2022 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Finance Survey
First Edition
Zambia, 2022 - 2026
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Reference ID
ZMB-ZSA-MSME-2022-V1.0
Producer(s)
Zambia Statistics Agency, Bank of Zambia
Metadata
Created on
Jan 17, 2026
Last modified
Jan 19, 2026
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Identification
Survey ID Number
ZMB-ZSA-MSME-2022-V1.0
Title
2022 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Finance Survey
Subtitle
First Edition
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Zambia | zmb |
Study type
Socio-Economic/Monitoring Survey [hh/sems]
Series Information
The 2022 MSME survey is the first edition
Abstract
The 2022 MSME finance survey is a nationally representative sample survey which focused on getting information on the characteristics and financial needs of micro, small and medium enterprises. The MSME Finance Survey was conducted at household level for individuals of age 15 years or older, who owned either a micro, small or medium business.
The primary objective of the Survey was to assess the financial access landscape for micro, small and medium businesses in Zambia. The specific objectives were as follows:
- To assess the size and scope of MSMEs in the country;
- To describe the levels and landscape of access to financial products and services by MSMEs;
- To identify MSMEs main challenges in accessing finance; and
- To provide data which will inform the development of a national policy on MSME Finance.
The primary objective of the Survey was to assess the financial access landscape for micro, small and medium businesses in Zambia. The specific objectives were as follows:
- To assess the size and scope of MSMEs in the country;
- To describe the levels and landscape of access to financial products and services by MSMEs;
- To identify MSMEs main challenges in accessing finance; and
- To provide data which will inform the development of a national policy on MSME Finance.
Kind of Data
Sample survey data [ssd]
Unit of Analysis
Individual
Household
Household
Version
Version Description
V1.0: Edited, anonymized dataset for Public distribution
Version Date
2025-02
Scope
Notes
The scope of the 2022 MSME included three questionnaires
· Listing Questionnaire;
· Household Questionnaire; and
· Individual Questionnaire.
The Listing Questionnaire was administered to all households in the selected EA. It collected data on the ownership of any kind of business or farming activity to generate income by a household member and if the activity had employed one or more people. The data from the
Listing Questionnaire was used to determine the households eligible for interviews.
The Household Questionnaire listed all the usual household members. Basic information was collected on each person listed, including age, sex and relationship to the head of the household. The data on household members, 15 years or older, who owned a business was used to identify eligible persons for individual interviews.
The Individual Questionnaire was used to collect information from all business owners. The business owners were asked questions on the following topics:
· Background information;
· Awareness of financial products;
· Business details;
· Employment;
· Start-up capital and record keeping;
· Business performance;
· Access to credit;
· Savings and investment;
· Income and expenditure;
· Business assets;
· Access to market;
· Business challenges;
· COVID-19 and climate change;
· Capacity building; and
· Business closure.
· Listing Questionnaire;
· Household Questionnaire; and
· Individual Questionnaire.
The Listing Questionnaire was administered to all households in the selected EA. It collected data on the ownership of any kind of business or farming activity to generate income by a household member and if the activity had employed one or more people. The data from the
Listing Questionnaire was used to determine the households eligible for interviews.
The Household Questionnaire listed all the usual household members. Basic information was collected on each person listed, including age, sex and relationship to the head of the household. The data on household members, 15 years or older, who owned a business was used to identify eligible persons for individual interviews.
The Individual Questionnaire was used to collect information from all business owners. The business owners were asked questions on the following topics:
· Background information;
· Awareness of financial products;
· Business details;
· Employment;
· Start-up capital and record keeping;
· Business performance;
· Access to credit;
· Savings and investment;
· Income and expenditure;
· Business assets;
· Access to market;
· Business challenges;
· COVID-19 and climate change;
· Capacity building; and
· Business closure.
Topics
| Topic |
|---|
| Financial Products and Infrastructure |
| Startup Capital |
| Access to Credit |
| Business Characteristics |
| Business Performance |
| Business Assets |
| Business Challenges |
| Business Closure |
| Employment |
| Record Keeping |
| Savings and Investments |
| COVID-19 and Climate Change |
Keywords
| Keyword |
|---|
| Business |
| Capital |
| Employment |
| Loan |
| Income |
| Asset |
| Financial products |
| Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises |
| Credit |
| Financial Service Provider |
Coverage
Geographic Coverage
National
Rural/Urban
Rural/Urban
Universe
The MSME Finance Survey was conducted at household level and captured all household members and all thoser individuals of age 15 years or older, who owned either a micro, small or medium business.
