NRFA PARTNERS WITH 3 UNIVERSITIES

By Daily News Reporter

The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has announced a significant multilateral collaboration with the University of Zambia, Copperbelt University, Mulungushi University, and the Zambia Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR). This partnership aims to address the increasingly complex challenges in policy formulation and road sector finance management in a global context.

During the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the four institutions, NRFA Acting Director and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Mtongo emphasized the importance of concerted efforts and resource pooling to effectively tackle these challenges. The MOU is designed to facilitate professionally conducted industry research for the benefit of Zambia's road sector and the country as a whole.

He expressed confidence that by uniting the intellectual and research capabilities of these esteemed institutions, significant progress could be made in policy research and debt management.

And at the same event, ZIPAR Interim Executive Director Zali Bryson Chikuba highlighted that the MOU formalizes the relationship between NRFA and ZIPAR, providing a clear framework for research and policy analysis. This collaboration aims to generate empirical evidence to support the sustainable development of Zambia’s road sector.

Meanwhile Professor Trywell Kalusopa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zambia, speaking on behalf of the universities, referenced the 2018 African Economic Outlook Report. He noted that the Zambian Government's financed infrastructure investment averaged 3.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2006 and 2011, increasing to an average of 5.5% between 2012 and 2017. He added that investment in infrastructure is expected to remain high in the medium term, largely financed by foreign borrowing.

This collaboration underscores the critical need for research and policy analysis to support effective road sector finance management and sustainable infrastructure development in Zambia.