Finance Minister Urges Youth to Stay Focused and Embrace Opportunities
Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, has called on Zambia’s young people to remain focused, disciplined and committed to personal growth as the country continues to implement wide-ranging economic reforms.
In a detailed message addressing students, young professionals and youth entrepreneurs, Dr Musokotwane encouraged young people in universities, colleges, TEVETA centres, nursing schools, agricultural institutions and online programmes to stay curious and trust their individual journeys.
Citing Steve Jobs’ renowned 2005 Stanford Commencement Address, he emphasised that the knowledge and experiences gained today will help the youth “connect the dots” in future.
Reflecting on Zambia’s economic trajectory, the Minister outlined the challenges the nation faced when the new dawn administration took office in 2021, including rising prices, weakened public finances, industrial decline and strained social services. He said the Government has since worked to restore order by strengthening public financial management, reducing wasteful expenditure and reinforcing transparency.
Dr Musokotwane highlighted key progress made between 2021 and 2025, including reduced inflationary pressures, improved predictability for families and businesses, and renewed investor confidence following successful debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.
He noted that Zambia’s improved credit rating and restored fiscal space have paved the way for greater investment in education, health and job creation.
The Minister also pointed to growth across mining, agriculture, manufacturing and energy—sectors he said are opening new opportunities for youth employment, entrepreneurship and skills development.
In social sectors, he cited the recruitment of over 50,000 teachers and more than 20,000 health workers, as well as expanded student loans and improved medical supply systems.
Dr Musokotwane underscored the significant expansion of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which has increased from K1.6 million in 2021 to over K40 million per constituency in 2026, supporting youth skills training, bursaries, cooperatives, small businesses and community infrastructure.
However, he acknowledged that families continue to face pressure from climate shocks, global oil price fluctuations, electricity challenges and drought-related food price increases.
He urged young people to adopt practical resilience strategies such as establishing food gardens, forming savings groups, starting low-cost businesses, joining cooperatives and learning market-ready technical skills.
Looking ahead, the Minister outlined extensive youth empowerment measures included in the 2026 National Budget. These involve maintaining the 60% public procurement reservation for youth-owned companies, allocating more than K500 million through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), expanding value chain clusters, supporting Smart Village resettlement programmes and strengthening gender-responsive initiatives.
In his concluding remarks, Dr Musokotwane appealed to the youth to remain committed to education, skills development and community service, stressing that Zambia’s future prosperity depends significantly on their contribution.
“When the youth rise and stay focused, the nation rises and prospers,” he stated, encouraging young people to shun delinquency and seize the opportunities available to them.
