F

First Quantum Minerals

Global producer of copper and nickel

IT Project Management Specialist - IT Projects

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/15/2026Deadline 10/25/26
No salary listed
Senior
Bachelor's
Kansanshi, Zambia
In Person
IT OperationsIT Project Management

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Project Management, or a related discipline is required.
  • All academic qualifications and results must be verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA).
  • At least five years of related experience in IT Project Management.
  • Demonstrated experience coordinating software development, systems implementation, integrations, or other IT projects from initiation through deployment and handover.
  • Experience with project planning, risk and issue management, financial tracking, stakeholder reporting, and benefits tracking.
  • Working familiarity with Microsoft Azure DevOps or similar work-management tools, Microsoft Power Platform, .NET or other application platforms, and reporting tools such as Power BI.
  • Experience coordinating user acceptance testing, change management, training, release readiness, and operational handover.
  • Membership in ICTAZ or EIZ.
  • Effective communication and the ability to influence managers and employees.
  • Ability to demonstrate leadership, critical thinking, conflict management, and problem solving.
  • Ability to work in a pressured, deadline-driven operating environment.
  • Detail-oriented, with the technical aptitude to perform tasks accurately and comprehensively.
  • Ability to multitask and manage time and work planning.
  • Presentation skills.
Responsibilities
  • Work with project sponsors and business stakeholders to clarify business problems, objectives, scope, requirements, expected outcomes, and success measures.
  • Support the preparation and review of business cases, options assessments, cost estimates, benefits forecasts, and investment justifications.
  • Assess project readiness, dependencies, resource capacity, operational impact, and delivery risk to support prioritisation and realistic commitments.
  • Review the continuing business case at agreed checkpoints and recommend changes, pauses, or closure when expected value, feasibility, or strategic alignment changes.
  • Maintain a clear link between project deliverables, business objectives, and measurable benefits.
  • Develop and maintain proportionate project plans covering scope, deliverables, milestones, resources, budget, dependencies, procurement, communications, testing, deployment, and handover.
  • Select and tailor predictive, Agile, Kanban, or hybrid methods to suit project complexity, uncertainty, regulatory obligations, operational risk, and stakeholder needs.
  • Track actual and forecast performance against approved baselines, including schedule, cost, scope, quality, resource utilisation, and benefits.
  • Maintain accurate project records, including the project charter, schedule, RAID log (risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies), decision log, change log, status reports, and lessons learned.
  • Identify slippage and emerging delivery constraints early, agree recovery actions with accountable owners, and promptly escalate material exceptions.
  • Coordinate project dependencies and resource conflicts across IT and Digital workstreams, business functions, vendors, and operational teams.
  • Facilitate Agile ceremonies and act as Scrum Master or delivery facilitator where required, supporting sprint planning, daily coordination, reviews, and retrospectives.
  • Help teams maintain prioritised and well-defined backlogs, clear acceptance criteria, realistic delivery commitments, and regular stakeholder feedback.
  • Use iterative delivery and early validation to test assumptions, reduce delivery risk, and incorporate user feedback before wider implementation.
  • Remove or escalate impediments, support constructive collaboration, and encourage continuous improvement across delivery teams.
  • Use delivery data to identify bottlenecks and improve flow while avoiding measures that reward activity without demonstrating outcomes.
  • Coordinate requirements gathering, process mapping, business analysis, user stories, acceptance criteria, and requirements traceability with business analysts and technical leads.
  • Coordinate solution design reviews with relevant architects, software engineers, infrastructure, data, cyber security, integration, and support teams.
  • Support delivery planning for integrations, data migration, configuration, automation, application development, and third-party solutions.
  • Coordinate release readiness, deployment approvals, cutover planning, rollback arrangements, user communications, and transition to operational support.
  • Promote secure-by-design and quality practices throughout the delivery lifecycle, including appropriate documentation, access controls, data handling, and support arrangements.
  • Ensure project risks and controls are reviewed at suitable points and that material risks are escalated in line with site and company requirements.
  • For proposed AI, analytics, or automation, help assess business value, data quality, human oversight, accuracy, explainability, privacy, security, and appropriate use before implementation.
  • Monitor expenditure and cost variances, investigate forecast overruns, and report issues within agreed tolerances.
  • Support procurement activities, statements of work, vendor evaluations, contract milestones, and supplier performance reviews.
  • Verify accurate allocation of project costs and assess vendor deliverables against agreed scope, quality, schedule, and acceptance criteria.
  • Identify stakeholders and understand their needs, influence, concerns, and readiness for change.
  • Maintain regular, clear, audience-appropriate communication with sponsors, project teams, users, IT and Digital leadership, vendors, and other affected parties.
  • Coordinate change impact assessments, communications, training, user readiness, operational procedures, and adoption support with relevant business owners.
  • Resolve or constructively escalate conflicts, clarify accountabilities, and maintain alignment on priorities, decisions, and expected outcomes.
  • Support the transition from project delivery to business-as-usual operations and confirm that ownership, support, documentation, and service measures are in place.
  • Maintain reliable project dashboards and status reports using approved tools such as Azure DevOps, Microsoft Project, Power BI, or equivalent platforms.
  • Report on delivery confidence, milestones, schedule and cost variance, risks, issues, dependencies, resource constraints, quality, adoption, and benefits where relevant.
  • Use evidence and trend analysis to improve forecasting, identify recurring blockers, and support timely management decisions.
  • Contribute to project portfolio reporting, lessons learned, delivery standards, templates, and practical improvements to the IT and Digital project management framework.
  • Provide guidance and practical coaching to project contributors on agreed delivery processes, tools, and reporting expectations.
Desired Qualifications
  • A relevant project management or Agile qualification is an advantage.
  • Experience working with vendors, cross-functional teams, and business stakeholders in a complex operational environment is an advantage.
  • Certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, CAPM, Professional Scrum Master, Certified ScrumMaster, or an equivalent qualification are desirable.

