Zambia’s $650M Lusaka–Ndola Dual Carriageway: 23.5% Complete and Set for 25 Years of Toll-Free Maintenance
Zambia’s $650M Lusaka–Ndola Dual Carriageway: 23.5% Complete and Set for 25 Years of Toll-Free Maintenance
NAPSA’s Bold Investment is Creating Jobs, Saving Billions, and Building the Future of Zambian Infrastructure
By Jessie C. Bwalya, TipsNews Zambia
Zambia’s flagship Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway project—one of the largest infrastructure developments in the nation’s history—is now 23.5% complete, with 2,311 jobs already created and a long-term maintenance plan under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The $650 million project, co-financed by the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and the Workers Compensation Fund, is being spearheaded by the Macro-Ocean Investment Consortium, a Chinese-led contractor. It will deliver not only a modern expressway connecting the capital to the Copperbelt but also a 25-year maintenance commitment, with 22 of those years at zero cost to the Zambian government.
What’s in the Pipeline?
According to the Road Development Agency (RDA), key infrastructure upgrades include:
- A 30km Kabwe Bypass to reduce inner-city congestion.
- Construction of new toll gates between Chibombo and Kabwe, and along the M6.
- Upgrades to existing toll gates at Katuba, Manyumbi, and Kafulafuta.
- A new weighbridge at Kafulafuta and improvements to Kapiri Mposhi’s weighbridge.
“Designed with two 150mm cement-stabilized subgrade layers and a 50mm asphalt layer using modified bitumen, this road will withstand high-traffic volumes and resist early degradation,” said RDA Senior Engineer Emmanuel Zulu, during a media tour.
🇿🇲 Why It Matters: Saving Money, Boosting Jobs, Building Resilience
Mark Simuuwe, UPND Media Director, emphasized the strategic leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, crediting him for slashing the original project cost from $1.2 billion to $649 million. “This is not just cost-cutting—it’s smart governance,” Simuuwe said. “We’ve moved from overpriced debt to practical investments creating local jobs and saving taxpayers money.”
The decision to source funds internally, including $300 million from NAPSA and $50 million from the Workers Compensation Fund, has helped keep financing within Zambia’s borders. This move avoids borrowing from international lenders, reduces external debt, and protects the Kwacha from currency volatility.
Learn More About Zambia’s Road Infrastructure Strategy:
What’s Next?
With the road set to transform inter-provincial trade and mobility, its benefits will ripple across agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and logistics—boosting Zambia’s GDP and strengthening the country’s regional trade competitiveness, especially with neighboring DR Congo, Tanzania, and Angola.
Public reaction has started to shift positively following the transparency around financing and reduction in cost, with local communities beginning to feel the impact through employment and improved accessibility.
Building More Than Roads—We’re Paving the Way to Economic Independence
From criticism to commendation, the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway is fast becoming a symbol of Zambia’s economic transformation, showing how innovative financing, local capacity-building, and transparent governance can deliver lasting development.
