Time in Zambia Now

Zambia follows Central Africa Time (CAT), which operates on UTC +2 throughout the year. The country does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so the time remains constant regardless of the season. This makes timekeeping simple, stable, and predictable for residents, travelers, and businesses.

Major cities such as Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Livingstone, and Chipata all follow the same national time zone. This uniformity helps maintain smooth coordination for communication, transport, and daily activities across the country.

Zambia Time Zone Information

• IANA Time Zone: Africa/Lusaka

• UTC Offset: UTC +2 hours

• Time Zone Abbreviation: CAT (Central Africa Time)

• DST: Not observed

• DST Abbreviation: None — time stays unchanged year-round

Zambia shares its time zone with several countries in Central and Southern Africa that also follow CAT.

Zambia time zone(s)

The official IANA identifier for Zambia is Africa/Lusaka.

Daylight Saving Time in Zambia

Zambia does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
The entire country stays on UTC +2 throughout the year, providing consistent and unified timekeeping.

Major cities in Zambia & their time

All major cities follow the same national time zone.

Brief info for Zambia time

• Number of time zones: 1

• Capital city: Lusaka

• Default time: Central Africa Time (CAT)

• Daylight Saving Time: Not used

• IANA Time Zone ID: Africa/Lusaka

• Standard UTC Offset: UTC +2

• Neighbouring countries with same time: Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana (partly), South Africa

• Regional differences: None — the entire country uses one time zone

Pros and Cons

Pros

1. One unified national time zone makes scheduling simple.

2. UTC +2 aligns with many Central and Southern African neighbors.

3. No DST — no seasonal time changes.

4. Predictable and stable year-round timekeeping.

5. Useful for regional business and travel.

Cons

1. Limited overlap with American time zones for business.

2. Seasonal daylight variations may feel more noticeable without DST.