Zambia Broadens Investment Growth, ZDA Reveals

Mining has been the foundational support of Zambia’s economy, driving employment and attracting billions of dollars in investment and generating substantial export earnings.

Now, new cumulative investment figures released by the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) reveal that since 2021 to the first quarter of 2026 the economy has grown diversifying from its traditional reliance on mineral resources.

Manufacturing was revealed to be a leading sector creating 37,600 jobs followed by mining which generated 23,265 jobs. Agriculture continues to demonstrate an important role in Zambia’s economy, while attracting approximately $643M in actualised investments, the sector generated more than 18,000 jobs making agriculture one of the country’s largest employers.

Barnabas Mwale, CTPD Lead Researcher said that they “recognise that government efforts within the sector have been positive.”

The data shows that Zambia recorded more than 16 billion US dollars in actualised investments during the period across sectors, creating over 109,000 jobs across various sectors of the economy. This highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen electricity generation and energy security. Overall, Zambia’s diversification agenda seems to be gaining momentum with manufacturing joining the mining sector as a major driver of investment and job creation.