The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM)

What The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM) does

ZIHRM is the statutory professional body regulating the human resource management profession in Zambia, operating under Act No. 3 of 2022. It serves individual HR practitioners, HR students, and institutions, providing professional membership across five tiers (Student, Associate, Member, Fellow, Institution), tiered CPD and certification programs aligned with the London CIPD curriculum, in-house corporate training, and HR consultancy services. The organization has built an operational footprint spanning 10 provincial chapters and 200+ partner organizations, with 5,000+ registered members of which approximately 1,000 are active, supported by a staff of 13.

The business model is a diversified professional services and membership revenue stack. Membership subscriptions are priced from K200 (Student) to K4,700 (Institution) per year; CPD programs are sold at K4,500 per level across four levels, generating per-certificate revenue of up to K18,000. Supplementary revenue comes from in-house corporate training and HR consultancy engagements. Distribution is hybrid — national reach through 10 provincial chapters, employer partnerships, an online member portal, and flagship events such as the Annual Convention — providing multiple touchpoints for acquisition, retention, and cross-sell across individual and institutional member segments.

Name

The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM)

Legal name

The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM)

Website

https://zihrm.org.zm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ZIHRM is the statutory regulatory body for HR professionals in Zambia, established under Act No. 3 of 2022. It licenses practitioners, delivers tiered CPD certifications aligned with CIPD London, and serves 5,000+ members across 10 provincial chapters through subscriptions, training, and consultancy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional HR Certification and Membership Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Resources (HR) & Talent (SHRM/HRCI) Certifications (EDAAANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Resources & Talent (SHRM/HRCI Recertification) (EDAAALAN), HR Compliance, Policy, EEO & Labor Law (BPACAPAM)

Keywords

• HR professional certification
• Professional membership services
• Continuous professional development
• HR consultancy services
• Corporate training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees from individual professionals (Student, Affiliate, Associate, Full Members) and institutions. Fees range from K200/year for students to K4,700/year for institutions.
2. CPD Training Programs: Continuous Professional Development training programs with 4 levels. Each level runs for 3 months at a cost of K4,500 per level. Programs include HR Management transitions, Employment Law, Reward Management, and Leadership Development.
3. In-House Training Programs: Customized training programs for organizations covering full spectrum of HR functions. Programs delivered at client organizations with focus on experiential learning and ROI measurement.
4. HR Consultancy & Advisory: Project or retainer-based HR consulting services covering employee handbook development, HR policies compliance, workforce planning, compensation management, performance management, and organizational development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ZIHRM is a statutory professional institute that regulates HR practitioners in Zambia under Act No. 3 of 2022. It sells annual membership subscriptions across multiple tiers (Student, Affiliate, Associate, Institution), a four-level Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Training Program, customized In-House Training Programs for organizations, and HR Consultancy & Advisory services covering workforce planning, compensation, performance management, and organizational development.

Product overview

ZIHRM offers a portfolio of professional development and certification services for HR practitioners in Zambia. The core offerings include a four-level CPD Training Program (Certificate through Advanced Professional Diploma), HR Consultancy & Advisory services, and customized In-House Training Programs. The organization operates an Online Membership Application System for managing various membership categories. Additional programs include monthly HR Professionals Networking Forums and an Annual Convention. The institution also enforces ZIHRM Act No. 3 of 2022, requiring mandatory membership and practicing certificates for HR practitioners in Zambia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPD Training Program A four-level Continuous Professional Development program for HR practitioners, including Certificate (Level 1), Advanced Certificate (Level 2), Advanced Certificate (Level 3), and Advanced Professional Diploma (Level 4), designed to broaden professional management abilities and update HR knowledge and skills, aligned with London CIPD international standards.
• HR Consultancy & Advisory Professional HR consulting services covering employee handbook development, HR policies compliance review, employment standards audits, strategic workforce planning, compensation and benefits management, performance management, employee engagement, organizational development, learning and development strategy, and talent management for organizations in Zambia.
• In-House Training Programs Customized training programs for organizations covering the full spectrum of HR functions, including Employment & Labour Policies, HR Management & Processes, Recruitment & Retention, Performance & People Management, Learning & Career Development, and Employee Relations & Engagement, delivered at client organizations with a focus on experiential learning.
• ZIHRM Professional Membership Annual professional membership for HR practitioners and institutions in Zambia, with tiers including Student Member (K200/year), Affiliate Non-Practicing Member (K1,410/year), Associate Member (K1,560/year), and Institution Member (K4,700/year). Membership provides legal authorization to practice as an HR professional in Zambia under Act No. 3 of 2022, access to CPD programs, networking events, and institute voting rights at the Associate level.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mandatory certification ensures all practicing HR professionals in Zambia are recognized and regulated

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• London CIPDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIHRM CPD courses are tailored along the lines of London CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) and other professional HR bodies, aligning their certification programs with international standards.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD): The UK's professional body for HR and people development, serving as the international standard ZIHRM explicitly aligns its CPD programs with. Comparable as the global benchmark for chartered HR certification and membership models.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): The largest HR professional membership organization globally, offering SHRM-CP and SHRM-SP certifications. Comparable as the dominant international body for HR certification that ZIHRM members may also pursue.
• Australian HR Institute (AHRI): Australia's national professional body for HR, offering certification and CPD programs. Comparable as an established HR professional association with a tiered certification framework similar to ZIHRM's CPD levels.
• HR Certification Institute (HRCI): A leading international HR credentialing body offering PHR, SPHR, and GPHR certifications. Comparable as a competing international credentialing pathway that overlaps with ZIHRM's mandate on HR professional certification.

Direct peers

• Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM Kenya): Kenya's statutory professional body for HR practitioners, offering the closest direct comparison to ZIHRM in terms of national regulatory mandate, membership tiers, CPD programs, and African emerging-market context.
• Nigerian Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM): Nigeria's professional body for HR and personnel management, providing direct regional comparability in terms of African statutory regulation, membership categories, and CPD delivery model.
• South African Board for People Practices (SABPP): South Africa's professional body for HR practitioners, setting competency standards and offering professional registration. Directly comparable as a Southern African statutory HR regulatory body serving a similar mandate.
• Tanzania Institute of Human Resource Management (TAIHRM): Tanzania's professional body for HR practitioners. Comparable as a direct East African statutory peer operating under a similar national regulatory mandate with tiered membership and CPD requirements.

Others

• World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA): The global federation of national HR management associations, of which bodies like ZIHRM are potential members. Comparable as the umbrella ecosystem that ZIHRM could leverage for international recognition and reciprocal standards.

Regional players

• Zimbabwe Institute of Management (ZIM): Zimbabwe's professional body covering management disciplines including HR. Comparable as a neighboring Southern African regional professional institute addressing similar HR professionalization needs in a comparable economy.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management (ZIHRM)