BUILD ZAMBIA EXPO TAKES OFF

New platform seeks to connect construction industry to business, investment and procurement opportunities

By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 – 26-08-2026 -- The Build Zambia Expo & Conference 2026 has officially been launched, bringing Government, businesses, investors and players in the construction and infrastructure sector under one roof as Zambia looks to turn its infrastructure plans into real business opportunities.

The expo was launched on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Agora Village, where industry players and stakeholders gathered to discuss construction, infrastructure, investment and procurement opportunities.

Organisers say Build Zambia 2026 is intended to be more than an exhibition where companies put up stands and display their products. The focus is on creating opportunities for businesses and decision-makers to meet, find partners and turn discussions into actual deals.

The platform will focus on business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) engagements, procurement, investment, partnerships and discussions around the future of Zambia’s infrastructure.

The expo is expected to bring together businesses, investors, Government institutions, contractors, suppliers and other players across the construction and infrastructure value chain.

Organisers say businesses will have an opportunity to showcase their products and services while meeting potential clients, buyers, investors and Government institutions.

The initiative will also provide a platform for stakeholders to openly discuss the challenges facing the construction industry, while looking at ways of encouraging innovation, partnerships and investment.

The launch marks the start of preparations for the Build Zambia Expo & Conference 2026, which organisers hope will bring players in the sector closer together and create more opportunities for local businesses.

The organisers describe Build Zambia 2026 as a platform to connect people and businesses, promote new ideas and help build a stronger construction and infrastructure sector.

Prof. Albert Malama, Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, officially unveiled the event at the press briefing.

The expo will run from September 23 to 24 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and is organised by the National Council for Construction (NCC).

“Infrastructure is a critical foundation for Zambia’s economic transformation,” Malama said.

He said the success of the expo should not be judged by how many people walk through the doors, but by “the quality of participation and the value created.”

Malama urged Government agencies to send procurement officers, engineers and planners to the expo so they could engage directly with businesses and understand what the industry has to offer.

He stressed that participation in the expo would not replace procurement procedures, but could help Government with “market sounding, capability discovery, and partnership development.”

On local content, Malama said supporting Zambian businesses should never mean lowering the bar on quality or safety.

“It means deliberately developing Zambian capability so local enterprises can meet required standards,” he said.

He also called on banks, insurers and development finance institutions to take part in the expo and help address the financing difficulties that continue to hold back businesses.

Malama said technologies such as Building Information Modelling and smart infrastructure would also be important as Zambia prepares for the infrastructure needs of the future.

He placed particular emphasis on skills development, saying the practical arena at the expo should “inspire young people and connect training to industry demand.”

The Permanent Secretary said Government would continue to insist on proper building standards, safety and environmental responsibility.

He thanked Kafue Steel for coming on board as a sponsor and encouraged other companies and institutions to support the initiative.

“Together, let us turn Zambia’s infrastructure ambitions into well-planned projects, quality jobs, and sustainable development,” Malama said.

The National Council for Construction (NCC) says it wants the Build Zambia Expo to become a place where businesses can find real opportunities rather than simply exchange contacts.

NCC Executive Director Prof. Paul Makasa said the expo was being developed as Zambia’s “Premier Construction Marketplace and Industry Development Platform” after consultations with players in the construction industry.

Prof. Makasa said businesses needed more than an exhibition stand and a pile of business cards.

He said they needed access to genuine buyers, procurement opportunities, financing discussions, policymakers, professional learning and practical skills.

One of the main features will be the Hosted Buyer Programme, which is targeting up to 100 qualified buyers from Government institutions, local authorities, developers, mines, utilities and other major procuring organisations.

Prof. Makasa said buyers would state what goods and services they needed, the projects involved and the suppliers they wanted to meet.

Contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, financiers and technology providers would then present their capabilities and areas of interest.

He said the idea was to make meetings useful by matching people according to what they actually need, rather than simply filling a programme with introductions.

Prof. Makasa said the expo would also tackle issues such as local content, construction standards, compliance, procurement, project financing, affordable housing and public-private partnerships.

Other discussions would cover Building Information Modelling, digital twins, smart infrastructure and sustainable construction, as well as continuing professional development for industry professionals.

Prof. Makasa said skills development would remain at the centre of the expo because the construction industry could not move forward without properly trained professionals, technicians and artisans.

The expo will therefore have a practical Skills Arena where participants can demonstrate their abilities, with selected competitions in plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry and shopfitting.

Prof. Makasa said the initiative could eventually provide the foundation for a stronger national construction skills platform.

The organisers are targeting 500 delegates and about 45 exhibitors. Outdoor space will also be available for companies that want to display equipment, machinery, materials and practical demonstrations.

Prof. Makasa said the organisers were more interested in attracting the right people than simply filling the venue.

He said the expo would bring together buyers and sellers, policymakers and implementers, financiers and project developers, established companies and emerging SMEs, as well as professionals and artisans.