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Zambia Statistics Agency | Ministry of Finance and National Planning |
| Bank of Zambia | Ministry of Finance and National Planning |
Producers
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Finance and National Planning | Government Republic of Zambia | Partners in Survey implementation |
| Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development | Government Republic of Zambia | Partners in Survey implementation |
| Deutsche Sparkassenstiftung fu¨r Internationale Kooperation | Germany government | Partners in Survey implementation |
Funding Agency/Sponsor
| Name | Abbreviation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Zambia | BoZ | Funding for the survey |
| Germany Development Cooperation | GDC | Additional Funds for the survey |
| Rural Finance Expansion Programme | RuFEP | Additional Funds for the survey |
Sampling
Sampling Procedure
The 2010 Census of Population and Housing provided the sampling frame for selecting a nationally representative sample of areas for conducting the 2022 MSME Finance Survey.
The MSME Finance Survey followed a stratified two-stage sample design. In the first stage, 200 clusters were selected with probability proportional to the size of the EA within the strata (rural/urban). A complete listing of households in each selected EA was conducted and formed the sampling frame for the second stage. The classification of households during the listing was based on the following criteria
• Question on whether any member of the household owned any kind of business; and
• Question on whether the business had one or more employees.
Zambia has ten provinces. Each province is subdivided into districts; each district into constituencies; and each constituency into wards.
The sample allocation was representative at the national and rural/urban levels only
The MSME Finance Survey followed a stratified two-stage sample design. In the first stage, 200 clusters were selected with probability proportional to the size of the EA within the strata (rural/urban). A complete listing of households in each selected EA was conducted and formed the sampling frame for the second stage. The classification of households during the listing was based on the following criteria
• Question on whether any member of the household owned any kind of business; and
• Question on whether the business had one or more employees.
Zambia has ten provinces. Each province is subdivided into districts; each district into constituencies; and each constituency into wards.
The sample allocation was representative at the national and rural/urban levels only
Response Rate
The response rates for the MSME Finance Survey was at 98.8 percent. Of the 3,574 households in the sample, 3,532 were successfully interviewed.
Weighting
The MSME Finance Survey followed a stratified two-stage sample design.
Survey weights were applied to adjust for the effects of sampling design such as over or under sampling and correct non-response bias. This was done to produce valid estimates for MSME's in Zambia and inferences from the data. The results from the sample are representative at the national level by rural/urban segmentation only.
Survey weights were applied to adjust for the effects of sampling design such as over or under sampling and correct non-response bias. This was done to produce valid estimates for MSME's in Zambia and inferences from the data. The results from the sample are representative at the national level by rural/urban segmentation only.
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2022-06-01 | 2026-01-30 |
Data Collection Mode
Face-to-face [f2f]
Supervision
Interviewing was conducted by teams of interviewers. Each team consisted of one supervisor and four to five interviewers. Apart from accompanying enumerators in data collection and regularly providing feedback to Master Trainers, the main roles of the supervisor included the following
• To conduct spot-checks on some of the selected households to ensure that enumerators visited and interviewed the correct households;
• To review survey procedures to ensure they were complete and consistent;
• To observe some of the interviews to ensure that enumerators were asking the questions correctly and recording the answers properly;
• To help resolve any problems that enumerators might have with finding the assigned households, understanding the questionnaire, or dealing with difficult respondents.
Fieldwork data monitoring was an integral part of the MSME Survey. The Master Trainers were in the field throughout the enumeration period to monitor, review the teams' work and resolve any issues that arose.
• To conduct spot-checks on some of the selected households to ensure that enumerators visited and interviewed the correct households;
• To review survey procedures to ensure they were complete and consistent;
• To observe some of the interviews to ensure that enumerators were asking the questions correctly and recording the answers properly;
• To help resolve any problems that enumerators might have with finding the assigned households, understanding the questionnaire, or dealing with difficult respondents.
Fieldwork data monitoring was an integral part of the MSME Survey. The Master Trainers were in the field throughout the enumeration period to monitor, review the teams' work and resolve any issues that arose.
Data Collection Notes
Data collection was conducted from 1 to 30 June 2022 by 20 teams. Each team consisted of one supervisor and four to five interviewers. Fieldwork data monitoring was an integral part of the MSME Survey. The Master Trainers were in the field throughout the enumeration period to monitor, review the teams' work and resolve any issues that arose. During data collection, interviewers sent data to the server via internet using tablets
Data Collectors
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Zambia Statistics Agency | ZamStats | Ministry of Finance and National Planning |
| Bank of Zambia | BoZ | Ministry of Finance and National Planning |
Questionnaires
Questionnaires
Three types of questionnaires were used in the 2022 MSME Survey
- Listing Questionnaire;
- Household Questionnaire; and
- Individual Questionnaire.
The Listing Questionnaire was administered to all households in the selected EA. It collected data on the ownership of any kind of business or farming activity to generate income by a household member and if the activity had employed one or more people. The data from the Listing Questionnaire was used to determine the households eligible for interviews.
