Zambia’s push to turn its Copperbelt into a stronger logistics gateway is gaining momentum, with a planned inland dry port in Ndola emerging as a major private-sector investment.
Zamm Imports Limited (Z-Mart) announced a US$19 million investment in the Ndola facility, including a three-kilometre rail connection to the main railway and five warehouses for minerals and agricultural products. The project is designed to bring cargo-handling and storage capacity closer to the Copperbelt’s mining base.
The Ndola development forms part of a shift towards moving cargo processing inland, reducing pressure on seaports and improving connections between road and rail.
Elsewhere in Zambia, government plans call for priority dry ports at Nakonde, Kapiri Mposhi and Lusaka, with an estimated first-phase investment of US$75 million. Kapiri Mposhi is also being positioned as a major rail and logistics hub alongside the planned TAZARA revitalisation, which is expected to substantially increase rail freight capacity.
For truckers, these projects could mean more cargo options, shorter inland movements and greater integration between road, rail and ports.
