In this guide
Picture two rooms. In one, a farmer from Chipata is comparing seed varieties while a bank clerk explains a small-business account. In another, engineers in hard hats talk about grid connections and solar storage. Both scenes belong to the same city, on the same list of ten Lusaka events — and a startup cannot afford to treat them the same way.
The skew is worth noticing. The Zambia International Trade Fair lists 500 exhibitors, while the Zambia Health Summit lists 100. Agriculture draws 400 names, mining and energy 300, ICT 150. For a small team, that spread is the whole decision: a crowded hall means more foot traffic but a higher cost of being noticed, and a smaller show can mean sharper conversations.
This guide compares the ten events on industry, listed exhibitor counts and timing, then lays out what to check before spending on a stand, a badge or a trip. Dates come from the supplied event records and are not confirmed here. Treat every month below as a planning prompt, not a promise.
The Lusaka Event Lineup, Compared
1. Zambia International Trade Fair
The big general showcase at 500 exhibitors
- Dates unconfirmed: June 2026
- Industry: General Trade
- Exhibitors: 500+
- Official website
This is the largest event on the list by listed exhibitor count, and the names attached to it range from Zambeef and Zambia Breweries to Lafarge, First Quantum Minerals and Airtel. For a small business, that mix means one hall can put you in front of buyers from farming, construction, telecoms and retail at once. The trade-off is noise: 500 stands compete for attention, so a modest booth needs a clear offer and a reason for people to stop. Use the listed June timing to plan a site visit or a shared stand conversation, and treat the count as a scale indicator rather than a promise of who will attend.
Best for: SMEs wanting wide public exposure
2. Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show
Farm-to-market buyers in one place
- Dates unconfirmed: July 2026
- Industry: Agriculture & Food
- Exhibitors: 400+
- Official website
Agriculture is Zambia’s economic backbone, and this show gathers the names that shape it: the Zambia National Farmers Union, Seed Co, Syngenta, Bayer and Cargill. A small agri-tech or food-processing business can meet distributors, co-operatives and input dealers without crossing the country. Because the listed July timing sits close to the mining event, a lean team may have to choose one. If your customers are farmers or food traders, this is the one to prioritise, and a visitor badge may deliver more value than a stand while you learn the room.
Best for: Agri-food startups and input suppliers
3. Zambia International Business Expo
Banks, SMEs and deal-making under one roof
- Dates unconfirmed: September 2026
- Industry: General Trade
- Exhibitors: 350+
- Official website
With 350 listed exhibitors and names including Zambia National Commercial Bank, Stanbic Bank and various SMEs, this expo leans toward finance and business services. That suits a consultancy, logistics firm or software vendor whose buyer is another company rather than a walk-in consumer. The September timing also gives you a few months after the mid-year shows to refine a pitch. Ask yourself whether your offer saves a bank or an SME money; if it does, a compact stand with a demo can outperform a bigger, quieter one.
Best for: Service businesses chasing B2B contacts
4. Zambia Mining & Energy Conference and Exhibition
Heavy industry names, technical conversations
- Dates unconfirmed: July 2026
- Industry: Mining & Energy
- Exhibitors: 300+
- Official website
Barrick Gold, Glencore, Vedanta, First Quantum Minerals and ZCCM-IH appear on this event’s exhibitor list, which signals a serious industrial audience. Small firms selling safety gear, maintenance services, logistics or engineering support can find procurement conversations here that rarely happen at consumer-facing shows. The catch is qualification: mining buyers vet suppliers hard, so bring certifications, references and a one-page capability statement. The listed July date overlaps with the agriculture show, so decide which audience you can actually serve before committing staff and stock.