Prof. Makasa said the NCC would judge the expo’s success by looking at qualified registrations, Hosted Buyer profiles, meetings requested and accepted, meetings held, leads generated, sessions delivered and what happens after the event.

With participants’ consent, he said the NCC would conduct 30, 60 and 90-day follow-ups to see whether the contacts made at the expo eventually led to business and investment opportunities.

The Build Zambia Expo 2026 will be held on September 23 and 24 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.

Prof. Makasa urged players across the construction value chain to register, exhibit, sponsor, participate as Hosted Buyers and contribute to the programme.

He said the real test would be whether the expo could turn conversations into contracts, investment, better policies and practical skills.

Universal Mining & Chemical Industries Limited (UMCIL) has meanwhile warned that Zambia could miss out on the wider economic benefits of infrastructure development if local manufacturers are not given a fair chance to supply major projects.

UMCIL Executive Director for Corporate Affairs, Dr. Phil Daka, said Zambia must make greater use of Zambian products, skills and industrial capacity as the country invests in mining, roads, energy, rail, housing and other infrastructure.

Daka was speaking at the media launch of the Build Zambia Conference and Expo 2026, where UMCIL-Kafue Steel is the main sponsor.

He said the expo should bring manufacturers face-to-face with contractors, developers, Government institutions, mining companies, financiers and professional bodies so that procurement opportunities could translate into actual business.

But Daka said the local steel industry was under growing pressure.

He disclosed that UMCIL’s steel production had fallen from between 12,000 and 13,000 tonnes a month to about 8,000 tonnes.

At the same time, he said the company was struggling to sell its steel, with about 5,000 tonnes of finished products sitting in stock.

Daka said the stock represented nearly US$4 million in working capital tied up in inventory.

He said export markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa had also declined substantially.

Daka attributed the pressure to cheaper imports, regional competition and concerns over bonded warehousing arrangements.

He also raised concerns about smuggling, under-declaration and possible misuse or incorrect classification of HS codes.

“Where such practices occur, the damage is twofold. The legitimate local manufacturer loses business, and Government loses revenue,” he said.

Daka said the drop in production was already being felt by workers, with about 350 jobs lost through workforce reductions.

He said UMCIL currently had approximately 1,200 employees and warned that continued production declines could lead to more job losses.

“Supporting local manufacturing is not simply about protecting companies. It is about protecting jobs, communities, technical skills and Zambia’s industrial capacity,” Daka said.

He said the effects were being felt beyond the factory gates in Kafue because industrial jobs also support transporters, suppliers, contractors, traders and other businesses.

Daka said the cost of electricity was another major headache for steel manufacturers because the industry consumes large amounts of power.

He said UMCIL pays between US$250,000 and US$300,000 every month to ZESCO for electricity.

The company, he said, competes with regional producers that have access to captive power generation, raw materials and larger economies of scale.

Despite the difficulties, Daka said UMCIL continued to manufacture mainly from local raw materials, including scrap metal, iron ore from its mining operations and locally available lime.

He said the company had also maintained its steel quality standards.

Daka said Government should regard local steel manufacturing as a strategic national asset because steel is needed for mines, roads, bridges, buildings, energy projects, railways and housing.

“Does Zambia want to remain a country that manufactures steel, or gradually become a country that imports most of the steel it consumes?” he asked.

He said UMCIL was not asking Government to ban imports, but wanted local manufacturers to compete on a level playing field.

Daka urged Government to strengthen preference for locally manufactured steel in public infrastructure, mining, energy, railway, solar and major construction projects.

He also called for stronger enforcement of local-content policies and closer monitoring of steel imports, bonded warehouses, border controls and HS-code declarations.

Daka further appealed to Government and ZESCO to consider an industrial electricity framework that recognises the needs of energy-intensive manufacturers.

He said manufacturers also needed access to financing and other forms of support to sustain long-term industrial investment.

Daka said Build Zambia should not end with exhibition stands coming down after two days. He said it should become a place where people come with real procurement needs and meet companies that can supply them.

“We don’t want Build Zambia to become another event where we exchange business cards, take photographs and return to our offices. We want it to become a marketplace,” he said.

He urged contractors to bring their procurement requirements, mining companies to outline their future needs and Government to share its infrastructure project pipeline.

Daka said structured business-to-business and business-to-government engagements could turn discussions into contracts, investment and jobs.

He urged private-sector companies to take part in the expo and buy locally where the required capacity and quality exist.

Daka said Zambia should judge infrastructure development not only by the roads, bridges, buildings and other projects completed, but also by the industrial capacity and jobs created along the way.

“You cannot sustainably Build Zambia without Manufacturing Zambia,” he said.

He said UMCIL remained committed to Zambia, local manufacturing, skills development and the Kafue community.

“Let us manufacture in Zambia. Let us buy in Zambia. And together, let us Build Zambia,” Daka said.