The Household Questionnaire listed all the usual household members. Basic information was collected on each person listed, including age, sex and relationship to the head of the household. The data on household members, 15 years or older, who owned a business was used to identify eligible persons for individual interviews.
The Individual Questionnaire was used to collect information from all business owners. The business owners were asked questions on the following topics:
· Background information;
· Awareness of financial products;
· Business details;
· Employment;
· Start-up capital and record keeping;
· Business performance;
· Access to credit;
· Savings and investment;
· Income and expenditure;
· Business assets;
· Access to market;
· Business challenges;
· COVID-19 and climate change;
· Capacity building; and
· Business closure.
- Listing Questionnaire;
- Household Questionnaire; and
- Individual Questionnaire.
The Listing Questionnaire was administered to all households in the selected EA. It collected data on the ownership of any kind of business or farming activity to generate income by a household member and if the activity had employed one or more people. The data from the Listing Questionnaire was used to determine the households eligible for interviews.
The Household Questionnaire listed all the usual household members. Basic information was collected on each person listed, including age, sex and relationship to the head of the household. The data on household members, 15 years or older, who owned a business was used to identify eligible persons for individual interviews.
The Individual Questionnaire was used to collect information from all business owners. The business owners were asked questions on the following topics:
· Background information;
· Awareness of financial products;
· Business details;
· Employment;
· Start-up capital and record keeping;
· Business performance;
· Access to credit;
· Savings and investment;
· Income and expenditure;
· Business assets;
· Access to market;
· Business challenges;
· COVID-19 and climate change;
· Capacity building; and
· Business closure.
Access policy
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Dissemination | Zambia Statistics Agency | info@zamstats.gov.zm | Link |
Confidentiality
The Agency shall,where statistics are designated as official statistics, protect the confidentiality and identity of the source of data.
Under the provision of the Statistics ACT no.13 of 2018, ZamStats is obliged to preserve the confidentiality of respondent information in all its census and survey data
Before being granted access to the dataset, all users have to formally agree:
1. To make no copies of any files or portions of files to which s/he is granted access except those authorized by the Agency.
2. Not to use any technique in an attempt to learn the identity of any person, establishment, or sampling unit not identified on public use data files.
3. To hold in strictest confidence the identification of any establishment or individual that may be inadvertently revealed in any documents or discussion, or analysis. Such inadvertent identification revealed in her/his analysis will be immediately brought to the attention of the Agency
Access conditions
Micro data records are anonymised as per procedures before these are made available to users. Micro data files are all free but under access policy Conditions:
Each dataset has an access policy :Public use file- Accessible to all and - Licensed datasets, accessible under conditions. The dataset has been anonymized and is available as a Public Use Dataset. It is accessible to all for statistical and research purposes only, under the following terms and conditions:
1. The data and other materials will not be redistributed or sold to other individuals, institutions, or organizations without the written agreement of the Zambia Statistics Agency
2. The data will be used for statistical and scientific research purposes only. They will be used solely for reporting of aggregated information, and not for investigation of specific individuals or organizations.
3. No attempt will be made to re-identify respondents, and no use will be made of the identity of any person or establishment discovered inadvertently.
Each dataset has an access policy :Public use file- Accessible to all and - Licensed datasets, accessible under conditions. The dataset has been anonymized and is available as a Public Use Dataset. It is accessible to all for statistical and research purposes only, under the following terms and conditions:
1. The data and other materials will not be redistributed or sold to other individuals, institutions, or organizations without the written agreement of the Zambia Statistics Agency
2. The data will be used for statistical and scientific research purposes only. They will be used solely for reporting of aggregated information, and not for investigation of specific individuals or organizations.
3. No attempt will be made to re-identify respondents, and no use will be made of the identity of any person or establishment discovered inadvertently.
Citation requirements
Zambia Statistics Agency, 2022 Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Survey, Version 1.0 of the puublic use dataset. https://nada.zamstats.gov.zm/
Access authority
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia Statistics Agency | Ministry of Finance and national Planning | info@zamstats.gov.zm | Link |
Disclaimer and copyrights
Disclaimer
ZamStats will not bear any responsibility for the erroneous use of its data by researchers. Users should report inconsistencies in the data (both micro and aggregated) to ZamStats as soon as possible.
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such use
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such use
Copyright
2022. Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) [Zambia], Bank of Zambia (BoZ) [Zambia]. 2022 Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Survey
Metadata production
DDI Document ID
DDI-ZMB-ZSA-MSME-2022-V1.0
Producers
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia Statistics Agency | ZamStats | Ministry of Finance and National Planning | Documentation of the survey |
Date of Metadata Production
2026-01-16
DDI Document version
Version 1.0 (January 2026)