Government has expressed confidence that Zambia is on course to achieve one million metric tons of copper production following record-breaking output in 2025.

Speaking during the Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) Mining Technical Working Group meeting held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary, Hapenga Kabeta said last year marked a historic milestone for the sector.

“Our production figures for copper reached about 891,000 metric tons by the end of 2025, the highest ever recorded since Zambia’s independence,” Dr Kabeta said.

He noted that the achievement reflects the positive impact of ongoing reforms and strengthened collaboration between government and the private sector.

“We are optimistic that, working together with the private sector, we shall achieve the one million metric tons target, as indications show that we are on course,” he said.

Dr Kabeta further highlighted key legislative reforms undertaken in 2025, including the enactment of the Minerals Regulation Commission Act and the Geological and Minerals Development Act.

“These reforms have strengthened governance in the sector and created a more predictable and transparent operating environment,” he said.

He added that the introduction of local content regulations is expected to increase participation of Zambians in the mining value chain.

“The local content framework ensures that local suppliers and businesses actively benefit from mining activities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Acting Director of Strategic Communication and Partnerships at PPDF, Francesca Phiri said the forum remains committed to facilitating dialogue aimed at addressing challenges in the mining sector.

“The PPDF continues to provide a platform for structured engagement between the government and the private sector to unlock bottlenecks affecting the industry,” Ms Phiri said.

She identified key challenges affecting the sector as regulatory inefficiencies, licensing delays, infrastructure limitations, and limited access to finance.

“These issues are being systematically reviewed and prioritized to ensure timely policy interventions and improved sector performance,” she said.

Ms Phiri added that the forum is working to enhance coordination among stakeholders and support implementation of agreed reforms.

“Our goal is to improve the business environment, enhance transparency, and unlock the full potential of the mining sector as a driver of economic growth and job creation,” she said.

The meeting also emphasised the need for predictable policy reforms and sustained collaboration to maintain the sector’s growth trajectory.

Police in Chingola have apprehended two foreign nationals in connection with the theft of K520,000 from a businessman’s vehicle, while two other suspects remain on the run.

Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer Mwala Yuyi confirmed the development in a statement, noting that the incident occurred yesterday around 11:30 hours.

The suspects have been identified as Edwin Khanye, aged 53, a South African national, and Thembi Dube, aged 40, a Zimbabwean national.

According to police, the duo, together with two accomplices still at large, allegedly stole K520,000 from a motor vehicle belonging to Nicky Zhu of Fallen Mining Company.

Mr Yuyi explained that the incident happened at Megaegg Company premises, where the victim had briefly left the money on the front passenger seat of his vehicle. The suspects are believed to have trailed the victim from FNB Bank, where he had withdrawn the cash, before breaking into the parked vehicle and stealing the money.

The stolen funds were reportedly intended for the payment of workers’ salaries.

A security officer at the premises noticed the theft and attempted to stop the suspects by firing a gunshot at their getaway vehicle. The shot caused the vehicle to lose control, forcing the suspects to abandon it and flee into nearby bushes.

Police later apprehended Khanye near the abandoned vehicle. Dube was also captured after attempting to escape on a bus to Lusaka, where alert members of the public intercepted him and handed him over to authorities.

A search of the abandoned vehicle led to the recovery of a separate pair of number plates bearing registration CAH 6743 ZM, as well as a rivet gun believed to have been used to fix the plates. However, the stolen money has not yet been recovered.

Meanwhile, two other suspects identified as Zonke Nyoka and Richard Dubuzi are still on the run.

Mr Yuyi stated that a manhunt has since been launched, and investigations into the matter are ongoing.

A taxi driver in Ndola has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a traffic police officer following a road traffic offence.

The suspect, Charles Zulu, aged 23 of Pamodzi Township, is accused of assaulting Sergeant Charles Mandefu on Wednesday afternoon along Kalewa Road.

According to police, the incident occurred when Sergeant Mandefu and other officers were conducting routine patrols and observed that Zulu had parked his vehicle in the middle of the road, obstructing traffic.

