Investments worth US$19.07 billion actualised-ZDA

The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has announced that investments worth US$19.07 billion have been actualised. Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka today, ZDA Director General Albert Halwampa said the actualisation is for the period between 2021 and 2026, while 2,338 investment licences were issued valued at US$97 billion during the same period. Mr Halwampa said the actualised investments were recorded from 838 licensed companies monitored by the agency, adding that the figure is expected to rise as more investors submit implementation reports.

“I would like to inform the nation that investor confidence has never been this high. It’s actually the highest ever in terms of investor confidence in the country,” Mr Halwampa Said. He said the US$97 billion in investment licences issued over the past five years exceeds the US$70 billion worth of licences granted between 2007 and 2020, describing the achievement as evidence of Zambia’s growing attractiveness as an investment destination.

“The manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of actualised investment at US$7.33 billion, followed by mining at US$6.62 billion, transport at US$1.60 billion, energy at US$1.43 billion, agriculture at US$669 million, construction at US$521 million, while other sectors accounted for US$901 million,” he stated. He further explained that Lusaka Province attracted the highest actualised investment at US$9 billion, followed by Copperbelt Province with US$4.4 billion and North-Western Province with US$3.3 billion, while the remaining provinces accounted for a combined US$999 million. Mr Halwampa said the monitored investments created 149,956 direct jobs, with mining accounting for 48,007 jobs, manufacturing 46,759, agriculture 18,627, transport 14,743, services 8,065, and other sectors 13,755.

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He indicated that the government remains focused on increasing the conversion of pledged investments into operational projects through the Zambia Investment Deal Room, an online platform that links local and foreign investors with banks, institutional investors and international financiers. Mr Halwampa has since encouraged both local and foreign investors to utilise the platform and take advantage of incentives offered by the ZDA, adding that the agency remains committed to supporting investment that drives sustainable economic growth and employment creation across the country.

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