Zambia’s state investment agency wants investors to pledge US$5 billion at a three-day conference in Lusaka, the capital, from Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 December 2026. That is about 47% more than the US$3.4 billion the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) recorded at the first Invest-Zambia International Conference (IZIC) in 2025.
Key Facts
•What. The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) wants US$5 billion in investment commitments at its second investor conference.
•When. Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 December 2026 in Lusaka, moved from 15 to 17 July.
•Baseline. ZDA recorded US$3.4 billion in commitments at the first conference in 2025.
•Scale. ZDA targets 2,500 delegates, 1,000 of them from abroad, and 100 exhibitors.
•Sectors. Agriculture, mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing.
The target is a goal for pledges, not money already invested, and the conference has already slipped once from July to December.
In Plain English
ZDA is the Zambian government agency that promotes investment and hosts the conference. A commitment is a pledge announced at the event, not a payment, and it only becomes investment when a project is financed and built.
What Zambia Is Asking For
ZDA Director General Albert Halwampa announced the US$5 billion target when the agency launched the second edition on 27 January 2026. The conference page run by ZDA lists the same goal as US$5 billion in committed investments.
The agency sets other targets too: 2,500 delegates, of whom 1,000 would come from abroad and 1,500 from Zambia, plus 100 local and international exhibitors. It also lists eight new export market links for Zambian products as a goal.
Why the Date Moved
ZDA first set the conference for 15 to 17 July 2026. In a notice dated 23 April 2026 it announced a postponement to 9 to 11 December and said confirmed delegate registrations stay valid.
ZDA calls the change a strategic decision taken after consultations with stakeholders and partners. It says the later dates allow broader international participation and a better fit with investment commitments.
Which Sectors Are on the Table
ZDA names five focus areas: agriculture, mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing. Its examples include value addition to copper and critical minerals, the metals and minerals used in modern energy and electronics, and renewable energy projects.
Value addition means processing minerals inside Zambia rather than exporting them raw. Readers in the United States who follow copper and critical minerals supply chains will find the mining focus most relevant.
Why It Matters for Investors
The US$5 billion figure is the host’s own goal, and it sits 47% above the US$3.4 billion ZDA recorded in 2025 (US$5 billion divided by US$3.4 billion). A bigger pledge total is easier to announce than to deliver, because each pledge still needs financing, permits and construction.
We found no current official statistic that sets the target against Zambia’s annual investment, so we compare it only with last year’s conference result. In the ZDA pages we read, the agency names no investors and no specific deals.
What to Watch Next
Watch for the final conference programme and any list of confirmed investors before Wednesday 9 December. After the closing day on Friday 11 December, the total ZDA announces will show whether the US$5 billion goal was met.
What Is Not Known
ZDA has not said which investors or projects make up the US$5 billion, or how it counts a commitment. Its pages name past success stories but no investor committed for 2026.
The 2025 total of US$3.4 billion comes from ZDA’s own launch article, and we found no independent audit of it. Treat both figures as the agency’s own.
More Zambia Coverage
The economic backdrop is in our reports on Zambia’s credit rating upgrade, the 2027 budget tax proposals and the plan for a gold tax cut for small miners. Our explainer on who holds power in Zambia and the Zambia news page add context.
Sources: Zambia Development Agency, Invest-Zambia International Conference page; ZDA, launch of the second edition, 27 January 2026; ZDA, postponement notice, 23 April 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Invest-Zambia International Conference 2026?
It runs from Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 December 2026 in Lusaka. ZDA moved it from 15 to 17 July in a notice dated 23 April 2026.
How much does Zambia want to raise at IZIC 2026?
ZDA is aiming for US$5 billion in investment commitments. The first edition in 2025 recorded US$3.4 billion, according to ZDA.
Is the US$5 billion already invested?
No, it is a target for pledges to be announced at the conference. A pledge becomes investment only when a project is financed and built.
Which sectors does the conference cover?
ZDA lists agriculture, mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing. In mining it points to adding value to copper and critical minerals.