Zambia: Tax revenue (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Zambia's tax revenue (current LCU) rose 29.5% on 2023 (from 96.28 billion to 124.68 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was +30.7% and a typical year strayed about 35.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 179.1% in 1992. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 10.15 billion a year. A straight line explains 93% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Zambia had the 57th highest value of the 91 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Zambia in the 2024 ranking

• Belgium — 54th of 91: 142.33 billion
• New Zealand — 55th of 91: 127.55 billion
• Austria — 56th of 91: 127.38 billion
• Macao SAR, China — 58th of 91: 109 billion
• Singapore — 59th of 91: 103.8 billion
• Guatemala — 60th of 91: 102.16 billion

What this measures

Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 34 values

Tax revenue (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 7.89 trillion (2024)
• Botswana — 59.18 billion (2023)
• Burkina Faso — 2.62 trillion (2024)
• Burundi — 1.03 trillion (2021)
• Cabo Verde — 32.42 billion (2020)
• Cameroon — 2.83 trillion (2021)
• Central African Republic — 114.52 billion (2021)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 15.07 trillion (2022)
• Congo, Rep. — 535.13 billion (2021)
• Côte d'Ivoire — 6.39 trillion (2023)
• Equatorial Guinea — 563.15 billion (2022)

More public sector data for Zambia

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 405.86 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 10.24 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.26% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 1 million (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 42.28 billion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 25.32% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 154.97 billion (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 23.41% (2024)
• Taxes on international trade (current LCU) — 8.86 billion (2024)
• Taxes on international trade (% of revenue)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Zambia's tax revenue (current LCU)?

124.68 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 564,505% from 22.08 million in 1990 (28.93% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 124.68 billion in 2024 and the lowest 22.08 million in 1990.

How does Zambia rank?

57th highest of 91 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in tax revenue (current LCU) unusual for Zambia?

In 2024, Zambia's tax revenue (current LCU) rose 29.5% on 2023 (from 96.28 billion to 124.68 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2023), the average change was +30.7% and a typical year strayed about 35.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.TAX.TOTL.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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