Zambia Targets Fertiliser Self-Sufficiency by 2026

Zambia is orchestrating a decisive shift in its agricultural landscape, moving from a vulnerable importer to a regional powerhouse in fertilizer production.

Following the supply chain shocks of 2022, a strategic partnership between the Zambian government and the African Development Fund (ADF) has catalysed a six-fold increase in domestic production capacity, placing the nation on a trajectory to achieve total fertiliser self-sufficiency by the close of 2026.

The transformation centres on the revitalisation of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ), the state-owned producer that had previously been sidelined by antiquated equipment and a restricted output of just 70,000 metric tonnes annually.

Supported by a strategic $14.73 million financing package through the Zambia Emergency Food Production Facility, NCZ has commissioned a new blending and granulating plant, effectively elevating its annual capacity to 432,880 metric tonnes. This industrial surge, bolstered by additional private sector entries, is expected to slash local fertiliser prices by as much as 40%.

“The support from the African Development Fund has come just at the right time,” noted Chanda M. Mongo, CEO of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia, in a media statement reflecting on the project’s impact. “This backing has made possible the commissioning of our new state-of-the-art blending and granulating plant. This is a transformational investment for our nation… it is more than just a number; this is greater reach, greater impact, and greater hope for our farmers.”

The initiative has successfully integrated a comprehensive “ecosystem approach,” extending beyond the factory floor to the fields of over 25,000 smallholder farmers. By equipping the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute with advanced soil-testing tools and providing extension officers with motorbikes and digital tablets, the project has pioneered precision farming.

This data-driven strategy ensures that customised fertiliser blends are matched to specific soil profiles, a move that has already helped increase maize production to 3.7 million metric tonnes—generating a substantial 1.2 million tonne surplus for export to regional neighbours.

Beyond production volumes, the facility has unlocked vital credit lines through a Sustainable Agriculture Finance Facility, which scaled from a $5.6 million pilot to a $30 million national program.

This financial bridge has enabled farmers to invest in climate-smart infrastructure, such as solar-powered drip irrigation, further insulating the sector against environmental volatility. As Zambia transitions into a net exporter, the model is being hailed as a blueprint for how strategic development financing can decouple African food security from global geopolitical instability.