Zambia has formally launched the Employment Impact Assessment (EmpIA) of the Luangwa-Mwami Road, a critical infrastructure link along the Nacala Corridor, providing new evidence on how major transport investments impact job creation and labor market outcomes.
The assessment was validated and launched on 4 March 2026 in Lusaka with representatives from government, labor organizations, development partners and the private sector.
The research is part of the ILO’s STRENGTHEN2 project, co-funded by the European Union and carried out in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Key links of regional trade corridors
The Luangwa-Mwami Road is a key section of the Nacala Road Corridor, which connects Zambia and Mozambique through Malawi, supporting regional trade, transport efficiency and economic integration.
The STRENGTHEN2 project will run for five years and end in March 2026. Measuring the employment impact of large infrastructure projects can help African governments make better-informed investment decisions.
The initiative is being implemented in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal and Zambia.
Its main goal is to strengthen countries’ ability to assess how public investments impact job creation, working conditions, and local economic development.
Evidence-based plans for job creation
Zambia’s Minister of Labor and Social Security Brenda Tambatamba spoke at the launch, highlighting the importance of using data and evidence to guide infrastructure development and employment policy.
“Job creation must be planned, measurable and evidence-based,” she said.
“This assessment of the Luangwa-Mwami Road shows what is possible when infrastructure is designed with people and jobs in mind.”
Measuring employment outcomes
Wellington Chibebe, ILO Country Director for Zambia and Malawi, said the new assessment provides a detailed analysis of how road improvements have affected employment trends along the corridor.
This study investigates the effects on:
Job creation and labor demand
Wage level and working hours
access to social and economic infrastructure;
Mr Chibebe explained that the study was based on previous evaluations of the same corridor.
“The Luangwa and Mwami studies are the second employment impact assessment for this corridor,” he said.
“The first evaluation used satellite-based night lighting to estimate economic and employment changes around the repaired roads.”
The new analysis combines workforce survey data and geographic information systems (GIS) to better understand how transportation investments impact local economies and access to services.
Findings welcomed by workers and employers
Labor and business leaders welcomed the report and emphasized its value in shaping future development policy.
Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Blake Mulala said the findings demonstrate the importance of linking infrastructure investment with decent work opportunities.
“Workers benefit when infrastructure investments create decent and stable jobs,” Murara said.
“Tools like employment impact assessments are essential to safeguarding the welfare of workers as development accelerates.”
Meanwhile, Zambia Employers Federation (ZFE) chairperson Mayla Ngoma Sakala said the assessment would provide useful insights for businesses planning to invest along the corridor.
“Employers welcome this evidence,” she says. “This will provide clarity on workforce relationships and help the private sector plan for investment and skills needs along the Nacala Corridor.”
Strengthening development results
The employment impact assessment approach aims to ensure that infrastructure development not only generates economic growth but also creates quality employment opportunities for local communities.
By integrating employment analysis into investment planning, policymakers can better design infrastructure projects that deliver inclusive growth and sustainable labor market benefits.
