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The Institute of Risk Management Zambia (IRMZA) has urged the government to avoid a blanket implementation of the proposed 24-hour economy and instead adopt a phased, data-driven and risk-informed strategy.
Institute Executive Director, Francis Ziba, said a successful transition would require phased execution, strong infrastructure investment, comprehensive risk assessments and sound governance frameworks.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, Ziba said only through such measures could the 24-hour economy move from a policy aspiration to a sustainable and resilient economic reality.
He said Cabinet’s recent decision to authorise 24-hour operations across business houses, markets and bus stations was a bold and ambitious direction aimed at boosting growth, productivity and employment.
“However, from a risk management and governance perspective, such a sweeping policy shift demands a far more cautious, evidence-based, and phased approach,” he said.
Ziba questioned whether Zambia had undertaken a comprehensive national risk assessment to support the transition, stressing the need for structured analysis before implementation.
He said this should include sector-specific risk assessments, evaluation of infrastructure readiness, alignment of regulatory frameworks and meaningful stakeholder consultations.
Without these foundations, he warned, the likelihood of policy failure, inefficiencies and unintended social and economic consequences would increase.
“A blanket implementation across all sectors fails to recognise the complexity of the economy and the varying levels of preparedness across industries, thereby exposing the country to avoidable systemic risks. A more prudent approach would be to adopt a phased pilot model,” he said.
Ziba added that Zambia could begin by testing 24-hour operations in selected sectors such as mining, manufacturing, financial services and logistics, especially in urban hubs where infrastructure was stronger. This would allow government to measure impact, identify gaps and refine regulations before a full rollout.
He cautioned that energy instability — including recurring load shedding — weak night-time transport systems and inadequate security infrastructure, such as limited CCTV coverage, street lighting and rapid-response mechanisms, undermined the feasibility of continuous operations.
Urban planning frameworks, he added, were also not yet suited to sustained night-time economic activity.
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“A 24-hour economy is therefore not merely a policy declaration; it is an infrastructure-intensive system that requires deliberate investment, planning and coordination. Global experience further underscores the complexity of implementing such a model,” Ziba said.
He noted that even advanced economies such as the United States, United Kingdom and China had not implemented fully functional 24-hour economies across all sectors, despite superior infrastructure and regulatory capacities. These countries still face challenges such as crime, worker fatigue and urban-management pressure.
“Closer to home, South Africa’s attempts to operationalise a 24-hour economy have yet to fully materialise, largely due to similar constraints in infrastructure, safety and governance coordination,” he said.
Ziba said Zambia must draw lessons from these experiences, warning that poorly managed night-time economies elsewhere had seen increased crime, informal and illicit activities, drug abuse, trafficking and tax evasion.
He also cited public-health concerns such as worker fatigue and mental stress, alongside environmental challenges like noise pollution and urban degradation.
Without a clear regulatory framework, he said, risks of worker exploitation, business non-compliance and weak enforcement would also rise.
Ziba argued that for the 24-hour economy to succeed, Zambia must develop a coherent governance framework supported by appropriate legislation, complemented by a central coordinating body or secretariat to oversee implementation.
Meanwhile, Civil society organisations have endorsed Cabinet’s decision to extend trading hours, describing it as a transformative policy with the potential to reduce poverty, create jobs, and drive inclusive economic growth across Zambia.
These are the People’s Process on Housing and Poverty in Zambia (PPHPZ), the Zambia Homeless and Poor People’s Federation (ZHPPF).
The organisations said the policy reflected government’s recognition of the need to broaden economic participation beyond traditional systems and unlock productivity across all sectors.
PPHPZ Communications and Advocacy Officer, Shikanda Kawanga, noted that Zambia continues to grapple with deep structural challenges, with more than 60 percent of the population—about 11.7 million people—living below the poverty line.
In a statement issued on Monday, Kawanga said that while the country has experienced periods of economic growth, the impact on poverty reduction has remained limited.
She attributed this to the concentration of employment in low-productivity sectors and persistent inequalities in access to opportunities, land, housing, and essential services.
She added that rapid urbanisation has worsened conditions for many, particularly those in informal settlements who face inadequate housing, insecure land tenure, and limited access to water, sanitation, and energy.
Kawanga further highlighted that Zambia’s labour market is largely informal, with an estimated 75 to 80 percent of workers engaged in informal employment.
As a result, many citizens depend on unstable and low-income activities, often without access to formal financial systems, social protection, or structured markets.
She also pointed out that the country has more than 1.5 million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), around 95 percent of which operate informally, forming a critical source of livelihoods in both urban and rural areas.
Against this backdrop, Kawanga said the 24-hour working framework presents a strategic opportunity to expand economic activity, boost productivity, and create income-generating opportunities—particularly for informal workers, as well as youth- and women-led enterprises that are often excluded from formal systems.
She noted that the policy could stimulate local economies, improve market access, and strengthen the sustainability of small businesses and community-based enterprises.
It also holds promise for the agricultural sector, which employs a large portion of the population but continues to face low productivity, limited mechanisation, and vulnerability to climate change.
Kawanga explained that erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts have exposed the weaknesses of rain-fed agriculture, especially for smallholder farmers.
She said a 24-hour economy could support a shift toward more resilient systems through irrigation, improved water management, and climate-smart practices.
For urban poor communities, particularly those in informal settlements, the policy could offer significant benefits.
Increased and more flexible income opportunities, she said, would enable households to improve living conditions, invest in better housing, and access essential services while building resilience to economic shocks.
However, Kawanga cautioned that these benefits will only be realised if the policy is implemented in a way that is inclusive and responsive to the needs of low-income communities.
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