The main aim of this paper was to empirically analyse the impact of electricity load shedding on the manufacturing sector in
Zambia. Using cross-section data from the 2014 World Bank Enterprise Survey, this study used the ordinary least squares method
of estimation to empirically analyse the impact of electricity load shedding on the manufacturing sector. It was established that
load shedding, on average, has a negative and significant impact on the productivity of firms, controlling for other production
factors. However, different manufacturing firms were found to react differently to load shedding depending on the sub-sector.
Given that power disruptions are unfavourable to firm productivity and the importance of the manufacturing sector to the
economy, it is clear that Zambia needs to diversify from hydropower to alternative sources of energy.