The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has issued an investor license to China Zambia Petrochemical Energy Co. Ltd. (CZPC) to build a major crude oil refinery and integrated energy complex in Ndola, a move aimed at reducing the country’s heavy reliance on imported refined petroleum products.
The ZDA announced that the first licensed phase of the project is valued at US$510.49 million, while the full complex is expected to reach a total investment of US$1.1 billion. The license provides fiscal incentives, including exemptions from duties on imported capital equipment, allowing construction to start immediately at the Sub-Saharan Gemstone Exchange Industrial Park.
The project is being carried out through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) called China Zambia Petrochemical Corporation (CZPC), created through a partnership between Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and China’s Fujian Xiang Xin Holding Corporation after signing a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2025.
When fully operational, the refinery will process around 3 million tonnes of crude oil per year, approximately 60,000 barrels per day. This will cover Zambia’s domestic demand entirely and allow exports to neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. The complex will also include LPG bottling, bitumen production, lubricant blending, and a 130 MW power plant, with 100 MW supplying the national grid.
ZDA Director General Albert Halwampa praised the investment, saying it demonstrates growing confidence in Zambia’s economic reforms and supports high-impact projects that drive industrialization and job creation. The first licensed phase is expected to create 454 permanent jobs, while the full project could generate up to 2,500 temporary jobs during construction and more than 600 direct permanent jobs, along with thousands of indirect roles across the supply chain.
source: www.ecofinagency.com
African Energy Council