Professor Chinsembu Hails CEEC Loan Product as Proof that the Higher Education Indaba is Driving Real Transformation
The Director-General of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, has described the launch of the Loan Product for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) as a defining moment for Zambia’s higher education sector and a powerful validation of the inaugural Higher Education Indaba.
Professor Chinsembu said the development represents clear, tangible and measurable outcomes of the Indaba, which was convened under the theme “Unlocking Zambia’s Potential Through New Investments in Quality Higher Education,” from 8th to 10th October, 2025, at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone.
He noted that the Indaba was intentionally designed to move the sector beyond discussion and into implementation, and the CEEC loan product is the first major proof point of that vision.
“This is precisely what the Higher Education Indaba was created to achieve,” Professor Chinsembu said. “We wanted to create a platform that delivers results that institutions can see, touch, apply for, and ultimately use to transform their campuses and their contribution to national development.”
The Director-General praised CEEC for responding decisively to the conversations and engagements that took place at the Indaba, describing the Commission as a model of how strategic partnerships can unlock opportunity for the higher education subsector.
He emphasised that the loan product, which targets infrastructure development, innovation centres, laboratories, renewable energy systems, ICT facilities and student entrepreneurship hubs, speaks directly to the investment gaps that HEIs have long faced.
“For the first time, we are seeing a financing instrument that recognises higher education institutions as engines of economic empowerment and entrepreneurship,” he said. “This is a game changer.”
Professor Chinsembu described the Inaugural Higher Education Indaba itself as a landmark achievement for HEA, noting the unprecedented level of participation by government ministries, statutory bodies, financial institutions, development partners, private sector players and higher education providers.
“The success of the Indaba was not accidental,” he said. “It was built on trust, collaboration and a shared belief that higher education must sit at the centre of Zambia’s development agenda. We are deeply grateful to all stakeholders whose support, ideas and commitment are now yielding visible results.”
Reflecting on the Transformative Agenda he outlined in his maiden address as Director-General, Professor Chinsembu said the CEEC loan product aligns squarely with HEA’s strategic push to reposition higher education as innovative, entrepreneurial, responsive and sustainable.
“Transformation is no longer a slogan,” he said. “It is becoming reality. What we are witnessing now is the beginning of a triumph that will unfold across institutions, communities and the national economy.”
Looking ahead, the Director-General expressed strong optimism for 2026, describing it as a year poised to surpass 2025 in both scale and impact for the higher education subsector.
“If 2025 was the year of laying foundations, then 2026 will be the year of acceleration,” Professor Chinsembu said. “The Higher Education Indaba has set processes in motion that will continue to produce tangible, quantifiable benefits for institutions and students alike.”
He urged all eligible HEIs to seize the opportunity presented by the CEEC Loan Product and apply within the stipulated timeframe, stressing that access to financing is now firmly within reach for institutions ready to invest in growth and quality.
“This opportunity exists because the sector spoke with one voice at the Indaba,” he said. “Now is the time for HEIs to act, invest and transform.”
As the first fruits of the Higher Education Indaba begin to materialise, Professor Chinsembu reaffirmed HEA’s commitment to sustaining the momentum, strengthening partnerships and ensuring that the Indaba remains a catalyst for long-term sectoral transformation.
The triumph has begun and the future of higher education in Zambia is firmly in motion.
Applications for the Loan Product for HEIs are open until 13th February, 2025, and the full call for applications can be accessed here: https://www.ceec.org.zm/2026-call-for-applications/.
The fact sheet for the product is available here: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1329404409231483&set=a.346765444162056
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