The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reaffirmed its commitment to Zambia’s private sector-led economic transformation, using the inaugural Invest in Zambia International Conference (IZIC) as a platform to showcase targeted financing tools and strategic support measures. The Bank hosted a high-level side event titled “Catalyzing Private Sector Growth: Unlocking AfDB’s Financing Toolkit in Zambia,” engaging private enterprises, financial institutions, development partners, and government representatives in detailed discussions on investment priorities.
In his address, Raubil Olaniyi Durowoju, AfDB’s Country Manager for Zambia, underscored that the institution is deliberately pivoting towards private sector development as a central engine for economic transformation. He noted that the Zambia Country Strategy Paper (2024–2029) aligns fully with the government’s Eighth National Development Plan, prioritising catalytic investments in infrastructure and agricultural value chains.
The session featured expert-led presentations from key AfDB departments. The Financial Solutions Department outlined a diverse suite of non-sovereign financing instruments — from senior and subordinated loans to equity participation, trade finance, guarantees, risk participation agreements, and blended finance structures designed to de-risk private investments. Sector specialists from agriculture, transport infrastructure, industry, and services detailed intervention priorities, illustrating how private sector engagement could unlock both growth and resilience across strategic value chains.
Bleming Nekati, AfDB’s Regional Head for Private Sector Operations in Southern Africa, moderated the event and emphasised the Bank’s proactive approach: “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.” He described the moment as pivotal for fostering innovation and inclusion, signalling that Zambia is entering a defining phase where targeted investment can accelerate broad-based economic opportunity.
An interactive Q&A session followed, enabling stakeholders to directly address financing gaps, operational hurdles, and policy enablers with Bank experts. The event concluded with a series of bilateral meetings between the AfDB team and multiple companies and financial institutions. These discussions advanced potential partnerships and project pipelines, particularly in areas aligned with Zambia’s growth agenda.
The Bank’s interventions are expected to enhance access to capital, stimulate entrepreneurship, and drive sustainable industrialisation in Zambia. This approach reflects AfDB’s broader continental strategy of leveraging financial innovation to unlock private sector potential while supporting infrastructure modernisation and rural development.
Strategic significance lies in the Bank’s move to align investment tools with Zambia’s national development goals, offering a coherent model for sustainable growth that bridges public ambitions with private capital mobilisation. If successfully implemented, these measures could significantly boost Zambia’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
ESG BROADCAST will continue monitoring the updates related to this topic. Stay tuned to be updated on the related policy and pivotal regulatory shift.
