Understanding Zambia’s Public-Private Partnership Framework After the 2023 Amendments

Key Features of the Public-Private Partnership Act and What They Mean for Investors As Zambia continues to confront infrastructure financing challenges amid fiscal constraints and debt restructuring efforts, Public-Private Partnerships (“PPPs”) are increasingly becoming central to the country’s economic development strategy. Infrastructure development in energy, transport, water, housing, telecommunications, and logistics requires substantial long-term capital investment that government alone may not be able to finance through conventional public expenditure and sovereign borrowing. Against this backdrop, Zambia’s Public-Private Partnership Act, as amended by the Public-Private Partnership (Amendment) Act No. 18 of 2023, represents a significant legal and institutional framework aimed at attracting private...