About the company

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First Quantum Minerals

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Website

First Quantum Minerals is a global mining company that extracts and processes copper and nickel, and also produces gold and cobalt. It operates mining sites and processing plants across four continents, using specialist technical, project management, engineering and construction skills to run large-scale operations. The company differentiates itself with a practical “can do” approach and a track record of delivering complex, multi-site projects and tangible benefits for employees, investors and local communities. Its goal is to become one of the world’s top copper producers and to grow output across its mining portfolio.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Vancouver, Canada

Founded

1983

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Panama's June 2026 audit scored Cobre Panamá 88%, strengthening reopening talks.
  • Reuters reported Panama is considering a state miner partnership by year-end 2026.
  • Q2 2026 revenue reached $1.52 billion, boosted by higher copper sales and prices.

What critics are saying

  • Panama's Supreme Court ruling still blocks Cobre Panamá, and public opposition remains organized.
  • June 2026 audit flagged tailings, water-quality, acid-drainage, and biodiversity liabilities.
  • Q2 2026 still posted a $106 million adjusted loss, leaving Panama closure existential.

What makes First Quantum Minerals unique

  • Cobre Panamá gives First Quantum a world-scale copper restart option unmatched by peers.
  • Kansanshi and Trident anchor Zambia cash flows while Panama negotiations continue.
  • Supplier-finance MOUs with five Zambian lenders embed First Quantum into local ecosystems.

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

12%

2 year growth

13%
Mineral Fund Advisory Pty. Ltd.
Sep 23rd, 2026
Copper price closes in on new record as Shanghai, London warehouses empty out.

