LE BRIEF

Zambia: Brenda Tambatamba appointed mines minister to support copper production ambitions

LE BRIEF • 2026-10-29

The former labour minister takes charge of a sector central to Zambian exports. The 28 October appointment comes as the country targets three million tonnes of copper a year, an ambition not yet achieved.

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LE BRIEF — Thursday, 29 October 2026 edition By the LE BRIEF newsroom Country : Zambia Source publication: 28 October 2026 Event : Ministerial appointment announced on 28 October 2026. Portrait supplied for the report on Brenda Tambatamba’s appointment. It is not a photograph of the appointment ceremony. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema appointed Brenda Tambatamba mines minister in a cabinet reorganisation announced on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. The decision comes as the country seeks faster development of its copper industry and greater mining investment attractiveness. Tambatamba previously held the labour portfolio. Before entering politics, she gained mining-sector experience, including sustainability responsibilities at the Lumwana mine. Copper at the centre of industrial ambitions Zambia is among Africa’s leading copper producers. The metal is essential to export revenues and industrial development, with demand supported by electrification, electricity networks and industrial equipment. Authorities are targeting annual output of three million tonnes. This ambition requires investment in exploration, extensions to existing mines and new facilities. It does not describe the volumes currently produced. Electricity, investment and local benefits Reliable energy supply is a condition of competitiveness. Extraction, crushing, processing and mineral transformation require...