THE African Development Bank has significantly strengthened its commitment to driving private sector-led economic transformation in Zambia, launching a comprehensive financing initiative that positions the country as a priority destination for catalytic investment across infrastructure and agricultural value chains.
During the inaugural Invest in Zambia International Conference, the Bank hosted a high-impact strategic session that brought together major private companies, financial institutions, development partners, and government officials to unlock new pathways for accelerated economic growth.
The initiative represents a fundamental shift in the Bank’s approach, with private sector development now serving as the central engine for Zambia’s economic transformation strategy through 2029.
Comprehensive Financing Arsenal Deployed
The Bank unveiled its full spectrum of non-sovereign financial instruments designed to catalyse private investment, including senior and subordinated loans, equity participation, trade finance solutions, guarantees, risk participation agreements, and innovative blended finance mechanisms.
“We are now well on our way to building a strong, diversified, and impactful pipeline of private sector operations in Zambia for delivery over the next 12 months and beyond,” announced Bleming Nekati, the Bank’s Regional Head for Private Sector Operations in Southern Africa.
Sector specialists from Agriculture, Transport Infrastructure, Industry and Services outlined targeted intervention priorities, creating clear pathways for private sector engagement across Zambia’s most promising economic sectors.
Strategic Alignment Drives Results
Country Manager Raubil Olaniyi Durowoju emphasised the institutional transformation driving this initiative: “From the President’s office to every Regional and Country Strategy, there is a deliberate shift toward private sector development as the engine for economic transformation.”
The Bank’s Zambia Country Strategy Paper for 2024–2029 has been strategically aligned with the Government’s Eighth National Development Plan, ensuring coordinated support for private sector growth through catalytic infrastructure and agricultural investments.
Immediate Action and Future Impact
Beyond the strategic session, the Bank team conducted intensive bilateral meetings with multiple companies and financial institutions, advancing concrete collaboration opportunities and accelerating pipeline development.
These targeted engagements demonstrate the Bank’s operational commitment to partnering with Zambia’s private sector to deliver measurable, inclusive growth that creates lasting economic transformation.
“This is a defining moment for Zambia and the Bank as we accelerate private sector growth to unlock new opportunities, drive innovation, and build a more prosperous and inclusive future,” Nekati concluded.
The initiative positions Zambia at the forefront of the African Development Bank’s continental strategy to unlock private sector potential as the primary driver of sustainable economic development across Africa.
