Zambia’s mining sector is grappling with a significant shortage of skilled labour as the country positions itself to meet ambitious production targets by 2031. According to estimates cited by mining expert Kenneth Bansah, the country will require up to 200,000 workers to sustain projected growth in the sector. However, the current workforce is estimated at …
Zambia faces major skilled labour gap as mining sector expands
Zambia’s mining sector is grappling with a significant shortage of skilled labour as the country positions itself to meet ambitious production targets by 2031.
According to estimates cited by mining expert Kenneth Bansah, the country will require up to 200,000 workers to sustain projected growth in the sector. However, the current workforce is estimated at between 50,000 and 60,000, leaving a substantial gap that could reach about 150,000 additional skilled personnel.
The shortage underscores growing concerns about the availability of technical expertise needed to support Zambia’s expanding mining industry, particularly as global demand for critical minerals continues to rise.
Dr. Bansah emphasised the need for deliberate investment in skills development to bridge the gap, noting that a well-trained workforce will be essential to achieving the country’s production targets.
He also proposed stronger academic collaboration between institutions, suggesting that Ghana’s University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) could partner with Zambia’s School of Mines. Such cooperation, he noted, would facilitate knowledge transfer, enhance technical capacity, and better prepare local professionals for the demands of the mining sector.
Analysts say partnerships of this nature could deliver mutual benefits, strengthening institutional capacity while supporting workforce development across both countries’ mining industries.
