ZAMBIA’S GROWTH STORY GAINS SPEED AS 8NDP REFORMS BEAR FRUIT – FINANCE MINISTER
LUSAKA, 17 August 2025 – Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, has announced that Zambia’s economy is firmly on a path of recovery and inclusive growth, with strong progress recorded in the second quarter of 2025 under the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP).
Speaking during the National Development Coordinating Committee (NDCC) Meeting, Dr. Musokotwane said the Government’s ongoing reforms are delivering results, with a focus on youth and women empowerment, private sector-led growth, and strategic investments across key sectors.
“Our reforms are working, and Zambia is on a clear recovery path. We are committed to sustaining this momentum, empowering youth and women, strengthening private sector growth, and working hand-in-hand with our development partners and investors. The progress achieved so far demonstrates our national resilience, and together, we will build a prosperous Zambia where every citizen shares in the benefits of growth,” Dr. Musokotwane said.
The Minister said government is confident of success through the bold strides taken in transforming the economy and creating jobs through implementation of the 8NDP, under which the second quarter of 2025 was marked by big wins in agriculture, mining, tourism, energy, and enterprise development, laying a firm foundation for inclusive growth.
He said major achievements in the second quarter include the operationalisation of veterinary laboratories in Choma and Chipata, fish production reaching 39,000 metric tonnes, and over 530 farmers linked to export markets, far surpassing the initial target of 25.
Additionally, 1,038 farms were allocated in farm blocks, 26 boreholes were drilled for resettlement schemes, and the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) was fully migrated to the E-Voucher system across all 116 districts.
To boost value chain development, Dr. Musokotwane said 56,666 farmers were trained in production, 19,517 in rice and cassava processing, and 17,149 in food packaging, against a target of just 250.
In the mining sector, he said, the High-Resolution Geophysical Survey now covers 23.6 per cent of national territory, and the Zambia Gold Company purchased 13.9 kg of gold from artisanal miners, with plans underway to scale up aggregator systems.
Dr. Musokotwane, further said, the tourism infrastructure also saw major improvements, with over 1,300 km of access roads rehabilitated in parks and tourist zones, exceeding the target of 840 km. Progress continues on the Lusaka–Ndola Road under the public-private partnership model, with several key sections nearing completion.
While, the energy sector, renewable energy projects added 125MW to the national grid, driven by the successful commissioning of the Chisamba and Mailo solar plants. Over 19,600 new customers were connected to electricity, while 14 communication towers and 525 Starlink units were deployed to rural areas, significantly boosting connectivity and access to digital services.
Digital governance also progressed, with 368 government services now available online through ZamPortal, contributing K1.1 billion in non-tax revenue in just six months. On the enterprise front, 1,453 MSMEs received business development support, five top-performing SMEs each received USD 20,000 in support, and 6,184 new business names along with 4,903 companies were registered. The CEEC’s District Value Chain Programme is set to generate over 65,000 jobs and K150 million in annual exports.
In terms of human and social development, over 42,400 students were supported with bursaries and loans, more than double the annual target. Youth empowerment saw 3,883 young people trained in key skills, and 3,048 received business grants, triple the target. In education, 8,626 out-of-school children were re-enrolled and 83,829 joined secondary school due to the free education policy. Women’s empowerment programmes reached over 23,930 beneficiaries, while 16,098 were trained in life and business skills. Women-led enterprises were supported with financing and increased access to public tenders.
The Government also expanded social protection, with 1.4 million households enrolled in the Social Cash Transfer Programme and over 2.2 million people receiving emergency cash in response to the 2024 drought. The Food Security Pack supported 40,000 vulnerable farmers, and maternal health outcomes improved significantly, 88.7 per cent of pregnant women accessed antenatal services, and essential medicine availability rose to 90 per cent in health centres.
Environmental sustainability efforts included the drilling of 673 boreholes, construction of 227 piped water schemes reaching over 280,000 people, and more than 2,500 villages attaining Open Defecation Free status. Reforestation activities led to the planting of 455,104 seedlings and the establishment of 1,049 hectares of forest plantations.
Provincial governments also demonstrated strong performance, raising K72.3 million in non-tax revenue as part of fiscal decentralisation. Youth and women empowerment programmes were successfully implemented across all provinces, and 18 Community Forest Management Groups were formed.
On governance, legal reforms advanced with the publication of consolidated laws up to 2019, and efforts to consolidate laws from 2020 to 2025 are underway. Public awareness campaigns surpassed targets, with 118 documentaries aired. Over 73,200 citizens accessed digital CDF data, while 13 government institutions and 9 local authorities were connected to the Government Wide Area Network. Infrastructure upgrades included a new local court in Matero and recruitment of 850 qualified staff into local authorities. The Anti-Corruption Commission recorded a 67 per cent conviction rate in prosecuted cases.
Dr. Musokotwane said by reaffirming Government’s commitment to strengthening accountability, transparency, and decentralisation, while also enhancing private sector and diaspora participation, boosting digital service delivery, improving rural connectivity, and strengthening social protection systems.
“The New Dawn Administration, ably led by our Republican President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, will continue driving the country towards a prosperous, resilient, and inclusive future,” he said.
© Falcon News