The Industrial Development Corporation Limited (IDC) and Jijia International Medical Technology Company Ltd have today signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) to develop ZAMVAX Limited, a vaccine manufacturing venture based in Lusaka.
The first phase of the project, estimated at US$24.13 million, will establish an Oral Cholera Vaccine Fill-and-Finish facility in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone, with capacity to produce up to 20 million doses a year.
IDC will hold 60% of the venture and Jijia 40%. The agreement builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two parties in 2024 and sets out shareholder responsibilities, governance, funding obligations and project implementation.
IDC CEO Mr. Cornwell Muleya said the project would strengthen Zambia’s ability to meet its vaccine needs while building long-term manufacturing capability.
“Our ambition is to make Zambia fully self-sufficient in meeting its cholera vaccine needs, while building the capability to supply a broader range of vaccines for our children and our region,” Mr. Muleya said.
Jijia General Manager Mr. Su Yong Lin said the partnership was more than an investment. “It is about supporting Zambia’s healthcare sector, creating opportunities, and improving health security across Africa,” he said, closing with the ZAMVAX slogan: “From Zambia, For Africa and Beyond.”
Phase 1 will cover local filling, finishing, packaging and quality control using imported bulk vaccine antigen. A later phase is intended to introduce local antigen production and end-to-end cholera vaccine manufacturing.
The project also envisages expansion into paediatric and animal vaccines, subject to product-specific feasibility assessments, financing and the necessary approvals.
The vaccine plant supports the Grow Zambia Agenda by promoting local production, specialized skills and greater domestic value addition.
For more details, see the Press Release below:
