Zambia faces a pressing skills gap as its youthful population prepares to enter the labour market, and policymakers say the window to act is closing.
Young Workers, Large Numbers Without Work
According to Zambia’s 2022 Labour Force Survey, more than 3.3 million people aged 15 to 35 are not in employment, education or training. That figure represents a sizable share of the nation’s under‑25 demographic, which makes up roughly two‑thirds of the total population.
These numbers are not a temporary blip; they point to a deeper mismatch between education, skill acquisition and economic demand. While younger Zambians are more educated than previous generations, many still struggle to secure jobs that match their qualifications.
Digital financial services, agricultural technology, logistics platforms and e‑commerce are reshaping how businesses operate. A farmer, accountant, logistics officer, public servant or entrepreneur now routinely works with digital tools. Yet the country’s education and training systems have not kept pace.
Digital Literacy and Practical Skills Lag Behind
The World Bank’s assessment of skills development highlights significant challenges in aligning training with employment. Zambia’s own National Digital Transformation Strategy (2023–2027) lists digital literacy as a core pillar, acknowledging the economy’s increasing reliance on digital processes.
Connectivity has improved. Active internet subscriptions reached roughly 13 million in 2024, but only about a third of Zambians are active internet users. A 2020 FinScope survey found that just 23.6 percent of adults are financially literate, dropping to 16.2 percent among women.
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Employers across sectors now expect basic digital competencies: handling mobile money records, using spreadsheets, operating cloud‑based farm‑management platforms, marketing through social media, and recognising simple cybersecurity risks. These are not specialist ICT skills but baseline requirements for many roles.
Too many graduates leave institutions with credentials but limited exposure to these tools. When businesses adopt new technologies, they look for workers who can use them. If such skills are scarce, companies may delay expansion, automate functions or hire fewer staff, shifting the cost onto young Zambians.
Technical and vocational education (TVET) has been undervalued compared with university pathways. Yet a well‑trained technical graduate can be more ready for the labour market than a university graduate whose study has little relevance to current economic needs.
From a broader view, Zambia’s situation mirrors trends across Sub‑Saharan Africa. The International Finance Corporation and the World Bank estimate that by 2030, 20‑25 percent of jobs in Mozambique and up to 55 percent in Kenya will require some level of digital skill. Most of that demand is for foundational, not advanced, capabilities.
In that context, Zambia’s challenge is not unique, but the country cannot rely on regional patterns alone. It must develop a tailored national labour‑market skills audit, align curricula with real‑world demand, and strengthen partnerships between businesses and educators.
Private Sector and Policy Steps Needed
Businesses cannot stay on the sidelines. Companies like Hitachi have already implemented work‑based learning schemes that place young Zambians in structured apprenticeships linked to TEVET’s framework. Such employer‑led training demonstrates feasibility, yet participation remains limited and uncoordinated at a national level.
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For training programmes to be effective, employers should be involved from the design stage, offering apprenticeships and sharing clear information about evolving skill needs. Government can facilitate this by removing barriers and creating an environment conducive to such collaborations.
However, skills development alone will not generate jobs if the broader economy cannot expand. Zambia must also improve the business climate, making it easier for enterprises—especially small and medium‑sized firms—to start, invest, grow and hire.
Rural‑urban disparities and gender gaps add further complexity. Women and girls face lower device ownership and financial‑literacy rates, while rural youths often lack digital infrastructure and training opportunities. Programs similar to Kenya’s Ajira Digital Initiative or the African Development Bank’s Coding for Employment have shown that targeted, large‑scale digital skilling can reach underserved populations.
Expanding training to community‑based centers and deliberately increasing participation of young women are essential steps.
Youth unemployment remains high.
In short, the children who will form Zambia’s workforce in the next decade are in school today. What they learn now, the investments made in technical education, the apprenticeships businesses create and the reforms government pursues will determine whether they enter an economy ready to use their talents.
