When you travel and explore Zambia, our mining towns often tell a familiar story. First, you see the buzz of investment and opportunity, new faces and families during the boom times followed by a quiet downturn when mining operations wind down. Communities that once bustled are still, businesses close, and economic activities shrink. But Kalumbila Town is charting a new path.
The Happiest Town in Africa is doing more than maximizing the benefits of being adjacent to the largest copper mine in Zambia. Kalumbila Town is evolving from a mining hub into a strategically designed multi-facility economic zone (MFEZ), aimed at being Zambia’s gateway to a new and thriving economy.
At the center of this transformation is the Kalumbila Town Development Corporation (KTDC). It is mandated to design, build, and run a town where businesses thrive, residents enjoy a high quality of life, and investment fuels long-term success. By operating as a one-stop shop for developers and investors, KTDC has a vision to unlock Zambia new economic highway.
Strategic location: Maximizing regional advantage
Just as the Copperbelt unlocked Zambia’s economic prospects many years ago, North-Western Province is on everybody’s radar. Mining activity and investment in the region means Kalumbila Town enjoys prime positioning. With two daily flights and road links connecting it to copper and nickel mines—and crucial trade routes to the DRC, Angola, and Namibia’s Lobito Corridor—the town is perfectly situated to serve as a regional trade and logistics hub.
KTDC is turning geography into an opportunity. By tapping into these corridors, businesses based in Kalumbila can access cross-border markets, reduce transportation costs, and operate with greater efficiency.
An MFEZ designed for growth
In 2022, Kalumbila was officially designated a Multi-Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) covering the entire municipal area. This designation brings a suite of investor-friendly benefits administered by KTDC, including:
- 0% import duty on capital equipment for the first five years
- Accelerated depreciation for investment in infrastructure and equipment
- 10-year tax exemption on dividends from export-oriented activities
These incentives aim to attract industries such as agro-processing, manufacturing, mining services, and logistics. They also enable companies to leverage the town’s location for export into regional and global markets.
Industrialization and moving forward
The Kalumbila Industrial Park (KIP) is already home to a growing number of enterprises from heavy equipment workshops and hydraulic component manufacturers to logistics and supply chain firms. This industrial momentum is being complemented by broader commercial developments: fuel stations, retail outlets, auto service centers, and hospitality spaces.
KTDC is also investing in a thriving local entrepreneurship ecosystem. In May 2025, the Kalumbila Business Incubation Centre was launched in partnership with FQM Trident, CEEC, and Prospero to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), ensuring that growth includes local participation.
Off with the hard hats …
From the outside looking in, Kalumbila isn’t just mining equipment, hard hats and safety boots! It’s a place to live and thrive. The town blends the charm of Zambia’s small mining communities with modern urban planning. Residents enjoy walkable neighborhoods, green public spaces, underground utilities, and solar-lit streets. Housing is thoughtfully planned, with rent-to-own models that help residents build equity and long-term stability.
KTDC has also invested in essential public amenities, including recent upgrades to market shelters, a modern bus station, and improved sports facilities—designed to support a vibrant, inclusive community life.
Beyond mining: vision for economic resilience
One of KTDC’s core goals is to future-proof Kalumbila Town by reducing dependency on mining and the associated economy of it. Unlike traditional mining towns that fade post-closure, the town is building resilience through economic diversification.
Kalumbila Town is more than a mining outpost. The Happiest Town in Africa is an emerging hub to invest, live and work.
By encouraging downstream industries—such as manufacturing, agro-processing, and logistics. Kalumbila is becoming a regional value chain hub. This growth is targeting a ripple effect: creating jobs, boosting hospitality and trade, and establishing Kalumbila as more than just a mining outpost.
Kalumbila Town proves that a mining community doesn’t have to follow the same old story. With a clear plan, smart design, and a focus on people and partnerships, KTDC is turning Kalumbila Town into Zambia’s next great economic gateway and a destination that is ready for the future and built to last.
