Largest market shown
Copper ores and concentrates
$416.6M of latest reported imports and $813.3M of calculated three-year opportunity.
Importer opportunity guide
Zambia import opportunities
where to source next
Explore Zambia's import market by product, supplier concentration, demand growth, and sourcing gaps. Use reported market size and calculated indicators to decide where deeper supplier research may be useful.
Latest imports$9.7B2024 reported value
Import CAGR+14.3%Three-year reported change
GDP$25.3BLatest reported value
GDP per capita$1.2KLatest reported value
Trade openness57.5%Reported share of GDP
Zambia import opportunities
What makes this an attractive import market?
Compare market size and growth with supplier concentration. A large market may still need product, quality, tariff, logistics, and buyer validation.
Current import base
$9.7B in imports
Zambia recorded $9.7B in imports in 2024, with a three-year change of +14.3%.
How to use the guide
Compare demand with supply
Start with the highest-value products, then review supplier concentration and market conditions before choosing a sourcing route.
Import market overview
Find products where demand and sourcing options meet
This page separates reported import observations from calculated indicators so market size is not mistaken for a guaranteed sourcing opportunity.
Zambia imports products from suppliers across major trade regions. The current profile reports $9.7B of imports in 2024, while the opportunity view highlights product and supplier combinations where market demand and supply context may justify further research.
Use the opportunity table to compare product market size, demand growth, supplier counts, concentration, and projected imports. High concentration can indicate reliance on a small supplier base; it can also reflect specialized products that require careful validation.
Top import opportunities
Products and supplier context to review
The top 50 screened products are ranked by calculated three-year opportunity. Reported market values and calculated indicators are labeled separately.
| Rank | Product | Market size | Demand growth | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Projected imports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HS 260300Copper ores and concentrates | $416.6MLatest imports | +26.9% | 10 | 9989 | CODDeclining | $813.7M |
| 2 | HS 710239Diamonds: non-industrial, (other than unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted), but not mounted or set | $314.2MLatest imports | +49.3% | 1 | 10000 | AREStable | $613.7M |
| 3 | HS 271019Product description unavailable | $1.0BLatest imports | +23.1% | 62 | 1869 | TZADeclining | $1.9B |
| 4 | HS 740319Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1 | $268.4MLatest imports | +54.2% | 3 | 10000 | CODDeclining | $524.3M |
| 5 | HS 271012Product description unavailable | $445.5MLatest imports | +30.7% | 35 | 1871 | AREDeclining | $870.1M |
| 6 | HS 030355Fish: frozen, jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), excluding fillets, livers, roes, and other fish meat of heading 0304 | $122.4MLatest imports | +78.2% | 4 | 9986 | NAMSlowing | $239.0M |
| 7 | HS 271600Electrical energy | $258.6MLatest imports | +15.9% | 5 | 4746 | MOZDeclining | $402.4M |
| 8 | HS 870120Tractors: road, for semi-trailers | $150.1MLatest imports | +16.0% | 31 | 4672 | CHNStable | $234.5M |
| 9 | HS 282200Cobalt oxides and hydroxides: commercial cobalt oxides | $78.7MLatest imports | +89.7% | 2 | 10000 | CODDeclining | $153.7M |
| 10 | HS 870421Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1 | $107.3MLatest imports | +9.3% | 31 | 6107 | ZAFDeclining | $140.0M |
| 11 | HS 300490Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $141.9MLatest imports | +13.9% | 52 | 2699 | INDSlowing | $209.8M |
| 12 | HS 310230Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, ammonium nitrate, whether or not in aqueous solution | $79.8MLatest imports | +23.6% | 15 | 3671 | ZAFDeclining | $150.6M |
| 13 | HS 310290Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, other kinds including mixtures not specified in the foregoing subheadings | $40.1MLatest imports | +34.0% | 8 | 8851 | ZAFDeclining | $78.2M |
| 14 | HS 870410Vehicles: dumpers, designed for off-highway use, for transport of goods | $119.2MLatest imports | +24.4% | 20 | 2264 | ZAFDeclining | $229.8M |
| 15 | HS 310590Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: n.e.s. in heading no. 3105 | $49.4MLatest imports | +20.7% | 33 | 6802 | ZAFDeclining | $86.8M |
| 16 | HS 220300Beer: made from malt | $38.5MLatest imports | +27.2% | 15 | 8701 | ZAFDeclining | $75.3M |
| 17 | HS 150710Vegetable oils: soya-bean oil and its fractions, crude, whether or not degummed, not chemically modified | $81.2MLatest imports | +55.2% | 7 | 2941 | ZAFDeclining | $158.6M |
| 18 | HS 390210Propylene, other olefin polymers: polypropylene in primary forms | $35.5MLatest imports | +24.8% | 13 | 9378 | ZAFDeclining | $69.0M |
| 19 | HS 870423Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. exceeding 20 tonnes), nes in item no 8704.1 | $53.9MLatest imports | +16.1% | 26 | 5416 | CHNDeclining | $84.5M |
