BY

ii From the literature researched in this study it was clear that micro enterprises have the potential to make a strong contribution to the economy of African countries like Zambia and others. In spite of this, it is concerning to note that they often do not progress to the next level of competence. An alarmingly high number of micro enterprises fail shortly after start- up while many others remain stagnated in terms of potential growth. This study was primarily aimed at establishing the factors that constrain micro enterprise growth in Lusaka. To do this, the study used simple random sampling to collect data from 66 micro enterprise owners and 5 key informants (2 micro enterprise sector experts and 3 council officials) using interviews and questionnaires. The study was mainly descriptive in nature. The data collected was analysed descriptively and presented through figures, frequencies, tables and percentages. The findings of the study indicate that micro enterprises in Lusaka are faced with internal and external constraints to growth, such as excessive competition, lack of acces