Nakonde One Stop Border Post (OSBP) Upgrades

Countries: Zambia
Implementing partners: Government of Zambia, including the Ministries of Finance, Infrastructure, Commerce, and Muchinga Provincial Administration; TradeMark Africa (TMA) United Kingdom Government (FCDO), the primary funder; Trade Catalyst Africa, a TMA subsidiary providing early-stage technical and design support; Tony Blair Institute, contributing technical assistance;
Participants: Border management and customs officials; Freight and transport operators; Exporters and importers using the Nakonde-Tunduma corridor; Infrastructure contractors and technical consultants; Regional integration partners and corridor authorities; Policymaker

Project rationale

The Nakonde One Stop Border Post (OSBP) upgrade addresses longstanding trade inefficiencies at Zambia’s principal gateway to Tanzania along the Dar es Salaam Corridor. With cargo clearance times averaging over 60 hours due to dilapidated infrastructure, manual processes, and inadequate inspection capacity, the border has been a significant bottleneck for trade. In 2023 alone, Nakonde handled an average of 124,000 lorries and over 6.2 million metric tonnes of cargo, up from three million metric tonnes in previous years. These growing volumes underscored the urgent need for modern, efficient infrastructure to support Zambia’s ambition of becoming a regional trade and logistics hub. The OSBP upgrade is designed to improve customs clearance efficiency, reduce trade costs, and enhance Zambia’s connectivity to regional and global markets through seamless integration with neighbouring Tanzania and the broader Southern and Eastern African trade ecosystem.

Implementation Period

Phase 1 of the Nakonde OSBP upgrade commenced in 2025 and had reached 90% completion as of July 2025. Construction began in October 2024 after the groundbreaking ceremony led by the Government of Zambia and partners. Finalisation and commissioning are expected by end of 2025, with full operational capacity anticipated shortly thereafter. The long-term impact of the project is the average reduction in truck clearance times to below 10 hours from over 60 by 2030.

Project Value

The total value of the Nakonde OSBP upgrade is $12 million, financed by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through TradeMark Africa (TMA). The project includes early-stage feasibility and design support by Trade Catalyst Africa and the Tony Blair Institute. The infrastructure package features new access roads, parking yards, administrative buildings, warehouses, a modern non-intrusive cargo x-ray scanner, smart gates, and digitised customs procedures. These investments are expected to deliver significant long-term savings for traders by reducing clearance delays, improving compliance, and facilitating faster movement of goods across borders.

Implementation strategy

Implementation period

Key interventions include:
Physical infrastructure upgrades, including roadworks, truck parking facilities, and buildings;
Deployment of a high-capacity x-ray scanner to improve inspection efficiency;
Installation of digital systems and smart gates to streamline border processes;
Embedding environmental and social safeguards into project design and implementation;

Expected outcomes

Time Savings: Reduction of truck clearance time from 64 hours to under 10 hours by 2030, through improved inspection, digitisation, and smart traffic management.
Lower Trade Costs: A targeted 15% reduction in average trade transaction costs across the border.
Increased Screening Capacity: The new x-ray scanner will process over 100 cargo trucks per hour from 10, enhancing border clearance efficiency.
Strengthened Regional Integration: Improved infrastructure and processes will facilitate seamless trade between Zambia and Tanzania and bolster Zambia’s position within the Southern and Eastern African regional corridors.
Catalysed Economic Growth: The project supports Zambia’s land-linked development strategy, enabling better access to a combined market of over 600 million people across Southern and Eastern Africa.
Replication Potential: Building on TMA’s regional track record, the Nakonde OSBP will serve as a model for similar upgrades in other high-traffic corridors.