An Exploration of Investment Strategies within Zambia's National Pension Scheme Authority

Abstract

As a critical state-owned enterprise administering billions in retirement assets, NAPSA's investment governance has substantial fiscal and welfare implications for Zambia. Investment strategies in government institutions involve a systematic and comprehensive approach to managing public funds for various purposes, such as infrastructure development, pension fund assets, and bond proceeds. However, there has been little scholarly investigation into the real- world dynamics, drivers, and performance impacts of NAPSA's investment strategies, policy decisions over its recent history. This study aimed to bridge that knowledge gap through qualitative analysis of NAPSA's investment strategy formulation, risk management approaches, implementation processes, and financial results over the past two decades. The primary instruments for data collection in this study were semi-structured interviews and focus groups, both conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. The data analysis for this study was undertaken using thematic analysis. This approach was instrumental in interpreting the data collected from the interviews and focus groups. Furthermore, qualitative documents like reports provided corroborating context. Together these primary data resources facilitated nuanced analysis around the multi-layered drivers and impacts influencing NAPSA’s investment governance – aligning techniques tightly with exploratory research goals seeking elucidations to inform potential policy enhancements. The findings revealed that NAPSA maintained a diversified investment portfolio across various asset classes. Formalization of developmental impact assessment measures and the strengthening of specialized analytical competencies are amongst the recommendations. These steps are important for NAPSA to continue effectively managing its substantial assets in a manner that supports both the welfare of its pensioners and the broader economic interests of Zambia.