Zambia is perhaps in a unique position in that it is an African country which is being criticised for spending too much on road infrastructure. In a statement issued after an April 2019 IMF visit to Zambia, team leader Mary Goodman said “Zambia’s development strategy targeting a rapid scaling up in infrastructure spending has resulted in large fiscal deficits, financed by non-concessional debt”. Zambia uses tolls to broaden revenue base and for road maintenance. The country aims to have a total of 40 toll stations – up from the two pilot toll roads. The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) says in its report on the country that Zambia has made major progress with its main trunk road network. More than 80% of Zambia’s paved road networks are in good or fair condition, on par with its middle-income neighbours and well ahead of the typical performance of resource-rich countries in Africa, says the report. However, it adds “there is evidence of overinvestment in Zambia’s main road network. “About three-quarters of the primary and secondary road network is paved, one of the highest ratios among Africa’s lowincome countries.”
