By Cecilia Chiluba 
Four Statutory Bodies under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, have pledged to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with appropriate skills along the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project.
The four institutions are Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA), and Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA).
They made their pledge in Chisamba, today during the module development for training of SMEs under the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation project in North-Western and Copperbelt Provinces.
In October 2024, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with three National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) institutions namely ZCSA, ZABS, and ZMA, in partnership with CCPC, to train more than 40 targeted agriculture sector Cooperatives as well as SMEs in product Standardisation, Quality Assurance and Metrology.
Chairperson of the SME Training Under Lobito Trade Facilitation Project, Humphrey Nkobeni, stated that the four institutions were ready to build capacity in SMEs as the entrepreneurs are the engine of inclusive and sustainable development.
Mr. Nkobeni, who is ZMA Executive Director, noted that despite SMEs accounting for over 70 percent of employment and contributing significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), many lack access to modern skills, market intelligence, financial literacy, and value chain integration.
“The collaboration places the four institutions in a strong position to achieve the project’s overarching objective — to accelerate growth in both domestic and cross-border trade along the Lobito corridor.”
“This will be realized through the implementation of harmonized trade facilitation instruments, strengthened coordination of joint corridor development activities, and the promotion of effective participation of SMEs in selected value chains, including cassava, honey, and peanut butter, among others,”Mr. Nkobeni stated.
He added that the workshop is a critical step in building the capacity of SMEs to unlock the full potential of the Lobito corridor, a transformative infrastructure and trade initiative spanning Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Mr. Nkobeni noted that the Lobito corridor offers more than transport infrastructure, as it is a gateway to inclusive economic growth, regional integration, and industrialization across three nations.
“We recognize that infrastructure alone does not create prosperity. What brings infrastructure to life is the capacity of people and businesses to utilize it effectively.”
“The workshop is designed to bridge those gaps by developing practical, relevant, and forward-looking training modules tailored to the needs of SMEs along the corridor,” he added.
The workshop is setting the foundation for equipping SMEs with skills to scale up, formalize, and access regional markets, promoting inclusive participation of women- and youth-led businesses, as well as strengthening institutional frameworks for enterprise support in the lobito corridor zone.
The training is part of interventions under the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project being implemented by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry with support from the African Development Bank.
The project’s main aim is to enhance domestic and cross border trade among the Lobito Corridor States namely Angola, DRC and Zambia.
This is according to a statement issued by ZCSA Manager-Communications and Public Relations, Brian Hatyoka.
Joseph Tembo