Projects growth of 4.3% for industrial commodity exporters
DOREEN NAWA
Lusaka
ZAMBIA is among a group of industrial commodity-exporting economies expected to record stronger economic growth over the next two years, buoyed by rising mining investment and activity, the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects Report 2026 states.
The report, which is a World Bank Group flagship report, projects that growth in industrial commodity exporters — including Zambia, Guinea and Liberia — will rise to 4.3 percent in 2026 and further to 4.5 percent in 2027, reflecting solid momentum in mining-related investment and production.
The World Bank notes that this performance will place commodity-dependent economies on a faster growth trajectory than many non-resource-based countries, deepening divergence across regions.
“Growth is projected to diverge further between commodity exporters and other economies,” the report states, adding that industrial commodity exporters are benefiting from sustained investment in extractive sectors and improved global demand for metals and minerals.
For Zambia, the forecast reinforces the mining sector’s continued role as the backbone of economic expansion. The recovery in copper production, expansion of existing mines and development of new projects are expected to strengthen export earnings, support government revenues and attract additional foreign direct investment over the medium term.
The report’s outlook comes at a time when Zambia is positioning itself as a major global copper supplier, leveraging rising international demand linked to the green energy transition and electric vehicle production….https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
