Nakonde one stop border infrastructure upgrades start, tipped to slash cargo clearance times

Zambia Government and partners break ground on the $10.5 million Nakonde border upgrade.

Nakonde, Zambia, 21 October 2024, The construction of modern facilities at the Nakonde One Stop Border Post (OSBP), an important trade and transit route between Zambia and Tanzania, has officially kicked-off following a groundbreaking ceremony led by the Government of Zambia in partnership with TradeMark Africa (TMA), the British High Commission in Zambia, the contractor and
other stakeholders. Funded by the UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Zambia through TradeMark Africa, the $10.5 million project will improve the flow of goods and people along the Dar es Salaam Corridor, enhance customs efficiency, and reduce cargo clearance on both sides of the border.

The ceremony was presided over by Zambia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Charles Milupi, who underscored the vital role the modern OSBP will play in streamlining customs operations, reducing congestion and improving regional trade.

“This project is timely as it will resolve the challenges experienced at this critical border and allow it to operate efficiently as a one-stop-border post. Our infrastructure agenda is anchored on harnessing our land-linked status as a country, through the development of critical trade corridors to ensure that they are serviced by high quality and reliable road, rail and border infrastructure. Our country is at the heart of the Southern and Eastern African region, with a combined population of 633 million people, which is a big market for Zambian products and services,” he said.

The OSBP improvement project entails upgrading of the roads at the border post and the truck
parking lot, building of additional office buildings and warehouses, digitising clearance procedures, installing a modern X-ray cargo scanner. The improvement works will also include installation of smart gates to reduce truck dwell times by 84% to less than 10 hours from 64 hours currently. This will be a major win for businesses and cross-border transit traders.

“Drawing on TradeMark Africa’s experience in establishing over 15 OSBPs in East Africa, we are cognisant of the impact that integrated and efficient border facilities have on reducing the time and cost of cross-border trade, as well as catalysing regional integration and economic growth,” noted Jovin Mwemezi, Director, Southern Africa Region at TradeMark Africa. “Time and traffic evaluation surveys conducted at TMA-implemented OSBPs in East Africa have shown a 70% reduction on average in border crossing time. We are proud to partner with the Government of Zambia, the UK Government and other development partners to replicate this success at the Nakonde one stop border post.”

The Nakonde-Tunduma border is one of the busiest entry and exit points for cargo in and out of Zambia and plays a significant role in facilitating trans-country transport of essential goods such as food, fuel, fertiliser and mineral resources such as copper. As the funder of the project, the UK Government has remained at the forefront of supporting efforts to improve the infrastructure and systems to enhance border efficiency for the seamless flow of trade in the region. “This is yet another important milestone in the partnership between the UK and Zambia. The UK is committed to economic growth and this One Stop Border Post will reduce the time and costs of trade. By implementing these hard and soft infrastructure projects, we are laying a strong foundation for increasing trade and prosperity in a more interconnected Africa,” the acting Development Director at British High Commission in Lusaka, Berni Smith, said.

Other officials in government and development circles attended the ceremony. They included Zambia Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga; Muchinga Provincial Minister, Henry Sikazwe; Antoinette Tesha, Investments Director at Trade Catalyst Africa, Permanent Secretaries as well as representatives from the World Bank, Tony Blair Institute and regional leaders in Zambia. Trade Catalyst Africa, a commercial subsidiary of TMA, and the Tony Blair Institute both provided technical support during the design phase.The Nakonde border upgrade comes in the wake of the UK-funded construction of Tunduma OSBP in Tanzania, which also included installation of cargo x-ray scanners, leading to a 40% reduction in cargo processing time between Tanzania and Zambia. Once completed and operationalised, the Nakonde OSBP is poised to deepen trade ties between Zambia and its neighbours, tapping into Zambia’s strategic position as a land-linked country reliant on regional ports and corridors for its international trade and with its other neighbours in the hinterland.