Driving National Development Through Private Sector Innovation - By Luyando Mooya

Summary

The Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) hosted the 4th Private Sector Day on 12th December 2025 under the theme of driving national development and economic resilience through innovative private sector solutions. Graced by President Hakainde Hichilema, the event highlighted the private sector’s critical role in supporting government reforms, job creation, and sustained economic growth.

The President reaffirmed government’s commitment to creating an enabling business environment, calling for a shift from consumption to production and announcing the gazetting of Private Sector Day as an official national observance. Through stories of impact from companies such as Meraki and Ignite Energy, the forum demonstrated how reforms are enabling entrepreneurship, value addition, rural electrification, and inclusive development.

With over 120 reforms achieved since 2022, the PPDF has delivered tangible results across key sectors including tourism, mining, ICT, energy, and capital markets. The event underscored the power of public-private collaboration in strengthening economic resilience, positioning Zambia as a regional benchmark for reform-driven growth, and advancing inclusive and sustainable national development.

The Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) hosted the 4th Private Sector Day (PSD) on 12th December 2025 under the theme: “Driving National Development and Building Economic Resilience: Innovative Private Sector Solutions for Job Creation and Sustained Economic Growth.” More than a ceremonial gathering, the event that was graced by the Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema was a strategic milestone, showcasing how Zambia’s private sector is responding to government reforms and contributing to the nation’s transformation.

Key Highlights of the Event

The day began with a vibrant networking breakfast at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, where delegates exchanged laughter and stories while reconnecting with familiar faces. The event drew a wide range of stakeholders: senior government officials, Mozambique’s Minister of Economy, private sector leaders, civil society organizations, and international development partners.

Presidential Endorsement

In his keynote address, President Hakainde Hichilema underscored the vital role of the private sector in Zambia’s economic transformation. He urged government officers to shift from being controllers to facilitators, creating an environment where businesses can thrive.

The President called for a mindset shift from consumption to production, stressing the importance of dialogue and constructive grievance expression. He highlighted the PPDF’s role in attracting significant investments, particularly in the mining sector. He cited Barrick Lumwana and First Quantum Minerals as examples of companies expanding operations and creating jobs due to the PPDF.

To institutionalize the importance of this day, the President directed the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr. Patrick Kangwa, to gazette Private Sector Day as an official national observance dedicated to networking, collaboration, and business development.

And in his welcoming remarks, PPDF Director General Mr. Andrew Chipwende, thanked the President for setting aside this day as a platform for government and businesses to review progress and set reform priorities. He noted that the Private Sector Day bridges the gap between government and the private sector, urging businesses to use the forum to present challenges and propose solutions for building a better Zambia.

Stories of Impact: Meraki and Ignite Energy

The Meraki Story

The Meraki Story is a powerful testament of how government reforms and platforms like the PPDF and PSD are shaping Zambia’s entrepreneurial landscape. Born from a childhood passion for food, Meraki has grown into a proudly Zambian confectionery, restaurant, catering, and FMCG brand employing 92 people—most of them youth and women while supporting over 100 local businesses in its ecosystem.

Through the PPDF and PSD, Meraki has benefited from reforms in infrastructure, tax systems, and investment licensing, which make it easier for them to expand their operations, access government contracts, and tap into incentives such as the Zambia Credit Guarantee Scheme. The interactions have created an enabling environment where SMEs like Meraki can still thrive despite challenges of high costs, power shortages, and limited access to affordable finance.

At the heart of Meraki’s story is resilience and a mindset shift from consumption to value addition, reaffirming the President’s call for Zambians to invest in production. With reforms opening doors, Meraki is scaling into value added agriculture, processing vegetables for ShopRite, and creating opportunities for small scale farmers. This expansion strengthens the local supply chains, reduces imports, and positions Zambia to compete regionally with frozen and organic products.

The Ignite Energy Story

The Ignite Energy Story illustrates how reforms are transforming lives through innovation in rural electrification. Ms. Helen Zulu, Managing Director of Ignite Energy, shared how the company has erected 31 mini grids across Zambia, supplying electricity to over 30 rural health centers and schools that had gone decades without power. The impact is profound: communities are now extending school hours, health centers are operating more effectively, while households are gaining access to modern energy solutions.