Copper price closes in on new record as Shanghai, London warehouses empty out. Copper climbed for a sixth straight session on Tuesday, its longest winning streak in four months, as Chinese buyers stocked up ahead of next week's holidays and shrinking inventories in Shanghai and London pointed to a physical market that is running short of metal. Comex copper for December delivery, the most active contract, rose as much as 1.6% to $6.8710 a pound in New York and was trading at $6.8370 (about $15,070 a tonne) by late morning, up 1.1% on the day and within a stone's throw of the record settlement of $6.8885 set on September 9, the day before a Reuters report that the White House tariff plan had stalled knocked more than 5% off the price. Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.7% to $14,766 a tonne by mid-afternoon in London, within 1% of the $14,875 peak of September 10, keeping the premium for New York copper at more than $300 a tonne. The most-traded contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange gained 1.2% to 111,320 yuan ($16,616) a tonne. Copper stocks in SHFE warehouses have slid 70% since early June, and cathode inventories in Shanghai, the main trading and consumption hub, fell to 43,900 tonnes last week, the lowest since 2023, according to Shanghai Metals Market. Imported metal that has arrived in the country has gone straight to fabricators rather than into warehouses, SMM said, and the Yangshan premium paid for delivered copper finished last week at its highest in nearly four years. "Copper is finding support from tightening physical market conditions in China," Ewa Manthey, commodities strategist at ING, told Reuters, with falling inventories, seasonal restocking and constrained spot availability offsetting the uncertainty over US tariffs. "Chinese are buying ahead of holidays and smelter shutdowns," said Sandeep Daga, head of research at Metal Intelligence Centre. The country's markets close from September 25 to 27 and again from October 1 to 7. London runs short. Cash copper settled at a $62 a tonne premium to the three-month contract on Monday, up from $26 a session earlier and a discount of $86 a week ago, a backwardation that signals buyers cannot wait for delivery. Cancelled warrants, metal already booked for withdrawal from LME warehouses, climbed by a further 6,700 tonnes to 122,150 tonnes on Tuesday, or 48% of the 255,100 tonnes on warrant, leaving 133,725 tonnes actually available to the market. In contrast, Comex warehouses hold 696,204 tonnes, some 69% of all exchange-monitored copper, after importers rushed metal in ahead of tariffs that Washington has yet to impose. That pile is no longer growing: stocks slipped last week for the first time since April, according to The Copper Journal, and with storage at the Port of New Orleans, the main Comex delivery hub, largely full and another 100,000 tonnes of African and South American copper due over September and October, the US is fast running out of room to absorb more. Not everyone is convinced the rally has further to run. "I think it's a little bit inflated up here. If it gets any higher, I think a lot of the producers in China are going to start selling because they're not convinced it's going to stay this high," Robert Montefusco at broker Sucden Financial told Reuters. Bloomberg Intelligence's Mike McGlone warned last week that a broader market correction could take 20% to 30% off the copper price. Traders are also waiting on the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week for signals on trade and the health of the world's two largest economies. The Federal Reserve's quarter-point hike last week, its first since 2023, and the prospect of more to come remain the main drag on industrial metals. Miners claw back some September losses. Copper producers rose with the metal on Tuesday, extending a week of gains that has repaired some of the damage from the sell-off that followed the September 10 peak. Freeport-McMoRan, the largest listed copper producer, climbed 1.8% to $73.48 in New York by late morning, lifting its market value to $105.5 billion and trimming its loss for September to 3%. The Phoenix-based company's Grasberg troubles in Indonesia, together with Ivanhoe Mines' output cut at Kamoa-Kakula in Congo, have removed some 600,000 tonnes from this year's expected global supply and could see mined copper output fall in 2026 for the first time since 2017, Sprott Asset Management said last week. Southern Copper added 1.8% to a market value of $170.2 billion, extending the Mexican company's lead over Rio Tinto, worth $164.3 billion after a 0.5% dip, for second place in the MINING.COM ranking of the world's most valuable miners. Southern Copper has gained 6.5% over the past week but remains 3.5% lower for the month. First Quantum Minerals rose 3.1% in Toronto to a value of $27.5 billion, taking its advance over the past week to more than 11%, the best of the large copper producers, after securing a UK patent for its trolley-assist haulage system. Lundin Mining gained 2.6% to $21.6 billion and is up 10.5% over the week, and Ivanhoe Mines, which fell out of the Top 50 after the Kamoa-Kakula downgrade, climbed 2.7% to a valuation of $12.9 billion. Teck Resources rose 1.2% in New York, valuing the Vancouver-based company at $33.2 billion as it waits on Chinese approval for its $53 billion merger with Anglo American, which added 1.3% in US trading. Glencore, a 44% partner at Collahuasi, stands between the combined group and $1.4 billion a year of copper synergies from integrating the mine with Teck's Quebrada Blanca. Antofagasta gained 2.8% in over-the-counter trading in New York to a value of $51.1 billion, up 8% over the past week even after cutting its 2026 guidance following Chile's winter storms, and Poland's KGHM added 2%. The diversified majors lagged. Glencore's US-listed shares slipped 0.7%, leaving the Swiss company worth $84.5 billion and down 10% for the month as the fallout from its dealings with iron ore trader Radiant World continues, while BHP, valued at $220.9 billion, edged up 0.4% and is still 8% lower in September after output at its Escondida mine in Chile slumped 22% in July. Comex copper is up 21% in 2026 and less than 1% below its record settlement.

