Overview
In Zambia, the national voice, local loop, mobile internet, and private data networks sectors are competitive. While its efforts are not always effective, the Zambian government has been promoting the country’s digital transformation through SMART Zambia and the 2023-2026 National Electronic Government Plan, which aim to fully digitize government systems, procedures, processes, and services. The government also tries to promote eCommerce, eAgriculture, eHealth, eEducation, and trade promotion programs for goods and services.
Primarily due to competition between providers, mobile network operators are upgrading their current 3G/4G cellular networks to 5G. Extending its 565-kilometer fiber network built in 2006, in 2022, Zambia built a virtually nationwide 18,000-kilometer 2G, 3G, and 4G fiber network backbone that provides mobile communication to 92 percent of the population. Despite this broad mobile coverage, internet penetration is only about 36 percent, with many users regularly experiencing slow internet speed. Freedom House’s 2022 Freedom On the Net survey gave Zambia a score of 33 percent (out of 100) in the category of Internet Access Limitations Causes by Infrastructure. MTN and Airtel, Zambia’s largest cellular and internet providers offer 5G networks and fiber-based internet. U.S.-based Starlink’s satellite-based internet service is also now available in Zambia.
Opportunities
Opportunities include provision of retail fiber optic, mobile, and internet service providers, software development, and ICT parks (similar to business incubators). Data storage and cloud computing has been one of the fastest growing subsectors. Albeit still nascent, Zambia has a promising tech startup ecosystem, with emergent tech companies, several incubators, and a substantive venture capital network.
Key government and regulatory agencies:
Ministry Science and Technology
Los Angeles Boulevard
Longacres
Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA)
Independence Avenue
P. O. Box 36871
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 211 246 702 | +260 211 244 424