| 20 | HS 740311Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes | $35.8MLatest imports | +18.0% | 5 | 9959 | CODGrowing | $58.8M |
| 21 | HS 851712Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $62.5MLatest imports | +11.0% | 37 | 5089 | HKGDeclining | $85.4M |
| 22 | HS 730890Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.s. in heading no. 7308 | $72.3MLatest imports | +15.9% | 46 | 4103 | ZAFSlowing | $112.4M |
| 23 | HS 854140Electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light emitting diodes | $52.6MLatest imports | +21.6% | 32 | 4179 | CHNDeclining | $94.5M |
| 24 | HS 847490Machines, for sorting, screening, separating, washing, crushing etc mineral substances, for agglomerating, shaping or moulding solid fuels, ceramic pastes etc, for forming foundry moulds of sand: parts | $93.6MLatest imports | +15.5% | 53 | 2000 | ZAFDeclining | $144.2M |
| 25 | HS 871631Tanker trailers and tanker semi-trailers | $34.4MLatest imports | +22.9% | 14 | 5702 | ZAFDeclining | $63.9M |
| 26 | HS 382499Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | $61.7MLatest imports | +61.8% | 41 | 2062 | ZAFDeclining | $120.5M |
| 27 | HS 850760Electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square) | $39.6MLatest imports | +32.0% | 36 | 4917 | CHNGrowing | $77.3M |
| 28 | HS 250300Sulphur of all kinds: other than sublimed, precipitated and colloidal sulphur | $43.1MLatest imports | +38.2% | 16 | 3283 | ZAFDeclining | $84.2M |
| 29 | HS 721070Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plastics | $29.3MLatest imports | +38.5% | 5 | 6859 | CHNDeclining | $57.3M |
| 30 | HS 722830Steel, alloy: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or extruded | $24.4MLatest imports | +22.8% | 5 | 9849 | CHNDeclining | $45.3M |
| 31 | HS 870322Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc | $34.6MLatest imports | +10.8% | 26 | 8940 | JPNDeclining | $47.0M |
| 32 | HS 330210Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industries | $44.2MLatest imports | +17.6% | 31 | 4227 | ZAFDeclining | $71.9M |
| 33 | HS 850440Electrical static converters | $51.2MLatest imports | +15.5% | 57 | 3833 | CHNDeclining | $78.9M |
| 34 | HS 840220Boilers: super-heated water boilers | $21.0MLatest imports | +26.9% | 8 | 9977 | CHNDeclining | $41.0M |
| 35 | HS 871639Trailers and semi-trailers: (other than tanker type) | $47.6MLatest imports | +22.0% | 23 | 4076 | CHNStable | $86.5M |
| 36 | HS 843149Machinery: parts of machines handling earth, minerals or ores and n.e.c. in heading no. 8431 | $87.4MLatest imports | +8.9% | 76 | 1755 | ZAFDeclining | $112.8M |
| 37 | HS 870323Vehicles: spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 3000cc | $50.3MLatest imports | +5.6% | 40 | 4873 | JPNDeclining | $59.1M |
| 38 | HS 842952Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving super structure | $46.1MLatest imports | +18.6% | 14 | 3331 | CHNDeclining | $76.9M |
| 39 | HS 761290Aluminium: casks, drums, cans, boxes and the like for any material (not compressed or liquefied gas), 300l capacity or less, whether or not lined or heat-insulated, no mechanical or thermal equipment | $18.6MLatest imports | +30.7% | 10 | 9965 | ZAFDeclining | $36.2M |
| 40 | HS 841370Pumps: centrifugal, n.e.c. in heading no. 8413, for liquids | $45.9MLatest imports | +15.0% | 49 | 3669 | CHNDeclining | $69.8M |
| 41 | HS 100590Cereals: maize (corn), other than seed | $35.2MLatest imports | +4.6% | 13 | 7763 | TZAStable | $40.3M |
| 42 | HS 401120Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on buses or lorries | $29.1MLatest imports | +10.3% | 28 | 8092 | CHNDeclining | $39.0M |
| 43 | HS 220600Beverages, fermented: (eg cider, perry, mead) | $17.9MLatest imports | +30.0% | 12 | 9987 | ZAFDeclining | $35.0M |
| 44 | HS 401180Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on construction, mining or industrial handling vehicles and machines | $67.6MLatest imports | +12.9% | 26 | 1944 | JPNDeclining | $97.3M |
| 45 | HS 847989Machines and mechanical appliances: n.e.s. in item no. 8479.8, having individual functions | $30.0MLatest imports | +12.3% | 42 | 5739 | CHNDeclining | $42.5M |
| 46 | HS 841391Pumps: parts thereof | $32.2MLatest imports | +11.0% | 48 | 5223 | ZAFDeclining | $44.1M |
| 47 | HS 310260Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, double salts and mixtures of calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate | $18.4MLatest imports | +36.3% | 12 | 7551 | ZAFDeclining | $36.0M |
| 48 | HS 270400Coke and semi-coke: of coal, lignite or peat, whether or not agglomerated: retort carbon | $17.7MLatest imports | +21.4% | 4 | 9567 | ZWEDeclining | $31.6M |
| 49 | HS 310210Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, urea, whether or not in aqueous solution | $89.2MLatest imports | +12.3% | 23 | 1367 | AREDeclining | $126.3M |
| 50 | HS 843041Boring or sinking machinery: self-propelled, n.e.s. in heading no. 8430 | $46.7MLatest imports | +18.4% | 21 | 1940 | USAGrowing | $77.5M |
Showing the five highest-ranked products on mobile. View the complete import opportunity data.
Product sectors
Which sectors carry the most demand?
HS2 sectors group the screened products into broader families for an easier first comparison.
| Sector | Products | Market size | Opportunity | Average growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS2 sector 00HS2 00 | 2 | $1.5B | $883.7M | +26.9% |
| Ores, slag and ashHS2 26 | 1 | $416.6M | $813.3M | +26.9% |
| Precious stones and metalsHS2 71 | 1 | $314.2M | $613.7M | +49.3% |
| CopperHS2 74 | 2 | $304.2M | $582.9M | +36.1% |
| VehiclesHS2 87 | 8 | $597.5M | $566.7M | +15.9% |
| MachineryHS2 84 | 8 | $402.9M | $298.0M | +15.8% |
| FertilizersHS2 31 | 5 | $276.8M | $292.7M | +25.4% |
| Mineral fuelsHS2 27 | 2 | $276.2M | $260.5M | +18.6% |
| Fish and crustaceansHS2 03 | 1 | $122.4M | $238.8M | +78.2% |
| Electrical equipmentHS2 85 | 4 | $205.9M | $200.9M | +20.0% |
| Inorganic chemicalsHS2 28 | 1 | $78.7M | $153.7M | +89.7% |
| BeveragesHS2 22 | 2 | $56.5M | $105.1M | +28.6% |
Supply gaps
Where supplier concentration deserves attention
The concentration index helps identify products where reported imports rely more heavily on a smaller supplier base. It is a screening signal, not a recommendation by itself.
| Product | Market size | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Share gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 710239Diamonds: non-industrial, (other than unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted), but not mounted or set | $314.2M | 1 | 10000 | ARE | 100.0% |
| HS 740319Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1 | $268.4M | 3 | 10000 | COD | 100.0% |
| HS 282200Cobalt oxides and hydroxides: commercial cobalt oxides | $78.7M | 2 | 10000 | COD | 100.0% |
| HS 260300Copper ores and concentrates | $416.6M | 10 | 9989 | COD | 99.9% |
| HS 220600Beverages, fermented: (eg cider, perry, mead) | $17.9M | 12 | 9987 | ZAF | 99.9% |
| HS 030355Fish: frozen, jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), excluding fillets, livers, roes, and other fish meat of heading 0304 | $122.4M | 4 | 9986 | NAM | 99.9% |
| HS 840220Boilers: super-heated water boilers | $21.0M | 8 | 9977 | CHN | 99.9% |
| HS 761290Aluminium: casks, drums, cans, boxes and the like for any material (not compressed or liquefied gas), 300l capacity or less, whether or not lined or heat-insulated, no mechanical or thermal equipment | $18.6M | 10 | 9965 | ZAF | 99.8% |
Supplier landscape
Which supplier markets appear most often?
These supplier names come from the leading peer signal in the screened opportunity rows and should be validated at product level.
COD
Democratic Republic of the Congo
4 screened products
$1.5BCalculated opportunity across these rowsZAF
South Africa
19 screened products
$1.1BCalculated opportunity across these rowsARE
United Arab Emirates
3 screened products
$969.1MCalculated opportunity across these rowsCHN
China
13 screened products
$671.9MCalculated opportunity across these rowsTZA
United Rep. of Tanzania
2 screened products
$594.0MCalculated opportunity across these rowsNAM
Namibia
1 screened products
$238.8MCalculated opportunity across these rowsMOZ
Mozambique
1 screened products
$229.6MCalculated opportunity across these rowsJPN
Japan
3 screened products
$117.8MCalculated opportunity across these rowsFrequently asked questions
Using the Zambia import opportunity index
Definitions and practical guidance for interpreting market size, growth, suppliers, and concentration.
What are the import opportunities?
They are product and supplier combinations in Zambia's screened import market with substantial reported demand and calculated opportunity indicators. They are research priorities, not guaranteed savings or supply contracts.
What does supplier concentration mean?
The concentration index indicates how much reported imports rely on a smaller supplier base. A high value can suggest supply dependence, but it can also reflect specialized products or limited reporting.
How should sourcing teams use this page?
Start with products that fit your specification and volume needs, then validate suppliers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and continuity for Zambia.
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.