International Business Times Australia
Sep 11th, 2026
Capstone Copper shares slide 8.6% amid broader mining sector pullback this week as copper prices stall.

Capstone Copper shares slide 8.6% amid broader mining sector pullback this week as copper prices stall. The copper producer's shares declined amid surging oil prices, rising bond yields and broader weakness across global mining and materials stocks. Published 09/11/26 AT 12:23 PM AEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Shares of Capstone Copper Corp. fell $1.36, or 8.56%, to $14.53, as the mid-tier copper producer pulled back sharply alongside a broader retreat across mining and materials stocks amid a volatile week for global markets driven by surging oil prices and rising bond yields tied to escalating Middle East tensions. Friday's decline comes despite Capstone Copper's continued strong operational and financial performance throughout 2026. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $739.65 million, comfortably beating the consensus analyst estimate of $709.62 million, according to Google Finance, reflecting continued strength in the company's underlying copper production and sales during the period. Capstone Copper, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Vancouver, operates a portfolio of copper mines spanning the Americas, including the Mantoverde and Santo Domingo operations in Chile, the Pinto Valley mine in Arizona, and the Cozamin mine in Mexico. The company has provided full-year 2026 production guidance of between 200,000 and 230,000 tonnes of copper, according to Simply Wall St, reflecting largely stable output compared with the prior year as the company continues working through its broader portfolio of producing and development-stage assets. The company experienced a temporary operational setback at its flagship Mantoverde mine in Chile in late August, when one of two ball mill electrical drive motors failed at the site. According to Simply Wall St, the on-site team replaced the damaged motor with a spare unit, and sulphide copper production subsequently returned to full operating rates. Five days of previously planned maintenance remained scheduled to take place at the site toward the end of September. Beyond its existing operations, Capstone Copper has continued expanding its broader project pipeline through targeted acquisitions. In June, the company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 75% stake in the San Pietro copper project from New Golden Explorations Chile SpA for $25 million, with the consideration to be paid entirely through the issuance of Capstone Copper shares rather than cash. That transaction required approval from Capstone Copper shareholders at a special meeting held in mid-August, adding another development-stage copper asset to the company's already substantial portfolio across the Americas. Wall Street analyst sentiment toward Capstone Copper has remained broadly positive in recent months, even as the stock has experienced meaningful volatility. Stifel Nicolaus raised its price target on the stock to 17 Canadian dollars, while TD Securities separately raised its own target to 14 Canadian dollars, according to MarketBeat's compilation of recent analyst activity. TipRanks has separately noted a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of 14.50 Canadian dollars, with the platform's AI-driven Spark analysis characterizing the stock as an "Outperform" based on its underlying fundamentals. Not all recent trading activity around the stock has been uniformly positive. According to a report cited by MarketBeat, Orion Mine Finance was noted as a seller of Capstone Copper shares in recent trading, a development some analysts flagged as worth monitoring given the size and profile of that particular institutional shareholder, even though large institutional sales do not necessarily reflect a change in the underlying investment thesis for the stock. Friday's decline for Capstone Copper unfolded against a backdrop of broader weakness across global commodity and mining stocks tied to the week's dramatic market volatility. Oil prices surged sharply amid escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, with Brent crude climbing more than 7% at one point to above $108 a barrel, while global bond yields spiked in response to renewed inflation concerns. That combination of rising energy costs and higher borrowing costs has weighed broadly on resource and materials companies globally this week, given the sector's sensitivity to both input costs and the cost of capital needed to fund ongoing mine development and expansion projects. Copper prices specifically have shown notable volatility throughout the week, even as the metal had been trading near record highs in prior sessions amid strong demand tied to electrification trends, renewable energy infrastructure buildout and continued growth in data center construction globally. That underlying demand narrative for copper has remained largely intact even amid this week's broader market turbulence, suggesting Friday's decline in Capstone Copper shares likely reflects broader risk-off sentiment across equity markets rather than any fundamental deterioration in the company's own operational outlook or the underlying copper demand picture. Capstone Copper competes within a broader field of North American and international copper producers, including First Quantum Minerals, Hudbay Minerals, Ero Copper, Ivanhoe Mines and Amerigo Resources, among others, according to Yahoo Finance's compilation of comparable companies. The stock trades on both the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker CS and on U.S. over-the-counter markets, giving investors in both Canada and the United States direct access to the company's shares. With Capstone Copper's next quarterly earnings report expected in the coming weeks, investors are likely to continue watching closely for further updates on production levels across the company's Chilean, Arizona and Mexican operations, along with continued progress integrating the San Pietro acquisition into its broader development pipeline. Given the stock's demonstrated sensitivity to both company-specific operational updates and broader macroeconomic volatility tied to global commodity markets, Friday's sharp pullback appears most directly connected to the week's broader selloff across mining and materials stocks, driven by the combination of surging oil prices and rising global bond yields, rather than any specific negative development unique to Capstone Copper's own underlying business performance.

