Zambia’s Mulemwa Moongwa Earns Global Recognition for Shaping Africa’s Meetings Industry

In a landmark achievement for the continent, Mulemwa Moongwa of Zambia has been named among the top twenty finalists on the prestigious Meetings Industry Trendsetters list for 2025, published by the US-based Meetings Today Magazine. This recognition marks the first time in over three decades that an African-based professional has been spotlighted by the influential publication—an inspiring milestone for Africa’s business events and tourism landscape.

Mulemwa’s journey is a story of determination, vision, and relentless advocacy for professionalisation within Africa’s meetings and events sector. What began as a personal self-actualisation project has now propelled her onto the global stage, where her efforts have driven transformative change across education, industry standards, and international collaboration.

Her introduction to the world of events happened serendipitously, working part-time for a party planning business in Lincoln, Nebraska, while pursuing a law degree. Although law lost a promising advocate, the business events sphere gained a passionate trailblazer. Upon returning home to Zambia, Mulemwa launched her own events business at just 23, setting the foundation for a career that would span party planning, major business-to-government functions, and high-level diplomatic engagements.

For a decade, she operated as an independent in-house planner, notably on retainer for the Financial Literacy Project, a partnership between the German Sparkassenstiftung and Zambia’s Central Bank. Despite this high-level exposure, Mulemwa felt the need for formal recognition—a sentiment familiar to many in Africa’s events and hospitality sector, where defined career paths and formal qualifications are often lacking. This personal quest for validation sparked a journey that took her to over 15 countries in six years, seeking global best practices and professional credentials.

A turning point came in 2013 when Zambia co-hosted the United Nations Tourism General Assembly in Livingstone. Mulemwa’s consortium bid as a service provider, but the absence of a Certified Meetings Professional (CMP) among local organisers proved a barrier. This revelation ignited her drive to pursue international certification, though at the time, the logistics and costs were prohibitive. Today, she notes, access to training and exams is far more attainable—a change that has profound implications for aspiring African professionals.

In 2019, Mulemwa attended a residential programme for the Certificate in Meetings Management at Indiana University, delivered by Meetings Professional International (MPI), further expanding her expertise. The onset of the pandemic underscored the value of belonging to global industry bodies, as virtual learning and networking flourished. Leveraging these platforms, Mulemwa gained a competitive edge in revenue generation and event management—skills that proved vital during a period of immense disruption.

During lockdown, she saw an opportunity to amplify Africa’s voice within the global meetings industry. In partnership with Kenyan collaborator Kezy Mukiri, Mulemwa co-hosted a virtual stakeholder forum in September 2020 to champion the African meetings and incentives sector. Their collaboration birthed the Africa MICE Summit, grounded in the pillars of sustainability, technology, and people. While Kezy steered the first two pillars, Mulemwa championed people development, tirelessly advocating for human capital investment as the foundation for sustainable sector growth.

Her efforts have seen her travel the world, speaking at major industry forums and emphasising that Africa’s business events future will be built on a skilled, empowered workforce. As a champion member for Africa at MPI and franchisee of the IMEX-MPI Future Leaders Forum, Mulemwa has dedicated herself to inspiring the next generation. Notably, during Meetings Africa, she devotes an entire day to the Future Leaders Forum, sharing educational pathways and opportunities for young professionals. In September 2025, Mulemwa and Kezy hosted the first in-person Africa MICE Summit, including the Future Leaders Forum at Kenya Utali College, strengthening the continent’s talent pipeline.

Her impact extends well beyond industry circles. In 2022, she was appointed Board Chairperson for the Zambia Institute for Tourism & Hospitality Studies (ZITHS), the country’s premier public institution for tourism skills development. In this capacity, Mulemwa led her team to the UN Tourism Secretariat in Madrid to study best practices, resulting in Zambia launching the Travel, Hospitality and Tourism Education Summit. This forum brought educators, employers, and policymakers together to address gaps in skills and knowledge—a collaborative approach that reflects her inclusive leadership style.

2024 marked a transformative year, as Zambia integrated travel and tourism studies into its formal school curriculum from Grade One through Form Six. This integration, achieved without a dedicated budget, showcased the government’s prioritisation of tourism as a driver of national development. Over 300 educators and 50 industry players participated, demonstrating a unified commitment to shaping the future workforce.

Mulemwa’s time as chairperson was marked by innovative projects, including apprenticeship programs with Diageo Products PLC and the American Embassy, and the establishment of the first UN Tourism Academy for Tourism and Hospitality in Zambia. Her collaborative approach, credited to a cohesive board and strong governmental support, yielded significant outcomes not just for Zambia, but for Africa’s broader tourism and events industry.

Under her leadership, ZITHS became the first African institution to be accredited as an International Conventions and Congresses Association University partner—a distinction that places Zambia at the forefront of meetings industry education in Africa. As her three-year tenure concludes, Mulemwa’s legacy is clear: she has set a benchmark for excellence, advocacy, and innovation that will inspire future generations of African business events professionals.

Her story is a powerful reminder that with vision, persistence, and collaboration, Africa’s meetings industry can—and will—claim its place on the global stage. For the continent’s tourism professionals, Mulemwa Moongwa’s ascent is not just a celebration of individual achievement but a beacon for the sector’s future potential.