UD Trucks Southern Africa has officially launched in Zambia through a strategic partnership with Imperial Motors Zambia, part of Motus Africa. The launch, held on October 1st in Lusaka, marks an important milestone in the brand’s Southern African growth strategy, establishing a presence across three operational locations in Lusaka, Kitwe and Solwezi.
The expansion brings UD Trucks’ Japanese engineering heritage, global commercial vehicle expertise and customer-focused philosophy to a market where dependable transport plays a critical role in economic growth. Together, UD Trucks and Imperial Motors Zambia aim to deliver more than commercial vehicles: a total transport solutions offering that combines the right products, professional aftersales support and long-term customer partnerships.
Over90 guests attended the official launch at Imperial Motors Zambia’s Kafue Road facility in Lusaka, including customers, industry stakeholders, media representatives and senior leadership from UD Trucks and Motus Africa. The event was also attended by Mr Fredrick Mwalusaka, Permanent Secretary at Zambia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics, who served as Guest of Honour and participated in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The launch represents a shared commitment to developing a sustainable presence in Zambia, supporting businesses across key industries and helping customers keep their operations moving.
Building a Stronger Regional Network Through Total Transport Solutions
For UD Trucks Southern Africa, Zambia represents an important step in strengthening the brand’s regional footprint and extending its commitment to customers across key African markets.
Building on the introduction of UD Trucks in Malawi in 2025 through Motus Africa, the Zambia launch further develops the partnership between the two organisations and creates opportunities to serve customers in a market with significant transport requirements across mining, agriculture, construction, logistics and distribution.
These industries depend on the reliable movement of goods, efficient fleet utilisation and vehicles that can perform in demanding operating environments. UD Trucks’ approach recognises that customers need more than a truck to meet these demands. They need a partner who understands their business, supports their operational requirements and helps them achieve lasting value from their investment.
“The official launch of UD Trucks in Zambia represents another significant milestone in our ambition to strengthen our presence across Southern Africa and contribute to the development of Africa’s commercial transport sector,” said Filip Van den Heede, Managing Director of UD Trucks Southern Africa.
“Zambia is an important market, and our partnership with Imperial Motors Zambia provides a strong foundation for building the UD Trucks brand locally. By combining our Japanese engineering heritage and global expertise with an established local partner’s market knowledge and customer relationships, we are creating the platform to deliver dependable transport solutions and long-term value.
“Our ambition goes beyond introducing our products to a new market. It is about building lasting customer relationships, investing in the capabilities needed to support their operations and going the extra mile to help businesses move forward.”
Delivering Value Beyond the Vehicle
For Zambian transport operators, these principles translate into a total transport solutions approach that considers the entire operating life of a vehicle — from product selection and acquisition to maintenance, servicing and ongoing operational support.
Graham Kolm, SSA Markets General Manager: Trucks Southern Africa, emphasised the importance of aligning product capability with the realities of customers’ businesses.
“For businesses operating in demanding industries, a truck is much more than a vehicle. It is a critical business asset, and its performance, availability and operating costs directly influence productivity and profitability.
“Ultimate Dependability is about understanding that responsibility. Through our partnership with Imperial Motors Zambia, we want to help customers identify the right solutions for their operations and support them in maximising uptime, improving operational efficiency and achieving long-term value. Our role is to work alongside our customers, going the extra mile to help keep their businesses moving.”
A Strategic Partnership with Local Expertise at Its Core
Imperial Motors Zambia brings 12 years of experience in the Zambian automotive market. The addition of UD Trucks strengthens its commercial vehicle portfolio and represents a further investment in the country’s transport sector.
As part of Motus Africa, Imperial Motors Zambia combines established local market knowledge with access to a wider regional automotive network. This provides an important foundation for developing the brand, building customer relationships and strengthening the capabilities required to support commercial vehicle operations.
Tim Jaques, Chairman of Imperial Motors Zambia and CEO of Motus Africa, highlighted the organisation’s continued commitment to the Zambian market. The introduction of UD Trucks builds on Imperial Motors Zambia’s existing portfolio, which includes Nissan, OMODA and JAECOO, and reflects its ambition to broaden its offering while continuing to develop its facilities, people and customer service capabilities.
Christophe Henning, General Manager of Imperial Motors Zambia, described the launch as an important milestone for the business.
“The introduction of UD Trucks is an exciting new chapter for Imperial Motors Zambia. We are proud to partner with a commercial vehicle brand whose heritage in Japanese engineering and commitment to reliability align with our ambition to deliver quality products and customer support.
“Our focus is on building lasting relationships with Zambian businesses and becoming a trusted transport partner. We recognise that our responsibility extends well beyond the initial vehicle purchase. Customers need dependable products, access to genuine parts, skilled technicians and professional aftersales support throughout their vehicles’ operating lives.
“Through this partnership, we are committed to developing the local capabilities and customer relationships that will support the long-term growth of UD Trucks in Zambia.”
For fleet owners and transport operators, the value of a transport solution is measured not only by the initial purchase, but also by how effectively it supports their business over time. By investing in local facilities, people and aftersales capabilities, UD Trucks and Imperial Motors Zambia aim to build customer confidence and deliver value throughout the vehicle ownership journey.
Supporting Zambia’s Transport and Logistics Ambitions
The launch was attended by Mr Fredrick Mwalusaka, Permanent Secretary at Zambia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics, who served as Guest of Honour and participated in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In his address, Mr Mwalusaka highlighted the role of transport and logistics in Zambia’s economic development, particularly in facilitating trade and supporting industries such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
He also spoke about Zambia’s potential to strengthen its position as a regional transport and logistics hub, underscoring the importance of efficient goods movement within the country and across its borders.
The launch brought together public- and private-sector stakeholders around the importance of investment in the transport sector and the role that commercial vehicle solutions can play in supporting business activity, employment and economic development.
For UD Trucks, the opportunity lies in contributing to this environment through a dependable product offering, a strong local partnership and a long-term commitment to serving the needs of Zambian businesses.
Going the Extra Mile for Zambia’s Transport Industry
The official launch marks the beginning of the next chapter for UD Trucks in Zambia. With three operational locations established through Imperial Motors Zambia, the brand enters the market with a foundation for developing customer relationships, strengthening aftersales support and growing its presence in key transport segments.
Over the next three to five years, Imperial Motors Zambia aims to expand its UD Trucks customer base, strengthen its market position and continue investing in facilities, technical expertise and aftersales capabilities in line with evolving customer needs.
For UD Trucks Southern Africa, the partnership supports a broader ambition to build a stronger regional network and bring its total transport solutions offering to more customers across Southern Africa.
Ultimately, the success of this expansion will be measured by the value it creates for customers: dependable vehicles, strong partnerships, support that helps maximise uptime and solutions that enable businesses to operate with confidence.
Guided by its Japanese engineering heritage and its commitment to Ultimate Dependability, UD Trucks is ready to work alongside Zambia’s transport operators, going the extra mile to support their ambitions and help keep business moving.
