KEYNOTE ADDRESS

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

(Delivered by Hon. Felix Chipota Mutati, MP, Minister of Technology and Science)

At the Opening of the Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA 2025)

Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Lusaka – 10th September 2025

Theme: “Powering Africa’s Industrial Future: Skills for Innovation, Growth, and Sustainability”

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Zambia, it is my great honour to welcome you to Lusaka for the inaugural Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA). We are proud to partner with the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD, regional partners, and stakeholders from across the continent and beyond in this landmark event dedicated to shaping the skills that will power Africa’s industrial future.

Africa today stands at a defining moment. Our working-age population is projected to exceed one billion by 2035. This demographic shift presents an immense opportunity, but only if we equip our people with the right skills. Currently, the demand for skilled labour outpaces supply across industries such as manufacturing, mining, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, energy, and green industries. The skills gap is real and urgent:

Manufacturing contributes only 11% to Africa’s GDP compared to 23% in East Asia.

Each year, 10–12 million young Africans enter the labour market, yet only 3 million formal jobs are created.

Over half of Africa’s graduates are mismatched to industry needs.

Zambia’s Commitment

For Zambia, this conference aligns with our 8th National Development Plan, which prioritises economic transformation, job creation, and human capital development. Our Vision 2030 aspires to become a prosperous middle-income nation, driven by sustainable growth and equity. Industrial skills are central to achieving these goals.

We are aligning our Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) reforms with industry needs by:

Modernising curricula to integrate digital, green, and entrepreneurial skills.

Strengthening public-private partnerships to ensure training responds to labour market demands.

Expanding access for youth and women to ensure inclusivity.

Promoting innovation hubs and incubation centres to convert skills into enterprises and jobs.

Notably, Zambia has increased TEVET enrolment by over 35%, expanded renewable energy, mining, and agro-processing curricula, and prioritised women and rural youth in technical fields.

Africa’s Industrial Skills Imperatives

Three priorities must shape Africa’s industrial future:

Inclusivity – Skills development must prioritise women, youth, and persons with disabilities to unlock Africa’s full potential.

Future-readiness – Investments must focus on emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, renewable energy, and smart manufacturing while reskilling traditional industries.

Entrepreneurship – Every graduate must be empowered to innovate, create jobs, and strengthen Africa’s value chains. Zambia’s forthcoming Start-up and Innovation Bill will support this ecosystem.

Call to Action

Africa’s industrial transformation requires skills-led development, driven by strong partnerships between governments, private sector, academia, and development partners. This conference must deliver real solutions and commitments.

Zambia reaffirms its commitment to building a future-ready workforce to drive national, regional, and continental industrialisation. Let us use ISWA as a launchpad for action and collaboration.

Africa’s future will not be shaped by chance, but by deliberate choices—investing in our people, aligning skills with industry, and fostering continental cooperation.

He was honoured to declare the Industrial Skills Week Africa 2025 officially open.

Key Issues Highlighted

Africa’s youth bulge: 1 billion working-age population by 2035.

Skills gap crisis: Only 11% GDP contribution from manufacturing; limited job creation vs. labour market entrants.

Graduate mismatch with industry needs.

Zambia’s strategic reforms in TEVET and inclusive skills training.

Three imperatives: Inclusivity, future-readiness, and entrepreneurship.

Need for continental partnerships to drive skills-led industrialisation.

Three memoranda of understanding were signed:

Declaration of intent between the African Union Development Agency-Nepad(AUDA-NEPAD) and the Pan African Youth Union(PYU)

Declaration of intent between the African Union Development Agency-Nepad(AUDA-NEPAD) and Hitachi Construction Machinery Zambia Co. Limited(HCMZ)

Declaration of intent between the African Union Development Agency-Nepad(AUDA-NEPAD) and UNESCO Chair on Technology and Engineering Education for Children and Youth, Nanjing Normal University.

Summary

The speech emphasises Africa’s urgent need to bridge its industrial skills gap to unlock its demographic dividend. With only 11% GDP contribution from manufacturing and high graduate-employment mismatches, urgent reforms are needed. Zambia is aligning its national policies, including Vision 2030 and TEVET reforms, with continental strategies such as the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and the AU Agenda 2063. The President highlights three priorities for Africa’s industrial future: inclusivity, future-readiness, and entrepreneurship. He calls for stronger partnerships to drive skills-led industrialisation and reaffirms Zambia’s commitment to building a future-ready workforce