Zambia reviews costs and procedures of Doing Business

The World Bank ranked Zambia at the 90th position among 183 economies in the world where it is easy or difficult to do business. This has pushed the Zambian government to reform because it wants to improve its rankings.

It takes a company or individual who wants to construct a ware house or head office facility for their business in Zambia 17 procedures and 254 days almost an entire year to obtain a construction permit. The head of the country’s private contractors association said the process was too long for investors coming to the country and was making them go out of business. The Minister of Zambia’s Ministry of Works and Constructions said a new legislation has been drafted to reduce the procedures and time to get construction permit. The Works Minister said the current regulations are hurting to the economy and all would be done to have parliament approved the new draft regulations.

The annual World Doing Business Survey said it takes an entrepreneur an average of 18 days and six procedures to start a business in Zambia. It costs about 28.4per cent of gross national income to register business.

Government takes step

However, the brochure issued by the Patents and Companies registration office says an individual business must pay eighty thousand Kwacha (US20.00) and research fee of 10 thousand Kwacha. A corporate entity is to pay 105 thousand Kwacha initial registration fee. The brochure however did not state the number of days and the actual number of procedures one has to follow before registering a business.

However, Mrs. Bobo said government wants to reduce the procedures and cut down the cost of registering a business in Zambia. The reform effort involves both government and the private sector in all the nine steps associated with doing business in her country.

The Government of Zambia currently reviews the procedures and costs of doing business in the country. The head of the country’s registration company Mrs. Annesie Bobo said new measures to speed up registration are being put in place. Several brochures have been issued out for business people to follow the new procedures in registering. Mrs. Bobo believes it will make it easier for them to start a business.

Horatio Bobby Willie