Counterfeit shoe polish, razor blades, drugs and food have all found their way into the Zambian market. In 2002, law enforcement in Zambia seized fake shampoo containing acid. In early 2008, the Zambian government turned to the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) asking for help in stemming the flow of counterfeit products finding their way into the country.

According to Ministry of Information statistics, the Zambian government annually loses USD 4.4 million in duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on pirated musical products sold in Lusaka alone. Pirated music is a big problem here with. According to a survey carried out in 2002, for every genuine tape, there were 100 pirated ones. Zambian musicians have suffered the most. The streets and market places of Lusaka reflect this booming industry in pirated music. Pirated audio and video tapes, DVDs, and CDs are offloaded onto the market within minutes of being released. Although much of the pirated material is imported, a substantial quantity is also reproduced locally using increasingly sophisticated methods.

An anti-piracy squad comprising state police, Zambia Revenue Authority, local council authority and the immigration department was formed in 2004 to crack down on the scourge, and has confiscated materials worth US $430,000. The customs officers have also confiscated pirated material at points of entry.

On World Intellectual Property Day 2006 a new initiative, Journalists against Piracy in Zambia, was announced. JAPIZ will advocate policies to protect intellectual property from illegal exploitation. The main purpose of creating this media network against piracy was to raise awareness of the impact of piracy on the artists as well as the economy. Participating journalists will write investigative stories that expose piracy and raise public awareness of the dangers of supporting it. They will also be expected to play an advocacy role, fighting for policies to better protect IP rights.

The presence on the Zambian market of substandard and counterfeit pharmaceuticals has also been noted, though the extent is unknown. Sub-Saharan African (SSA) governments are undertaking a concerted drive to control the presence of counterfeit products in the market. Several drug regulatory authorities are attempting to frame and implement regulations along with tightening the existing regulatory structures governing pharmaceutical products.

Lusaka security company Cycorp is also reported to be teaming up with Opsec of the UK to introduce hologram technology that will help manufacturers to minimise counterfeiting of their products.

Shopping in Lusaka
Lusaka City Market in the city centre and west of Cairo Road is a huge, one roof market place, housing over 4000 market stalls selling and producing various kinds of products and services: clothes, CDs, DVDs, food. Again, be aware that counterfeit music is big business here. Manda Hill shopping centre is Lusaka’s first shopping mall and has an excellent range of shops and boutiques, where legitimate purchases of genuine products can be made.

Click here for an excellent guide to the various shops and markets in Lusaka.

The unit currency is the Kwacha (ZMK) = 100 ngwee. Notes are in denominations of ZMK50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of ZMK1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 ngwee. Click here for a link to images of this currency. In Lusaka you should use reputable banks and Bureaux de change to exchange money or use ATMs, as counterfeit US$100 and Zambian Kwacha 50,000 notes are in circulation.