Zambia’s Creative Economy: Winning the Long War

Across Africa, the creative economy is becoming one of the most strategic sectors for national growth. Countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya have managed to position their creative industries as economic drivers capable of generating employment, attracting foreign investment, promoting tourism, and shaping cultural influence beyond their borders.

Meanwhile, Zambia remains relatively invisible in the continental creative economy conversation. Not because Zambia lacks talent. Not because Zambia lacks stories. And certainly not because Zambia lacks creativity. The challenge is structural.

Zambia’s creative sector is still operating without the institutional backbone required for long-term growth. In many cases, creatives are expected to survive on passion alone in an industry that requires financing, policy support, regulation, infrastructure, and market systems.

Yet, Zambia’s current position should not be mistaken for failure. In fact, it may present the country with a strategic advantage — the opportunity to build carefully, deliberately, and sustainably.

The US–China AI Race: A Lesson for Zambia

One of the most important global lessons today comes from the technological and economic competition between the United States and China, particularly in the race around artificial intelligence.

For years, the United States appeared dominant through visibility, innovation branding, and technological influence. China, on the other hand, was often viewed as the slower competitor. But while the world focused on headlines, China was quietly building long-term systems: investing in infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, education, research institutions, financing models, and national industrial strategies.

What appeared to be a slow approach was actually strategic patience.

Today, China is competing at the highest level globally because it focused less on short-term applause and more on foundational systems.

This is where Zambia can draw an important lesson.

Zambia does not need to immediately compete with Nigeria’s population size, South Africa’s industrial maturity, or Kenya’s digital ecosystem. Trying to imitate those countries overnight would be unrealistic. Instead, Zambia must focus on building structures that can sustain the creative economy for decades.

This is not a sprint. It is a long war.

And long wars are not won through noise. They are won through systems.

Zambia’s Creative Sector Has Talent — But No Engine

When people discuss creative economies, they often focus on celebrities, hit songs, films, or viral content. But successful creative industries are not built by talent alone. They are built by systems that support talent.

A vehicle cannot move without fuel.

A human body cannot survive without blood.

Likewise, a creative economy cannot thrive without funding and institutional support.

This is Zambia’s biggest challenge.

Many creatives struggle not because they are untalented, but because there are no accessible funding structures, no coordinated industry development mechanisms, and limited government-backed institutional frameworks.

The result is that creatives are left to individually fight battles that should be addressed collectively through policy and national planning.

Why Zambia Needs a Film Commission

One of the most critical structures Zambia must establish is a national film commission.

A film commission is not merely an office for filmmakers. It becomes the nucleus of the entire creative ecosystem.

Once established properly, several key institutions and systems can emerge from it:

• Funding frameworks for filmmakers and creatives

• Industry regulation and certification systems

• National film development strategies

• International co-production opportunities

• Training and skills development programs

• Data collection and industry research

• Incentives for local and foreign productions

• Intellectual property protection systems

• Distribution and export support structures

At the moment, much of this responsibility falls on associations such as National Association of Media Arts (NAMA). While these associations play an important role, the mandate is simply too enormous without adequate funding and institutional authority.

The media and creative landscape is evolving rapidly. Streaming platforms, digital content creation, artificial intelligence, short-form video, and global distribution systems are transforming how creative industries operate. Associations alone cannot regulate, fund, certify, develop, and protect the industry simultaneously without structured government support.

A properly empowered film commission would allow industry associations to focus on representation and advocacy, while national structures handle regulation, funding, certification, and strategic development.

The Importance of Regulation and Certification

One of the overlooked challenges in Zambia’s creative space is the increasing amount of uncensored and unregulated content entering the market.

As digital platforms continue to grow, there is an urgent need for a professional certification and regulatory framework that protects both audiences and creators while maintaining creative freedom responsibly.

This does not mean censorship for the sake of control. It means creating standards, classifications, ethical guidelines, and industry accountability.

Countries with thriving creative economies understand this balance. Regulation, when implemented professionally, creates trust, market confidence, and international credibility.

Without proper structures, the industry risks becoming fragmented and difficult to professionalize.

Funding Must Be Structural, Not Occasional

Perhaps the most important issue in Zambia’s creative economy is funding.

Currently, funding often appears in fragmented forms:

• Short-term grants

• Donor-funded programs

• Corporate sponsorships

• Individual goodwill initiatives

While helpful, these are not sustainable national models.

A thriving creative economy requires institutionalized financing systems.

Creatives should be able to access:

• Development funds

• Production loans

• Tax incentives

• Distribution support

• Equipment financing

• Export funding

• Creative enterprise incubation

This is how industries become economies.

The biggest mistake African countries often make is treating the creative sector as entertainment rather than infrastructure.

Yet globally, creative economies generate billions of dollars, create jobs for youth, attract tourism, shape national identity, and contribute significantly to GDP.

Zambia must begin viewing creativity not as a side activity, but as a strategic economic sector.

Zambia’s Opportunity Lies in Foundation Building

Nigeria did not build Nollywood in one day.

South Africa did not become a continental production hub overnight.

Kenya’s digital creative growth did not emerge accidentally.

These industries were built through years of investment, policy evolution, experimentation, mistakes, reforms, and institutional development.

Zambia still has an opportunity to build intelligently.

The country may not currently dominate Africa’s creative headlines, but that can change if focus shifts from visibility to infrastructure.

The future belongs to countries that prepare systems before demand explodes.

Just as China spent years quietly building the foundations that now make it globally competitive, Zambia must commit to long-term structural reform in the creative sector.

The goal is not to appear powerful today.

The goal is to become sustainable tomorrow.

Conclusion

Zambia’s creative industry stands at a defining moment.

The talent already exists. The passion already exists. The cultural richness already exists.

What is missing are the structures.

If Zambia is serious about becoming one of Africa’s leading creative economies, then the conversation must move beyond applause and into institution building:

• A functional film commission

• Sustainable funding models

• Industry regulation and certification

• Professional guild systems

• Policy support

• Training institutions

• Data collection mechanisms

• Creative financing ecosystems

  
  

This is how industries are built.

This is how economies grow.

And this is how Zambia can position itself strategically — not through short-term visibility, but through long-term foundations that will shape the future of African creativity.

Part One Ends Here.

Part Two will explore how Zambia can practically build and implement a functioning creative ecosystem, including funding models, institutional partnerships, private sector participation, and sustainable policy frameworks for long-term industry growth.