MarketBeat
Aug 24th, 2026
First Quantum Minerals (OTCMKTS:FQVLF) shares gap up - should you buy?

First Quantum Minerals (OTCMKTS:FQVLF) shares gap up - should you buy? August 24, 2026 Key points. * Shares gapped higher, opening at $35.00 versus a previous close of $33.36, but later traded at $32.98. * Analyst sentiment is broadly positive: the stock has a consensus "Buy" rating, supported by multiple upgrades and "overweight," "positive," and "outperform" recommendations. * First Quantum Minerals reported quarterly revenue of $1.52 billion, above expectations, but its adjusted loss of $0.13 per share missed estimates of a $0.07 loss; the company also posted negative net margin and return on equity. * Interested in First Quantum Minerals? Here are five stocks we like better. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (OTCMKTS:FQVLF - Get Free Report) shares gapped up prior to trading on Monday. The stock had previously closed at $33.36, but opened at $35.00. First Quantum Minerals shares last traded at $32.98, with a volume of 5,938 shares. Wall Street Analyst weigh in. Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Morgan Stanley restated an "overweight" rating on shares of First Quantum Minerals in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Citigroup reaffirmed a "positive" rating on shares of First Quantum Minerals in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. TD Securities upgraded First Quantum Minerals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of First Quantum Minerals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Scotiabank reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of First Quantum Minerals in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy". First Quantum Minerals price performance. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $28.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $27.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The company has a market cap of $28.50 billion, a PE ratio of -310.55 and a beta of 1.36. First Quantum Minerals (OTCMKTS:FQVLF - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The basic materials company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.07) by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $1.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.40 billion. First Quantum Minerals had a negative net margin of 1.44% and a negative return on equity of 2.28%. Sell-side analysts expect that First Quantum Minerals Ltd. will post 0.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. First Quantum Minerals company profile. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is a Canada-based mining company principally engaged in the exploration, development, production and marketing of copper and other mineral commodities. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company develops and operates large-scale open-pit and underground mines and associated processing facilities. Its activities span the full value chain from exploration and feasibility studies through to mining, milling and the sale of concentrates and refined metals to global customers. Discover more investment Copper is the company's primary product, produced alongside by-products such as gold, nickel, zinc and cobalt depending on the orebody. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. Continue following MarketBeat Before you consider First Quantum Minerals, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and First Quantum Minerals wasn't on the list. While First Quantum Minerals currently has a Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.

