Informal trade in Zambia increases significantly

According to the results of a survey conducted on Zambia’s Small Scale Cross Border Trade (SSCBT) whose results were announced on Tuesday, 3 May 2022 during a half-day hybrid workshop held by the COMESA Secretariat and the Zambia Statistical Agency (ZamStats), informal trade in Zambia has significantly increased, especially at the Kasumbalesa border with DR Congo. At this border post, the main traded informal export products were fish and fish products, while rice was the main informal import product.

Cross-border data flows have enormous potential for driving economic and social development. Informal Cross Border Trade (ICBT) surveys are particularly important for mapping the type of goods that are most traded informally at certain border points and in order to obtain information on their values and volumes. With funding from the European Union, COMESA has been facilitating small scale cross border trade with the aim of formalising and increasing its flows in the region. This is being done through effective policy and government reforms, institutional capacity building, improved border infrastructure and actions towards removal of barriers to small scale cross border trade.