UK
ZAMBIA-UK KEY FIGURES
| UK FDI Stock in Zambia (2024) | Total Trade (to Q1 2026) | UK Exports to Zambia | UK Trading Partner Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP 3.1 billion | GBP 186 million | GBP 160 million | 134th |
The stock of UK foreign direct investment in Zambia stood at GBP 3.1 billion at the end of 2024, according to the UK Department for Business and Trade, equivalent to 0.2% of total UK outward FDI, even as total bilateral trade fell 10.6% to GBP 186 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2026.
Zambia ranked as the UK’s 134th largest trading partner over that period, accounting for less than 0.1% of total UK trade, with UK exports to Zambia at GBP 160 million and UK imports from Zambia at GBP 26 million, the latter down 38.1% year on year.
Trade Statistics
Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Zambia was GBP 186 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2026, a decrease of 10.6%, or GBP 22 million, from the four quarters to the end of Q1 2025[1]. Of this total, UK exports to Zambia amounted to GBP 160 million, down 3.6%, while UK imports from Zambia amounted to GBP 26 million, down 38.1%[1]. Zambia was the UK’s 134th largest trading partner over that period, accounting for less than 0.1% of total UK trade[1].
Investment Position
At the end of 2024, the stock of UK foreign direct investment in Zambia was GBP 3.1 billion, equivalent to 0.2% of total UK outward FDI stock[1]. Over the same period, the stock of Zambian FDI in the UK was just GBP 1 million, half its 2023 level, and less than 0.1% of total UK inward FDI stock[1]. The United Kingdom was separately among the five largest source countries for Zambia’s own reported FDI liability stock in 2024, alongside Canada, the British Virgin Islands, China and the United Arab Emirates[2].
Investment Opportunities
The scale of the UK’s GBP 3.1 billion FDI stock in Zambia, against comparatively modest and declining bilateral trade flows, suggests the relationship is weighted toward long-term capital investment, likely concentrated in mining, over goods trade, an asymmetry relevant to UK businesses assessing where existing relationships already run deep, detailed further on the dedicated FDI page[1][2].
Last Update: September 2026
