Vice President Nalumango Launches Luapula Expo, Urges Investment in Value Addition

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has officially launched the Luapula Province Expo, calling on investors to seize opportunities in value addition across cassava processing, ethanol production, animal feed, and other industrial by-products to drive economic growth and job creation in the province.

Themed "Unlocking Luapula's Growth," the expo builds on the success of the 2017 edition, which attracted US$20 million in potential investments. Speaking at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Tuesday, Nalumango highlighted Luapula's strengths in fisheries, aquaculture, palm oil production, agro-processing, and livestock development, all supported by abundant water resources and grazing land.

On energy, the Vice President announced that the 50-megawatt Mabumba Solar Power Plant was already supplying 14 megawatts to the national grid, effectively ending load shedding in the province. Full capacity is expected by the end of April, surpassing Luapula's current demand of 30 megawatts. She pointed to the government-owned Green 2000 farm in Kawambwa District as evidence of how improved energy access is transforming agricultural productivity.

Nalumango also noted progress in formalising small-scale mining through ZCCM-IH and highlighted major infrastructure investments, including the Nchelenge-Chienge and Samfya-Musaila-Lubwe roads, alongside the Pedicle road being developed under a public-private partnership.

These combined interventions, she said, would reduce business costs, improve trade facilitation, and strengthen Luapula's connectivity within Zambia and across the region.