Grow Zambia Targets Offer Real Opportunities, Says Haabazoka

The Zambian Economist — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:08:12 +0000

By The Zambian Economist Analyst

Key takeaways

Economist Lubinda Haabazoka told ZNBC’s Sunday Interview Programme that the Grow Zambia Agenda differs from earlier development plans because it sets specific production targets rather than broad growth ambitions.
The targets: 10,000 megawatts of electricity, 10 million tonnes of maize, five million tourists, three million tonnes each of copper and soya beans, one million tonnes each of sugar and wheat, and $1 billion in beef exports.
Haabazoka says the maize target alone would lift demand for fertiliser, equipment, irrigation, storage, transport and packaging, and open room for turning surplus grain into starch and animal feed.
He points to the DR Congo, Malawi and Mozambique as export markets, provided rail links and Mpulungu Port are strengthened.
He estimates the copper target could add about $15 billion to reserves over five years, with small-scale miners able to contribute up to two million tonnes if supported, but says none of it works without the electricity target.

Zambia’s shift from stabilising its economy to growing it could create real opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy and manufacturing, but only if government and the private sector both act on the targets set out in the Grow Zambia agenda, according to economist Lubinda Haabazoka.

Speaking on the ZNBC Sunday Interview Programme, Professor Haabazoka said the agenda breaks from earlier national development plans by setting specific production numbers rather than broad growth ambitions. The targets: 10,000 megawatts of electricity, 10 million tonnes of maize, five million tourists, three million tonnes each of copper and soya beans, one million tonnes each of sugar and wheat, and $1 billion in beef exports.

Haabazoka said the numbers should not be read as goals for government alone. He described them as benchmarks the public and private sectors can organise investment around, sector by sector.

What does the maize target require beyond the farm?

Haabazoka said the 10-million-tonne maize target is not only about growing more grain. Higher output would lift demand across the supply chain: fertiliser, agricultural equipment, irrigation, storage, transport and packaging. He said the same value-chain logic applies to the other Grow Zambia targets.

There is room for value addition once the maize target is met, he said, pointing to surplus grain that could be processed into products such as starch and animal feed rather than sold raw.

Can Zambia sell surplus production into the region?

Haabazoka said Zambia should not confine its ambitions to the domestic market. He cited the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Mozambique as countries with demand for agricultural products that Zambia is positioned to supply.

Turning that regional demand into actual exports, he said, depends on connectivity: rail infrastructure and the use of Mpulungu Port on Lake Tanganyika.

What would the copper target mean for reserves and jobs?

On copper, Haabazoka said the three-million-tonne target could have a major impact on the economy, mainly through Zambia’s foreign exchange reserves. He estimated that hitting the target could add about $15 billion to reserves over five years, while creating jobs and business opportunities for companies that supply the mining sector.

Small-scale miners have a role too, he said. With support for exploration and access to appropriate equipment, he estimated they could contribute as much as two million tonnes of the national copper total.

Why does electricity capacity decide everything else?

None of this works without power, Haabazoka said. Higher copper output depends on the country’s energy capacity, which is why he described the 10,000 megawatt electricity target as critical not just for mining but for agriculture, manufacturing and value addition across the economy. He said Zambia can also make use of regional power trading as it builds up domestic generation.

What happens next?

Haabazoka said the immediate challenge is turning the Grow Zambia targets into action rather than leaving them as figures on paper. He called on government ministries and the private sector to align their plans and identify the specific contributions required from each sector to meet the targets.

For businesses, the targets work as demand signals: fertiliser and equipment suppliers have a maize target to plan against, mining-services firms have a copper target, and transporters have a regional export case to build around. For policymakers, Haabazoka’s comments put the weight on execution: sequencing investment in power and rail, and giving each sector a specific number to work towards rather than a general growth ambition.

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