Best for: Suppliers to mines and power firms
5. Zambia Renewable Energy and Sustainability Expo
A past edition to study, not assume
- Supplied past edition: September 5-7, 2026
- Industry: Energy & Sustainability
- Exhibitors: 300+
- Official website
The supplied record describes a past edition dated September 5-7, 2026, with 300 listed exhibitors including Green Energy Solutions, Solar Power Corp and Sustainable Tech Ltd. Do not read that as a recurring booking. Instead, use it as a reference point: note which kinds of companies appear in this space, what a sustainability pitch looks like in Lusaka, and what budget a three-day stand would demand. If a future edition is announced, you will already have a shortlist of questions about stand sizes, shared-space options and audience profile.
Best for: Cleantech startups learning the terrain
6. Zambia Tourism Expo
Tourism operators and hospitality buyers
- Dates unconfirmed: April 2026
- Industry: Tourism
- Exhibitors: 250+
- Official website
Names like the Zambia Tourism Agency, Sun International, Protea Hotels by Marriott, African Parks and Wilderness Safaris point to a show built around hospitality and conservation. For a small tour operator or a booking platform, the value is in meeting lodges and agents who can fill seats in the low season. The listed April timing makes this the earliest event on the list, so it rewards businesses that prepare early. A modest presence — a table, a screen and clear rates — can be enough when the audience is already in the travel trade.
Best for: Lodges, tour firms and travel tech
7. Zambia International Trade and Investment Conference
Investment talk with institutions in the room
- Dates unconfirmed: October 2026
- Industry: Investment & Trade
- Exhibitors: 200+
- Official website
The listed exhibitors include the Zambia Development Agency, the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ZESCO Limited, Airtel Zambia and Stanbic Bank Zambia. That combination suggests an event where policy, finance and large corporates meet. A founder raising a first round or seeking a corporate pilot should attend as a visitor first, listen to what institutions say about priorities, and book follow-ups rather than expecting a deal on the floor. The October timing gives you room to prepare a short, numbers-led pitch.
Best for: Startups seeking partners and capital
8. Zambia Renewable Energy Conference
Power-sector names on the exhibitor list
- Dates unconfirmed: May 2026
- Industry: Energy & Environment
- Exhibitors: 200+
- Official website
ZESCO, SolarAfrica, First Solar, Schneider Electric and JinkoSolar are attached to this conference, which puts it close to the centre of Zambia’s power conversation. A small solar installer or energy-efficiency firm can use it to meet distributors and larger contractors. The May timing is early in the year, so budget decisions happen fast. Compare it with the September sustainability expo: one leans conference, the other exhibition. Visit before you exhibit, and ask which format gives a small supplier the most useful introductions.
Best for: Energy suppliers and installers
9. Zambia ICT Conference and Exhibition
Telcos and tech vendors, 150 exhibitors
- Dates unconfirmed: August 2026
- Industry: Technology & ICT
- Exhibitors: 150+
- Official website
MTN, Airtel, Zamtel, Huawei and Microsoft appear on the list, so the audience is likely to include telco procurement teams, integrators and IT managers. For a Lusaka software startup, that is a chance to test whether your product fits an enterprise buyer’s roadmap. With 150 listed exhibitors, the floor is smaller than the trade fair’s, which can mean longer conversations per stand. The listed August timing lets you prepare a working demo. Come with a laptop, a short case study and a clear ask, and leave the brochures at home.
Best for: Software and digital-service startups
10. Zambia Health Summit
Health providers and pharma in a compact show
- Dates unconfirmed: November 2026
- Industry: Healthcare
- Exhibitors: 100+
- Official website
The Ministry of Health, various healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies appear on this event’s list, and at 100 listed exhibitors it is the smallest on the roster. Small can be useful: fewer stands means your table is easier to find. A clinic software vendor or medical-supplies startup can meet procurement staff and administrators in a calmer setting. The November timing closes the year, which may suit businesses with budget left to spend or a product ready for a January launch. Visit first if you are unsure how health buyers evaluate new suppliers.
Best for: Healthtech and clinic suppliers
Event details reflect supplied records and have not been independently verified for this guide. Always confirm on the official event website before booking travel or stand space.
