By Jane Chanda
Inonge Zita Jewelry says Zambia can unlock its gemstone and jewelry industry’s potential by implementing robust legal and governance frameworks, promoting value addition initiatives, and supporting local businesses through policies and education.
In an interview with Daily Revelation, The jewelry company executive officer Patricia Inonge Zita Mweene emphasised on the need for top-down changes to drive growth and value addition in the sector.
“Zambia can learn from Botswana’s strong governance frameworks, which have enabled them to successfully add value to their diamonds,” she said.
Mweene highlighted the importance of removing tariffs on equipment used for value addition, introducing gemology and related skills in secondary schools, and investing in training programs to enhance local capacity.
She also stressed the need for foreign investment policies that benefit local communities and businesses.
According to Grandview Research, the global jewelry market is projected to reach $482 billion by 2030, presenting a significant opportunity for Zambia to benefit from its gemstone resources.
However, Mweene emphasised that a level playing field was crucial for Zambian communities and stakeholders to fully participate in the industry’s growth.
“The gemstone sector operates as a silo, with government bureaucracy forming the largest silo,” she said. “This centralisation creates substantial challenges for those in remote areas seeking essential services, limiting the industry’s potential to contribute fully to Zambia’s economic development.”
She said the government must make it attractive for foreign companies to partner with Zambian businesses by investing in education and ensuring that foreign investment policies benefit rather than disadvantage local communities and businesses.
Mweene added that knowledge was advancing at an exponential rate, and Zambia was falling behind.
She said it was important to invest in training programs that enhance the skills of jewelry designers, goldsmiths, and gem-cutters.
