ZCSA, ZABS, ZMA AND CCPC pledge to empower SMEs with appropriate skills CHISAMBA, June 10, 2025 FOUR Statutory Bodies under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, working with the Ministry of Commerce, have pledged to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with appropriate skills along the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project. The four institutions namely the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA), and the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA) 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. Chairperson of the SME Training Under Lobito Trade Facilitation Project, Humphrey Nkobeni, said CCPC, ZCSA, ZABS and ZMA 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, said SMEs account for more than 70 per cent of employment and contribute significantly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yet many lack access to modern skills, market intelligence, financial literacy, and value chain integration. He said 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,” he said. Mr Nkobeni said 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). He said the Lobito corridor offers more than transport infrastructure, adding that the corridor is a gateway to inclusive economic growth, regional integration, and industrialization across three nations. Mr Nkobeni added, “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. Specifically, 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; • and strengthening institutional frameworks for enterprise support in the lobito corridor zone. In October 2024, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) institutions namely ZCSA, ZABS, ZMA, in partnership with CCPC, to train more than 40 targeted agriculture sector Cooperatives as well as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in product Standardisation, Quality Assurance and Metrology. This 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 main aim of the Project is to enhance domestic and cross border trade among the Lobito Corridor States namely Angola, DRC and Zambia. #qualityassurance #standardsmatter #zabs #qualityforall #zambiabureauofstandards #growwithzabs #stayinformed #smes