Reflecting on my recent trip to Zambia in 2025, as always, I was greeted by a warm climate and an even warmer reception. This year, I timed my visit to coincide with St. Patrick's Day, allowing me to partake in two wonderful celebrations in Lusaka, neither of which actually occurred on March 17th!!
The first celebration was an incredible evening filled with food, dancing, and music which took place outside of Lusaka at Leopard’s Hill. Qatar Airways generously flew in a fantastic Irish band for the event, making the night extra special. The second event took place on the 18th of March, hosted by the Irish Embassy. It was a formal St. Patrick's Day evening with wonderful company, great speeches from Ireland’s ambassador to Zambia Ambassador Bronagh Carr as well as Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Hon. Chipoka Mulenga MP. It was terrific to meet many Irish expatriates, as well as local Zambian officials and businesspeople.
The primary purpose of my visit, however, was to reconnect with my friend and colleague Ahmad Hamwi to engage with a new group of entrepreneurs for the 2025 G4Z grant application process. The series of meetings was fruitful, and we identified several promising companies to support in the upcoming year. With 400 applications pouring in, it was both a challenging and rewarding task to evaluate them. Applications came from various sectors, including tourism in Livingstone and enterprises across all provinces.
The submissions skewed toward two main areas: food and agriculture, and waste management. We hope to support initiatives in these sectors and possibly include some digital ventures as well.
It seems that Zambia is emerging from its drought phase, and load-shedding appears to be less of a concern compared to my last visit in October 2024. The improved rains have led to discussions about potential flooding risks, but overall, the electrical supply seems more stable. This stability is vital for giving entrepreneurs the best chance of success.
During my trip, I had the opportunity to deliver a short talk at the Kectil Centre. I used one of my favorite analogies—the dartboard—to illustrate focus and resilience. The audience, as always, was attentive, supportive, and engaged, making it a pleasure to speak. We handed out prizes for our Celebrating Zambia photography award. We will be sure to run this again next year!
I also connected with local media, participating in a 30-minute discussion on Capital FM with the wonderful reporter Towela.
We covered the challenges of entrepreneurship and a range of other topics. You can find a recording of the interview here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ADhRTuMHu/?mibextid=wwXIfr
This visit marks three years since I began traveling directly to Zambia for Growth of Zambia, and ten years since I started working with Zambia through Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA). There is a palpable sense of frustration among locals regarding inflation, unemployment, and the slower-than-hoped-for progress. A significant recent development was USAID's withdrawal from Zambia. While the full impact of this has yet to be felt, it was heartening to see the resilience and determination of the people I spoke with. Many expressed a desire to stand on their own and reclaim their agency. I applaud this attitude and hope that some of the essential services previously provided by USAID can continue in some form.
Prospero's budget cuts also mean its ability to impact Zambian enterprises is somewhat diminished. With international aid agencies scaling back, the focus now shifts to fostering entrepreneurship and creating futures and possibilities together.
I also had conversations with financial services professionals who explained the complexities of the bank lending process. The levels of risk banks face contribute to the startlingly high interest rates—between 30% and 50% they charge. It’s striking how many companies would benefit more from bridging loans than from the grants we provide. In places like England or Ireland, this is the norm—businesses with a viable plan would secure short-term loans to get up and running. Unfortunately, Zambia’s SME sector lacks the financial services infrastructure to support this model.
On a brighter note, many of the food-sector companies I spoke with are increasingly focused on exports to the Congo, South Africa, Malawi, and even Japan. Exporting is a promising area with significant financial potential. It would be wonderful if the ZDA could sponsor food companies to represent themselves at international events, rather than relying on ministers or officials who may lack the expertise to advocate effectively on their behalf.
I returned home with a wealth of new memories, new friends, and a collection of grant applications to review with Ahmed. Over the next six weeks, we aim to dispense grants and make a modest contribution to the future of this incredible country, Zambia.
This is remarkable and I(we) can most definitely see the impact and improvements Growth4Zambia is contributing to Zambia's well being, be it knowledge or other ways of empowerment, we are happy to have such a wonderful organisation running in our country.