PRESIDENT HICHILEMA COMMISSIONS $110 MILLION GLUCOSE AND STARCH PLANT, HAILS INDUSTRIAL MILESTONE

PRESIDENT HICHILEMA COMMISSIONS $110 MILLION GLUCOSE AND STARCH PLANT, HAILS INDUSTRIAL MILESTONE

Lusaka, Tuesday, October 21, 2025

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has officially commissioned Zambia’s first Glucose and Starch Plant under Kingsworth Group Limited (KGL), a subsidiary of Trade Kings Group, describing the project as a landmark achievement in Zambia’s industrialization and economic transformation journey.

The commissioning ceremony, held at the Lusaka Multi-Facility Economic Zone, marks another major step toward value addition, job creation, and reducing the country’s dependence on imports.

President Hichilema said the US$110 million facility demonstrates Zambia’s shift from a consumption-driven to a production and export-oriented economy, adding that such investments are critical to sustainable growth.

“This is a national milestone in our quest for industrialisation and value addition to our economic growth. We are matching the talk with action, walking the talk. The significance of this plant cannot be overemphasised,” President Hichilema said.

The Head of State commended Trade Kings Group for its confidence in the Zambian economy, noting that the company’s total investment in the industrial sector now exceeds US$1 billion, supporting over 17,500 jobs nationwide.

“Seventeen thousand five hundred jobs is a remarkable achievement. Even single mining companies do not employ such numbers,” President Hichilema said, highlighting the positive impact of the government’s strong collaboration with the private sector.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to maintaining a stable and attractive investment climate, explaining that government is working closely with private enterprises to stabilise inflation, sustain a predictable exchange rate, and continuously lower the cost of doing business.

The President also emphasized the importance of removing bureaucratic barriers that slow down investment, saying long-term employment growth must come from a thriving private sector.

“The more than US$30 million in annual import savings and up to US$150 million in export potential from this investment will help stabilise the exchange rate and strengthen our economy,” he said.

President Hichilema further lauded Trade Kings’ ongoing expansion projects, including Dairy Gold Limited’s US$30 million dairy processing plant, which adds to the US$50 million already invested in the dairy sector.

He also announced plans to commission the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia plant in Kafue later this week, describing it as another milestone in the country’s industrial resurgence.

Trade Kings Group Executive Director for Corporate Affairs, Mr. Phil Daka, hailed the new KGL plant as a defining milestone in Zambia’s pursuit of economic self-reliance.

“Today we celebrate not just a facility, but an idea whose time has come. This US$110 million investment, US$60 million completed under phase one and US$50 million for phase two, positions Zambia as the third producer of glucose and starch in Africa, after Egypt and South Africa. It will create over 1,000 direct jobs and source 126,000 tonnes of maize annually from local farmers,” Mr. Daka said.

The plant will produce starch, glucose, maltodextrin, and animal feed by-products, essential for the food, beverage, and manufacturing industries, while boosting foreign exchange earnings and strengthening Zambia’s agricultural value chain.

Mr. Daka said the project exemplifies the success of public-private collaboration, crediting President Hichilema’s leadership and enabling policies.

“Trade Kings proudly aligns with the President’s vision to move Zambia from consumption to production and from imports to exports. The MFEZ incentives have made this possible, proving that good industrial policy drives sustainable investment,” he said.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga described the event as another great day for Zambia, saying the country’s industrial sector is being revived under the New Dawn administration.

“A few years ago, industries were closing and the economy was declining. Today, we are witnessing the birth of new industries and jobs. Zambia has now established the third-largest glucose and starch plant in the region,” Mr. Mulenga said.

The commissioning of the KGL plant comes just days before Zambia’s 61st Independence Anniversary, which President Hichilema notes symbolises a new era of true economic independence, one rooted in production, innovation, and sustainable prosperity.

TFN