Ms. Zulu indicated that recent policy reforms, particularly the deregulation of mini-grids up to five megawatts, simplified licensing and reduced barriers for new entrants. This has encouraged more private players to join the government’s ambitious agenda of electrifying the majority of Zambians by 2031.

Ignite’s model emphasizes sustainability by pairing mini grids with productive use of energy. Partnerships with asset financiers allow villagers to access equipment such as maize de-hullers, pumps, and shellers on pay-as-you-go terms, while smart meters ensure efficient usage. Training programs help communities mechanize agriculture, and irrigation systems enable year-round farming. By linking farmers to off-takers for crops like sunflower and maize, Ignite is building strong rural value chains that generates income and resilience even in times of drought.

Ms. Zulu concluded that with the right reforms, partnerships, and innovations, Zambia can achieve inclusive electrification, empower rural communities, and strengthen the nation’s economic foundation. Ignite’s story demonstrates that energy reforms are not just about power, they are about transforming lives, livelihoods, and communities.

Technical Working Groups (TWGs)

Over the past year, 39 reforms have been enacted, unlocking growth in mining, agriculture, finance, digital infrastructure, and manufacturing, each contributing to job creation. To strengthen dialogue, three additional technical working groups were formed: the Gender and Women Technical Working Group, the Health Technical Working Group, and the Media Technical Working Group.

The Media TWG, co-chaired by Costa Mwansa, President of MOAZ, was elevated from a sub-group under Health to a standalone entity in recognition of the media’s potential as a business sector. In his address, Mr Mwansa thanked the PPDF and government for acknowledging their role, stressing that the media can drive job creation and absorb youths into the labor market.

He noted that while the media in Zambia has long been viewed mainly as an information tool, in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya it significantly contributes to the GDP. The group is now working on the statutory instruments to promote local content which include proposals for tourism advertisements featuring Zambian faces and backdrop - positioning the media as a growth industry within the private sector.

Anchor Sponsor Address

Zambia Sugar, the anchor sponsors of the event, reaffirmed their commitment to private sector–led national development. In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Oswald Magwenzi highlighted ongoing investments worth US$132 million, including projects to expand production and power generation capacity.

By sponsoring the event, Zambia Sugar demonstrated how agribusiness can drive resilience, job creation, and sustained growth. He noted that recent government reforms have created a more conducive environment for business, aligning perfectly with the event’s theme of innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth.

Impact and Future Outlook

International Finance Corporation Senior Operations Manager Mr. Peter Nuamah commended President Hichilema’s leadership in establishing the PPDF, noting that it has become a regional model being emulated by countries such as Mozambique, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, and Ethiopia.

Since its inception in April 2022, the forum has achieved over 120 reforms, with 54 incorporated into the national budget between 2023 and 2026.

Key impacts include:
Tourism: Visa waivers and increased marketing boosted visitors from 1.3 million in 2022 to an estimated 3 million in 2025, generating $700 million in revenue.
Mining: Fiscal reforms made royalties deductible, preventing double taxation. New legislation improved licensing, geological surveys, and promoted local content.
ICT: Reforms reduced communication costs, expanded access, and made ICT the largest contributor to GDP in 2024 at 17.4%. Stronger cyber security laws raised Zambia’s index from 60 to 92%.
Capital Markets: Approval of the Capital Market Master Plan enabled Zambia’s first oversubscribed $200 million green bond indicating investor confidence.

Mr. Nuamah concluded that Zambia’s PPDF is not a “talk shop” but a results-driven platform that has made the country a benchmark across Africa.

Conclusion

The 4th Private Sector Day underscored the critical role of public-private partnerships in Zambia’s development journey. As the President noted in his closing remarks, “Processes are only of value when they lead to deliverance.” This day was proof that dialogue, reforms, and partnerships are delivering.

By aligning private sector innovation with government reforms, the event demonstrated how collaboration can enhance economic diversification, strengthen resilience against global shocks, and promote sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity.

Looking ahead, the gazetting of Private Sector Day will institutionalize this dialogue, ensuring that the private sector remains at the forefront of Zambia’s economic transformation agenda. The message is timeless: when government and businesses work together, Zambia moves forward resilient, inclusive, and ready to thrive.