The officer approached the driver and charged him with obstruction of the roadway, an impoundable offence under Section 188 of the Roads and Road Traffic Act No. 11 of 2002.

At the time, Zulu was driving a Honda Fit, registration number BBE 3944, and had an elderly female passenger on board. Police say the officer allowed him to first drop off the passenger before proceeding to the police station.

Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said Sergeant Mandefu boarded the vehicle and instructed the driver to head to the police station.

“However, the elderly passenger requested to be dropped off at Kawama Township first, a request the officer granted,” Mr Chilabi said.

After dropping off the passenger, the driver allegedly refused to comply with the instruction to proceed to the police station and instead assaulted the officer.

Following the incident, police launched investigations which led to the apprehension of Zulu. He is currently in police custody and is expected to appear in court soon.

About K520,000 has been stolen from a motor vehicle in Chingola District after unknown criminals broke into the car and fled with the cash.

Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner Mwala Yuyi said the incident occurred on April 8, 2026, around 11:30 hours at Megaegg Company.

Mr Yuyi said the money belonged to businessman Nicky Zhu, aged 29, who had earlier withdrawn the cash from FNB Bank for workers’ salaries.

He said the complainant placed the money in a black leather bag on the front passenger seat of his Toyota Prado, registration number ADF 3970 ZM, before entering the premises of Megaegg Company.

In a statement, Mr Yuyi said the suspects are believed to have followed the businessman from the bank and took advantage of his absence to break into the vehicle and steal the bag.

He added that the suspects attempted to escape in a Lexus motor vehicle, registration number ADG 3703, but a security officer fired a shot, damaging one of the front tyres.

“The suspects lost control of the vehicle and abandoned it before fleeing on foot,” he said.

Mr Yuyi said police responded swiftly and apprehended one suspect, Edwin Khanye, a 53-year-old South African national, who was found hiding in nearby bush.

He said another suspect, Thembi Nkhosi Dube, a 40-year-old Zimbabwean national, was later apprehended by members of the public after attempting to flee on a bus to Lusaka.

Mr Yuyi said police also recovered a separate set of number plates, CAH 6743 ZM, and a rivet gun believed to have been used to fix number plates, from the abandoned vehicle.

He said two other suspects, identified as Zonke Nyoka and Richard Dubuzi, both Zimbabwean nationals, remain at large.

Mr Yuyi said the stolen money has not yet been recovered and a manhunt for the remaining suspects is underway, while the two apprehended suspects remain in police custody charged with theft from a motor vehicle.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with Stanbic Bank over a two-year programme that is aimed at supporting youths through skills development, employment pathways, and volunteerism that connect directly to economic demand.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lusaka, Stanbic Bank Chief Executive Officer, Mwindwa Siakalima, said that the partnership is also aimed at supporting the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Hub at the University of Zambia.

Mr Siakalima added that the memorandum of understanding is critical in providing more access to Finance for small and medium enterprises SME’s), by offering tailored financial solutions that focus on collateral free loans and self-securing asset financing.

“It positions young people and institutions to participate meaningfully in a technology enabled economy, while ensuring innovation remains practical and inclusive,” added Mr Siakalima.

UNDP Resident Representative, James Wakiaga added that the partnership aligns with Zambia’s development moment where economic reform, public finance discipline, and private sector led growth must translate into jobs, enterprise growth, and inclusive prosperity.

Mr Wakiaga added that the partnership is a strong and deliberate focus on small-and medium-sized enterprises operating in the agribusiness and mining sectors as mining

remains Zambia’s primary foreign exchange earner.

He said that the partnership makes a decisive investment in the national skills architecture required to deliver local content at scale, in alignment with the Government’s Local Content agenda.

He also said that embedding artificial intelligence within the national development agenda, advances Zambia’s ambitions under the 8th National Development Plan and the emerging AI Strategy that ensures that innovation directly contributes to productivity, competitiveness, and inclusive growth.