Zambia to Establish New Gold Marketing Centres to Formalise Mineral Trade and Boost Transparency

Why It Matters

Formalising gold sales will increase tax collection and market transparency, strengthening Zambia’s fiscal base and supporting small‑scale miners with fair pricing.

Key Takeaways

• Four new gold marketing centres slated for completion by 2026
• Centres target Lusangazi, Chisamba, Mpika, and a second site in Mumbwa
• Near‑complete Mumbwa centre already 98‑99% built
• Formal venues will channel artisanal gold through regulated buyers
• Expected to improve price discovery and government tax revenue

Pulse Analysis

Zambia’s gold sector, long dominated by informal artisanal miners, has struggled with illegal trading, price opacity and weak tax compliance. By 2026 the government plans to anchor the market with four dedicated gold marketing centres in high‑activity districts. These hubs will bring together the Zambia Revenue Authority, the Zambia Gold Company, the Bank of Zambia and licensed aggregators, creating a single, traceable point of sale that replaces unregulated middlemen. The move reflects a broader African trend toward formalising mineral value chains to capture missed revenue and improve sector governance.

The new centres are strategically placed in Lusangazi, Chisamba, Mpika and a second facility in Mumbwa, where artisanal mining is most intense. With the Mumbwa centre already 98‑99% complete, the infrastructure will enable miners to receive competitive, market‑based prices while the state monitors output in real time. By channeling sales through official channels, Zambia can enforce accurate price discovery, reduce smuggling, and levy appropriate royalties and taxes. Early estimates suggest that formalisation could lift gold‑related tax receipts by several percentage points, providing a modest but reliable boost to the national budget.

Beyond immediate fiscal gains, the marketing centres signal to international investors that Zambia is committed to transparent, rule‑based mining practices. This could attract downstream processing investments and diversify the country’s mineral export profile. However, success hinges on effective enforcement, capacity building for miners, and ensuring that licensing fees do not deter small operators. If managed well, the centres could become a model for other resource‑rich nations seeking to balance informal mining livelihoods with robust revenue collection.