First Mining DRC-Zambia
Aug 18th, 2026
FQM partners with banks to strengthen Zambia's mining supply chain.

FQM partners with banks to strengthen Zambia's mining supply chain. 18th August 2026 First Quantum Minerals Zambia has today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with five financial institutions - Zanaco, FNB, ABSA, Stanbic and Inde Credit - to design and deliver innovative financing solutions for Zambian-owned mining service providers. The partnership will enable Local Companies, as defined under the Geological and Minerals Development (Local Content) (Preference for Goods and Services in the Mining Sector) Regulations, S.I. No. 68 of 2025 (the "Local Content Regulations"), to access tailored products including invoice financing, order finance and industrial term loans, thereby allowing them to fully participate in opportunities created within the mining sector. Speaking at the signing ceremony, First Quantum Minerals Country Director, Anthony Mukutuma, explained that the MOU marks the formal commencement of a partnership that the Company describes as a significant milestone in strengthening local supplier participation in the mining sector, and follows an extensive market engagement process through which the company sought financial institutions capable of developing innovative, anchor-buyer-backed financing structures for its Local Companies. "Last year, Zambia passed the local content SI number 68, which opens up the mining value chain to Zambian local companies. When we talk about the value of the mining industry to Zambia, we normally think about jobs and taxes and royalties that the mining companies pay and the impacts that the mining companies have on the host communities, on infrastructure and all those things, which are very good things to have. But the biggest opportunity for Zambia, the biggest opportunity for companies in Zambia is really participating in the mining value chain. Last year, as First Quantum Minerals, we put into the Zambian economy well over $2 billion in businesses that supply services and goods to our business. That's, as we see it, is a huge opportunity that exists that's open for local companies," he said. "And we see it as a missed opportunity for local companies. The barriers to this opportunity for local companies is mainly access to finance and also the cost of finance, which ends up making Zambian companies, local companies uncompetitive in most cases. This is the reason we are here today signing this MOU that really sets out a roadmap of how local companies can access financing that's priced competitively," Mr Mukutuma continued. Speaking at the same event, Zanaco Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mukwandi Chibesakunda H.C, said that the partnership the financial institution has entered with First Quantum, reflects its shared commitment to Zambia's economic transformation, private sector growth, and the creation of opportunities for more Zambian businesses to participate meaningfully in one of the country's most important sectors. "Today's agreement is about more than financing. It is about unlocking potential, strengthening local enterprise, and ensuring that the benefits of Zambia's mineral wealth are shared more broadly across our economy. Mining remains the backbone of Zambia's economy and a key driver of national development. According to figures released by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Zambia's annual copper production increased by an 8% year-on-year during the last year. This progress supports the government's ambition of increasing annual copper production to 3 million metric tonnes by the year 2031, and this underscores the sector's importance to export earnings, investment attraction, and job creation," she said. And Inde Credit Chief Executive Officer, Peter Bwalya, said; "We do not see ourselves as competitors to the mainstream commercial banks, but we see ourselves as complementors that feed into the value chain for greater sustainability of the local enterprises that feed into the value chain. And I think we have been speaking to SI68 for a while in ensuring that we empower local suppliers and contractors in giving them the value that they need in terms of ensuring that the bottleneck around access to finance is unlocked. We hope that and we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to collaborate with First Quantum Minerals in achieving the three million metric tonnes that the government is propagating to be able to ensure that we arrive at this, and this cannot be done without SMEs, without local enterprise in feeding into the value chain. So, in that regard, Inde Credit intends to be able to further our support to local enterprise. We are looking to be able to capitalise even more to feed into the value chain by providing the suppliers and contractors with the adequate and relatable finance that enables them to be able to scale to the best of their abilities. With the collaboration with First Quantum Minerals, this makes it even easier from an underwriting perspective which allows us to be able to ensure that we will be able to support them in an even easier and more organised manner that allows them to be able to arrive at their full potential." Under the MOU, the participating institutions will work with First Quantum and the Local Companies to develop financing structures in which risk is priced against the mining firm's own credit rating rather than the individual credit profile of each Local Company, supported by real-time digital platforms for invoice and purchase order verification. The initiative forms part of Company's broader commitment to the industrialisation of the North-Western Province, anchored by its Kansanshi and Trident operations and the Kalumbila Multi-Facility Economic Zone.

