Investment incentives
The Zambia Development Act of 2006 offers a wide range of incentives in the form of allowances,
exemptions and concessions for companies. The Act provides for investment thresholds that investors
have to meet to qualify for fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.
There are five categories of investors who can be considered under the ZDA Act.
The first is that of investors who invest not less than US $ 10 million in an identified sector or product.
This category of investors is entitled to negotiation with the Government for additional incentives other
than what they might already qualify for under the ZDA Act.
The second category is that of investors who invest not less than US $ 500,000 in Multi- Facility Economic Zones (MFEZ)
and/or in a sector or product provided for as a priority sector or product under the ZDA Act. This category,
in addition to being entitled to the general incentives, is entitled to the following:
- 0 % tax rate on dividends for 5 years from year of first declaration of dividends;
- 0 % tax on profits for 5 years from the first year profits are made; for year 6 to 8,
only 50 % of the profits are taxable, while 75 % of profits are taxable for year 9 and 10;
- 0 % import duty rate on raw materials, capital goods, machinery,
including trucks and specialized motor vehicles, for 5 years;
- Deferment of Value Added Tax (VAT) on machinery and equipment including trucks
and specialized motor vehicles.
The third category of investors relates to investors who are designated as micro or small enterprises under the ZDA Act.
Like the second category, this category is also, in addition to the applicable general incentives, entitled to the following incentives:
- For an enterprise in an urban area, the income shall be exempt from tax for the first 3 years;
- For an enterprise in a rural area, the income shall be exempt from tax for the first 5 years.
The fourth category is that of investors who invest less than US $ 500,000 in a sector or product
not provided for as a priority sector or product under the Act. This category is only entitled to general incentives.
The fifth and last category is that of investors who invest any amount in a sector or product not provided for as
a priority sector or product under the Act. This category of investors is also only entitled to
general incentives provided under the various pieces of legislation.
General incentives are incentives available to investors investing in various sectors of the economy.
These incentives are provided for under the pieces of legislation falling under the
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), namely, the Customs
and Excise Act; Income Tax Act and Value Added Tax (VAT) Act.