TanzaniA, Zambia resolve key barriers at Tunduma border to ease congestion

Tunduma. Five of the ten non-tariff barriers that had been intensifying freight lorry congestion and complicating cross-border trade at the Tunduma/Nakonde One Stop Border Post (OSBP) have now been formally resolved.

The move comes after sustained binational efforts by the governments of Tanzania and Zambia, signalling a strategic shift towards greater regional trade facilitation and economic integration in Southern Africa.

For years, transport and logistics operators have decried lengthy delays at the Tunduma border, where freight lorries bound for Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond frequently queued for days before clearance.

Lorries congestion and administrative hurdles have been attributed to a combination of procedural inefficiencies, disparate systems, limited hours of operation, and infrastructure constraints at the border crossing.

The breakthrough was achieved at a Border Neighbourliness Meeting convened at Tunduma, attended by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both nations, Amb Mahmoud Thabit Kombo for Tanzania and Mulambo Haimbe for Zambia.

In outlining the outcomes, Tanzania’s foreign minister noted that one of the most significant agreements is Zambia’s commitment to operate 24-hour border services at the OSBP.

This aligns Zambia’s operating schedule with Tanzania’s existing round-the-clock service and is expected to substantially reduce lorry queues and facilitate smoother cross-border flows of goods.

Another pivotal resolution relates to technology.

Zambia has agreed to adopt a modern cargo scanning machine provided by Tanzania, which will enhance the efficiency of physical inspections and reduce processing times for freight. 

The two sides also agreed to harmonise their customs systems, integrating Tanzania’s TANCIS platform with Zambia’s ASYCUDA Plus system, to enable faster exchange of shipment data and improve transparency in cargo processing.

While the recent resolutions mark progress, analysts caution that trucking delays at Tunduma/Nakonde have deeper structural roots.

Studies have previously shown that congestion at the crossing stems not only from operational bottlenecks but also from inadequate staging areas, limited parking on the Zambian side, and underperforming infrastructure relative to traffic volumes. 

In addition, broader transport network challenges persist along the Dar es Salaam–Mbeya–Tunduma corridor, including roadblocks and weighbridge delays, which amplify the logistical burden on truckers and increase the cost of doing business.

Observers also note that enhancements such as inland container depots and expanded cargo handling capacity are integral to fully decongesting key transit points.

The border resolutions coincide with ongoing regional efforts to bolster trade efficiencies.

Joint ministerial discussions earlier this year underscored commitments to digital cargo tracking, electronic single window systems, expanded infrastructure and collaborative monitoring mechanisms under broader frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area. 

Transport sector stakeholders welcomed the latest developments.

“Addressing these fundamental barriers is essential to reducing unnecessary delays and achieving a more predictable trade environment,” one logistics operator commented. 

However, there was acknowledgment that further structural reforms and investments will be necessary to sustain improvements and support rising trade volumes. 

As Tanzania and Zambia work to implement the agreed measures, the positive effects on freight movement, regional commerce and investor confidence could be substantial.

By resolving critical bottlenecks at Tunduma/Nakonde, the two governments have taken a key step towards unlocking the economic potential of one of Southern Africa’s most important transport corridors.