Report

An Analytical Brief of the 2025 Social Sector Budget

Theme: Climate resilience and social equity-balancing budget priorities

Betty Chella Nalungwe, UNICEF Zambia Communication Officer, speaks with a mother and child during a visit by a UNICEF delegation including Naysán Sahba (not pictured), UNICEF Director of Global Communication and Advocacy, to the inpatient ward of Monze Mission Hospital in Southern province to see how children under 5 are treated for malnutrition. — UNICEF/UNI597093/Sampa

Highlights

The 2025 National Budget demonstrates the Government’s commitment to addressing Zambia’s current human and social development challenges, worsened by the recent drought and lingering effects of COVID-19. While social sector allocations have risen to K 73 billion, their share of the total budget has dropped from 30% in 2024 to 24% in 2025, reflecting the tough trade-ofs in managing competing national priorities.

Publication date

October 2024