Government Reveals Budget Plan for 2026–2028

The Government has announced the Medium Term Budget Plan for 2026 to 2028, which highlights important economic goals focused on diversification, creating jobs, and sustainable development.

As stated in the Green Paper from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia’s economy is expected to grow by an average of 6 percent over the next three years.

The main contributions to this growth are anticipated to come from the agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and energy sectors.

The Green Paper also mentions that this growth will be supported by more private sector investments, better electricity supply, improved infrastructure, and a stronger policy and regulatory framework.

In agriculture, the government expects a strong recovery, with maize production projected to more than double to over 3.6 million metric tonnes in the 2024/2025 season.

The e-voucher system under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) will be implemented nationwide in the 2025/2026 season to improve access to inputs, encourage crop diversification, and enhance transparency.

To support livestock and fisheries, the Government plans to set up livestock service and insemination centers, make regional veterinary labs operational, and boost fish production through aquaculture parks and breeding centers.

The document indicates that the mining sector is expected to continue growing positively due to investments and ongoing reforms.

Additionally, the Government has introduced the Zambia Integrated Mining Information System (ZIMIS) to enhance licensing and monitoring.

New laws have also been enacted to improve transparency and accountability in the mining sector.

Moreover, the document states that efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining are in progress, with gold marketing centers being built in Mumbwa and Rufunsa.

On the economic side, the Government aims to increase domestic revenue to at least 22.8 percent of GDP by 2028 and keep inflation between 7 and 9 percent.