Hon. Brenda Mwika Tambatamba, MP Minister of Labour and Social Security
Delivered during breakout sessions and side events
Industrial Skills Week Africa Summit
9th September 2025 – Mulungushi,
Key Issues Highlighted
High Informality: Over 70% of Zambia’s workforce is informally employed, contributing to low productivity and limited social protection.
Skills Mismatch: Need to align training with industry demands and reduce unemployment.
Policy & Legal Reforms: Ongoing reviews of the Employment Code, National Employment and Labour Market Policy, and Apprenticeship Act to modernize labour administration and skills development.
Digital Transformation: Development of digital labour platforms to connect workers and employers while improving access to market information.
Tripartite & Multisector Collaboration: Strong partnerships between government, private sector, and development partners to address labour market challenges.
Continental & Global Alignment: Commitment to SDGs, AU Agenda 2063, and ILO Centenary Declaration on the Future of Work.
Globally, our efforts align with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and regionally with the AU Agenda 2063, which emphasize decent work, industrialization, and inclusive prosperity.
In Zambia, informality remains a structural challenge—over 70% of the workforce is outside formal systems. While this reflects resilience and entrepreneurship, it also limits productivity, access to finance, and social protection. Addressing informality is therefore a national imperative for industrialization, competitiveness, and shared prosperity.
To this end, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is spearheading reforms:
Reviewing employment policies and legislation to support both formal and informal workers.
Aligning skills development with industry needs through sector skills groups and labour market information systems.
Expanding digital platforms for employment services.
Strengthening tripartite collaboration and multi-sectoral implementation under the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP).
Building strategic partnerships with the AU, development partners, and the private sector to advance inclusive growth and job creation.
This exhibition demonstrates the power of collaboration—bringing together government, business, and partners to showcase innovative, market-ready, and socially impactful solutions. It is a platform to reduce the skills mismatch, foster productivity, and prepare Africa’s workforce for the industrial future.
The Minister of Labour and social security underscored Zambia’s commitment to tackling informality, enhancing skills development, and ensuring inclusive industrial growth. With over 70% of the workforce in informal employment, Zambia views skills alignment, policy reforms, and digital transformation as critical to unlocking productivity. Strategic partnerships with the AU, development partners, and private sector remain central to advancing decent work, youth empowerment, and industrial competitiveness.