Solwezi Today
Aug 5th, 2026
FQM inks landmark local content MoU with 5 Banks.

FQM inks landmark local content MoU with 5 Banks. katyetyemfelix August 5, 2026 In a major boost for local enterprise, First Quantum Minerals has joined forces with five leading financial institutions, signing a landmark Memorandum of Understanding designed to tear down funding barriers and unlock vital capital for local suppliers. Driving this game-changing initiative alongside FQM are five premier financial institutions including Zanaco, Absa, Stanbic Bank, FNB Zambia, and Inde Credit - all joining forces to supercharge local procurement and spur economic growth from the ground up. "I am confident that, together with our banking partners, we are embarking on a bright future - one where the true value generated by mining stays firmly in the hands of local Zambian businesses," said FQM Country Director Anthony Mukutuma during a vibrant signing ceremony at Lusaka's InterContinental Hotel. Reflecting on three decades of operation in Zambia, Mukutuma demonstrated FQM's extraordinary trajectory, scaling copper output from 10,000 metric tonnes annually in 1996 to over 400,000 metric tonnes in Zambia alone. He emphasized that following the enactment of SI 68 of 2025 on Local Content, the true economic value of the mining sector is set to be realized across the entire supply chain. "Last year as FQM alone, we put into the Zambian economy way over $2 Billion in the mining value-chain, a significant amount of money, a potential income that can flow into Zambian local companies." Speaking at the same event, Zanaco CEO Mukwandi Chibesakunda highlighted access to finance as a critical barrier for local enterprises. She noted that while many SMEs possess the technical expertise, drive, and ambition to join the mining supply chain, they struggle to secure the capital needed to acquire equipment, fulfill contracts, and scale operations. Chibesakunda noted that timely and affordable financing empowers businesses to invest in assets, build operational capacity, manage cash flow, and deliver on contracts efficiently and sustainably. "Through this local content financial initiative, Zananco will provide local suppliers and contractors with access to financing solutions designed to support their business growth," she said. Absa Bank Zambia Acting Managing Director Venus Hampinda commended FQM for its valuable partnership, highlighting its role in driving the growth and sustainability of local businesses across the mining sector. Hampinda added that as Zambia's economy grows, local businesses must be equipped to participate meaningfully in the resulting opportunities. "Absa will leverage on our financial strategy, which is what we are best known for, the digital capabilities that we can offer, and supplier development programs, because we also need to make sure that we're building sustainable businesses. We want things that we bring to ensure SMEs grow into medium-sized large corporations, for them to take on a bigger share of our contribution to the mining sector." Welcoming the development, Stanbic Bank Acting Chief Executive Officer Helen Lubamba said the successful partnership reflects the bank's commitment to driving financial innovation, unlocking growth for local enterprises, and strengthening Zambia's industrial base. "This partnership is about turning opportunity into tangible economic participation for Zambian businesses," Lubamba said. Meanwhile, FNB Zambia Commercial Banking Executive Director Kabanda Lilanda emphasized that the MoU reflects a shared commitment between FNB Zambia and FQM to unlock new opportunities for local enterprises and drive their active participation in the country's mining value chain. "FNB Zambia is committed to work with FQM to provide innovative financial solutions that enable qualifying suppliers to access working capital and trade financing costs required to fulfill procurement orders and scale operations by connecting finance to opportunities," Lilanda said. Inde Credit CEO Peter Bwalya expressed optimism about taking a lead role among non-bank lenders, emphasizing the firm's commitment to setting the tone for financial access and driving growth across the supply chain. "We see ourselves as complementary that feed into the value chain for greater sustainability of the local enterprises that feed into the local SME economic revolution," Bwalya said.