🇿🇲Zambia
Africa's second-largest copper producer with a target of tripling output, a landlocked hub of Southern Africa and a reform-minded government. Zambia is at the centre of the copper boom.
Economic overview
Zambia is a peaceful democracy of 20 million people at the heart of Southern Africa, bordering eight countries. Its economy is dominated by copper, of which it is the continent's second-largest producer, and by the cobalt that accompanies it. The government elected in 2021 set a target of three million tonnes of copper a year by 2031, a tripling, and reopened the sector to international investors.
Major new discoveries, the revival of historic mines and the Lobito corridor, which links the Copperbelt to the Atlantic by rail, have brought back the big mining groups and international funds. UAE groups have acquired Zambian copper assets and are investing in the energy that powers them.
Beyond copper, Zambia has abundant farmland, significant hydro and solar potential, some of the world's finest emeralds and Victoria Falls for tourism. The country restructured its debt in 2023 and is regaining investor confidence.
Why invest in Zambia
Copper
A national target of three million tonnes a year, new world-class discoveries and a stabilised mining tax framework.
Stability
A peaceful democracy with regular alternation, a pro-investment government and an accessible administration.
Regional hub
Bordering eight countries, on the Lobito, Dar es Salaam, Beira and Durban corridors: Zambia is Southern Africa's logistics crossroads.
Agriculture and energy
Fertile land, abundant water, hydro and solar potential: enough to feed the region and power the mines.
Strategic sectors
Copper, cobalt, emeralds, manganese
Mining, contracting, processing and trading; Zambian emeralds sell at international auctions.
Hydro, solar
Independent producers for mines and the grid, in a country hit by droughts that reduce hydro output.
Grains, soy, livestock, sugar
Commercial farms, regional export and processing.
Corridors, rail, warehouses
Services along the corridors to Lobito, Dar es Salaam and Durban.
Lusaka, Copperbelt
Housing, offices, hospitality and warehouses.
Victoria Falls, safaris
Lodges and hotels in Livingstone and the parks.
Opportunities for UAE investors
UAE groups have acquired copper assets in Zambia. This is what we structure.
- Copper projects
Equity and offtake in advanced exploration and production projects.
- Solar for mines
Plants under contract with mining operators whose power demand is exploding.
- Commercial farming
Grains, soy and livestock for the regional market.
- Emeralds to Dubai
Trading and stone cutting.
- Tourism
Lodges and hotels at Victoria Falls.
Risks and how we manage them
Droughts reduce hydro output. Every project includes a solar solution.
The country is emerging from a restructuring. We avoid dependence on state payments.
The kwacha is volatile. We structure in dollars.
Logistics costs are high. We select the most suitable corridor for each project.
Legal framework and ties with the UAE
Investing in Zambia
- Zambia Development Agency Act: incentives and one-stop shop.
- Multi-facility economic zones with exemptions.
- Mines and Minerals Development Act.
- Investment protection agreement with the UAE.
- Recognised arbitration.
The Dubai connection
- Direct Lusaka–Dubai flights.
- UAE investment in copper.
- Zambian community in the UAE.
- Dubai as a trading hub.
Dubai as your operating base
For a UAE investor, Zambia is best worked from Dubai. The city offers the tools that are often missing on the ground: a Free Zone holding company to carry the stake, banks used to African flows, a recognised international arbitration framework, tax treaties and investment protection agreements, and regular flights to the continent. For an entrepreneur or institution from Zambia, Dubai is symmetrically the gateway to Gulf capital, commodity buyers and Asian industrial partners. ABC Consultancy sits in the middle of that bridge: we know both shores and we speak to both.
How ABC Consultancy supports you
A confidential 45-minute call to understand your objectives, ticket size, horizon and risk appetite. We tell you whether the project makes sense before going any further.
A written note that sets the perimeter: sector, deal format, partners to target, timeline, study budget and deliverables. It serves as the engagement contract.
Identification of partners, assets and institutional counterparts on the ground. Every counterparty is checked: titles, management, track record, reputation, ongoing disputes.
Meetings with authorities, partners and sites. We prepare, accompany and translate every exchange, then produce a decision-ready report.
Legal and financial set-up between Dubai and the country with our partner lawyers and auditors: holding, joint venture, shareholder agreement, commercial contracts, full due diligence.
Governance, reporting, relations with the authorities, renewal of approvals. We remain your trusted contact for as long as the transaction lives.
Who we work with
UAE funds and family offices
You want exposure to Zambia with a reliable local partner and a Dubai holding structure. We source, vet and structure.
Industrial groups and traders
You need to secure a supply chain, a plant or a commercial outlet in Zambia. We organise the mission, the approvals and the contracts.
Local institutions and companies
You represent a ministry, an agency or a company from Zambia and are looking for capital and partners in the Gulf. We prepare your file and open the doors.
Frequently asked questions
Is copper reserved for majors?
No. Contracting, services, energy, logistics and smaller deposits are accessible to mid-sized investors.
Lusaka or the Copperbelt?
Lusaka for services, real estate and administration; Kitwe, Ndola and Solwezi for mining and its ecosystem.
What is the minimum ticket to invest in Zambia with ABC Consultancy?
There is no fixed threshold: it depends on the sector and the format. An equity stake in a mining project runs into millions of dollars, whereas a trading or real estate operation can start much lower. In the first conversation we tell you honestly whether your budget allows a serious transaction.
How long does a transaction take?
Expect three to six months between the scoping note and signature for a trading or real estate operation, and nine to eighteen months for a energy project requiring approvals, in-depth due diligence and structured financing.
How is ABC Consultancy paid?
Through engagement fees set in the scoping note, possibly completed by a success fee at signing. We never take hidden remuneration from a counterparty: our only loyalty is to you.
Do I need a Dubai company to invest in Zambia?
It is not mandatory, but it is often the best solution: a Free Zone holding carries the stake, benefits from tax treaties and protection agreements, and repatriates dividends within a clear framework. We set it up with you.
A project in Zambia ?
Describe it in a few lines. We get back to you within 48 hours for a first confidential conversation.
Or directly: WhatsApp +971 545 995 343 · contact@africabusiness.club