Exhibitor Checklist for Lusaka Shows
Book nothing until you can answer three questions: who walks the floor, what a stand costs all-in, and what counts as success. The listed exhibitor counts run from 100 to 500, and a bigger number is not automatically better for a small budget. At the trade fair, your stand competes with 499 others; at the health summit, with 99.
- Write a one-sentence goal — leads, distributors, a pilot client — before choosing a show.
- Ask about shared or smaller stand options, and what furniture and power are included.
- Budget beyond the stand fee: printing, transport, staff time and follow-up calls.
- Prepare a one-page capability statement for industrial buyers at the mining event.
- Bring a working demo for the ICT show rather than a slide deck.
- Train whoever staffs the stand to ask qualifying questions in the first minute.
- Plan follow-up within 48 hours; a badge scan is worthless without a message.
A hypothetical example: a two-person solar installer might share a stand at the energy conference, then visit the September sustainability expo as a badge holder to compare audiences before spending again.
Visitor Checklist for Lusaka Events
Visiting is cheaper than exhibiting, and for a first year it is often smarter. Pick two events whose audiences match your customers, not five that sound impressive.
- Define the outcome: three supplier quotes, two buyer meetings, one distributor contact.
- Download the exhibitor list in advance and mark ten stands worth visiting.
- Prepare a 30-second introduction and a card with your contact details.
- Check entry fees and registration steps directly with each event’s organisers.
- Book meetings before you travel, since halls get busy.
- Keep a notes sheet per conversation; memory fades by evening.
- Follow up within two days while your name is still familiar.
For a startup, a visitor pass at the business expo or investment conference can be the cheapest way to learn how banks and agencies talk about small firms. Treat every conversation as research, and do not expect a signed contract on the day.
Getting Around and Staying in Lusaka
The supplied records list no venues, so confirm the location of each event before booking anything. That single detail shapes your transport and accommodation plan more than any other. Once you know the site, work backwards.
- Ask organisers for the venue address and recommended arrival times.
- Choose accommodation near the venue if you are carrying display materials.
- Arrange airport transfers in advance rather than negotiating on arrival.
- Keep a buffer day before a show opens for setup and a day after for follow-ups.
- For multi-day events, check whether your hotel offers a late checkout or storage.
A small table of rough planning windows helps:
| Event type | Setup time | Follow-up time |
|---|---|---|
| Single-day conference | Half day | One day |
| Multi-day expo | One day | Two days |
None of this replaces a direct conversation with the organisers about access, parking or delivery of stand materials.
Lusaka Events: Common Questions
Which Lusaka event has the largest listed exhibitor count?
The Zambia International Trade Fair is listed with 500 exhibitors, the highest figure in the supplied records. That includes names such as Zambeef, Lafarge and Airtel. A high count signals scale, not guaranteed foot traffic or fit for your business. A smaller show like the health summit, at 100, may give a niche supplier more useful conversations.
Are the 2026 dates in this guide confirmed?
No. The dates come from supplied event records and have not been independently checked. Some events carry a month only, and one sustainability expo is recorded as a past edition with specific dates. Before booking travel, stands or staff time, ask each organiser to confirm the schedule and venue.
How can a small startup exhibit on a limited budget?
Start with a visitor pass to study the audience, then ask about shared or smaller stand options. Prioritise one event whose buyers match your offer, prepare a one-page summary and a working demo, and plan follow-up within 48 hours. Skip the largest show if your customers are concentrated in a smaller, more technical one.
Which events suit a technology or software business?
The Zambia ICT Conference and Exhibition lists MTN, Airtel, Zamtel, Huawei and Microsoft, so it draws enterprise technology buyers. The Zambia International Business Expo, with banks and SMEs, suits software sold to financial and business services. The investment conference may help founders seeking corporate partners or institutional contacts.
Start with one decision: which single Lusaka event puts you in front of the buyers you can actually serve this year. Shortlist two from the ten, ask their organisers about dates, venue and stand options, and set a spending cap before you reply. Then choose visitor badge or shared stand, and book the smaller commitment first.