How Turkish Businesses Can Register a Company in Zambia (2026)

Yes. Zambia has no minimum local ownership requirement for foreign investors. A Turkish individual or limited company (Anonim Şirketi or Limited Şirketi) can hold 100% of the shares in a Zambian Private Limited Company. There is no minimum capital investment threshold to register, though capitalisation must be adequate for the intended business activity.

Without a Double Taxation Agreement, Turkish companies operating in Zambia face the full domestic withholding tax rates: 20% on dividends, 20% on interest, 20% on royalties, and 20% on management fees paid from Zambia to Turkey. There is also a risk of double taxation — Zambia will withhold tax on outbound payments, and Turkey may also tax the same income. Turkey provides a foreign tax credit for taxes paid abroad, but the credit may not fully offset the Zambian withholding. M&J can advise on structuring options, including using intermediate holding jurisdictions (such as the UK or Netherlands, which have DTAs with both Zambia and Turkey) to reduce the overall tax burden — subject to substance requirements and anti-abuse provisions.

Turkish construction companies are among Africa's most active — Turkish contractors ranked second globally (after China) in the ENR Top 250 International Contractors list, with extensive experience in roads, bridges, airports, and housing across the continent. Zambia's infrastructure pipeline offers significant opportunities: the Lusaka-Ndola Dual Carriageway, Kasama-Mpulungu Road, affordable housing projects (Zambia has a deficit of over 1.5 million housing units), and water infrastructure upgrades. Many of these projects are funded by the AfDB, World Bank, and JICA, with procurement open to international contractors. A Zambian-registered company allows Turkish firms to bid on local tenders and access ZPPA (Zambia Public Procurement Authority) procurement systems. M&J registers your Zambian entity and ensures compliance with contractor registration requirements.

No. As of January 2025, Turkish passport holders can enter Zambia visa-free for up to 90 days, following Zambia's expansion of its visa-free regime to 53 countries. This is a recent development — previously, Turkish nationals required a visa on arrival. The visa-free status covers business visits, site inspections, and due diligence trips. However, if you or your employees will be working in Zambia (i.e., taking up employment), an Employment Permit is still required from the Department of Immigration (processing takes 4–8 weeks). M&J handles work permit applications alongside your company registration.

Yes. Once your Zambian company is registered with PACRA and you have a TPIN from ZRA, you can open a ZMW (Zambian Kwacha) business bank account. Major banks in Zambia — including Stanbic, Standard Chartered, FNB, and Zanaco — accept foreign-owned companies. You will need: the PACRA Certificate of Incorporation, company Articles of Association, directors' passports, proof of registered office, and a board resolution authorising the account opening. Some banks may require an initial deposit (typically K5,000–K10,000). M&J assists with the full bank account opening process and can recommend banks that are experienced in working with foreign-owned entities. Note that Zambia does not currently have Turkish banks operating locally, so correspondence banking for TRY transfers may require intermediary arrangements.