support sustained production and diversification.
The UAE experience also demonstrates that resource wealth alone does not automatically produce broad-based economic development. Natural resources can generate substantial revenues and attract international investment, but governments and businesses must decide how to channel that economic activity into infrastructure, human capital and productive industries. The transformation of the UAE involved large investments in physical infrastructure and the development of sectors that could support economic activity beyond oil. Zambia’s circumstances are different, so the country cannot simply copy the UAE’s model. The relevant lesson is the importance of using resource wealth to build capabilities that can support a diversified economy over the long term.
For Zambia, attracting investment will remain an important part of achieving the Grow Zambia Agenda. Mining expansion requires significant capital, while energy, transport, manufacturing and technology projects can also require substantial long-term investment. A predictable business environment, reliable infrastructure, skilled workers and clear policies can influence investment decisions. The government’s role includes creating conditions that allow responsible investment while ensuring that economic activity contributes to national development. Successful investment should therefore be viewed not only in terms of the amount of capital entering the country but also in terms of the productive capacity, jobs, skills and industries that investment helps create.
The potential benefits also extend to small and medium-sized businesses. Large mining and infrastructure projects create demand for goods and services that can be supplied by local enterprises when they have the necessary capacity. Businesses can participate in areas such as transportation, catering, equipment servicing, construction, information technology, professional services and agricultural supply. Strengthening these local supply chains can help ensure that economic activity generated by mining reaches a wider section of the economy. This is important because the impact of copper production should not remain concentrated around large mining companies and major investment projects.
Agriculture can also benefit from a copper-led investment strategy if infrastructure and energy development are planned across sectors. Improved electricity can support irrigation, cold storage and agro-processing, while better roads and logistics can help farmers move products to markets. Technology can improve production, financial access and market information for agricultural businesses. These connections can help Zambia pursue economic growth that does not depend entirely on mining. Copper can provide an important source of investment and foreign exchange while other sectors develop their own productive capacity.
Tourism and healthcare represent another part of the wider diversification opportunity. Tourism depends on infrastructure, connectivity, accommodation, services and investment, while healthcare requires facilities, technology, skilled professionals and reliable energy. Investment in these sectors can improve services for Zambians while also creating employment and business opportunities. The Zambia-UAE engagement shows why international partnerships can be useful when they address several areas of economic development at the same time. A diversified investment relationship can create benefits that extend beyond the immediate sector where an investment begins.
The ambition also comes with challenges that Zambia will need to manage carefully. Copper prices can rise and fall because of changes in global demand, supply conditions and economic activity. Mining can also face challenges involving energy availability, infrastructure, investment requirements, environmental management and community relations. Increasing production to 3 million tonnes would therefore require sustained investment and effective planning. The country will need to ensure that higher mineral production supports long-term economic capacity rather than creating excessive dependence on a single commodity.
The environmental dimension will also remain important as Zambia expands mining and industrial activity. Copper production requires land, water, energy and other resources, while mining operations must manage their environmental impacts. Renewable energy, efficient technologies, responsible water management and stronger environmental practices can help reduce some of these pressures. The wider transition toward cleaner energy also creates a reason for Zambia to consider how its copper industry can operate within a changing global economy. The combination of copper resources and renewable energy potential could become increasingly relevant as demand grows for materials used in electrification and clean-energy technologies.
President Hichilema’s copper ambition ultimately raises a larger question about what Zambia wants to build from its natural resources. Producing 3 million tonnes of copper would represent a major expansion of the country’s mining capacity, but the economic significance would depend on what happens around that production. More electricity, stronger logistics, improved skills, greater value addition, new businesses and expanded manufacturing could turn mining growth into wider economic activity. Investment partnerships in healthcare, renewable energy, technology and logistics can support this process by strengthening the foundations required for a productive economy. The challenge is to connect these investments into a coherent development strategy rather than treating each project as an isolated opportunity.
The UAE offers Zambia a useful example of how a resource-rich country can build economic activity beyond the original resource that generated its wealth. Oil provided an important foundation for the UAE, while investments in infrastructure, services, technology and other industries helped broaden its economy. Zambia’s resource is different, but copper provides a substantial opportunity at a time when global industries continue to rely heavily on the metal. The country’s challenge is to convert that opportunity into productive capacity that benefits businesses, workers and communities across the economy. That requires investment, skills, energy, infrastructure, responsible resource management and policies that encourage production.
The Grow Zambia Agenda therefore places copper within a much larger economic picture. Copper provides Zambia with a major resource opportunity, but the ultimate objective is to use that opportunity to expand production, attract investment, develop industries and create sustainable economic opportunities. The Zambia-UAE engagements show the potential for partnerships that extend across renewable energy, logistics, healthcare and technology rather than focusing exclusively on mining. If these areas develop alongside copper production, they can strengthen the foundations of a more diversified economy. The central issue is not only how much copper Zambia produces, but what the country builds around that copper and how effectively it converts natural resource wealth into lasting economic capacity.