Zambia is pushing hard to become a tech player, according to its Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Chipota Mutati. The plan has five main parts, all trying to use tech to boost the economy and include everyone. This whole effort started when the minister basically got everyone in a room on his first day to talk about totally reshaping the country with digital tools.
Their first goal is to use Zambia's location, since it touches eight other countries, to turn itself into a central internet hub for the region. But they know just having cables is not enough. The second pillar is about making all the different digital systems work together, so banks, telecom companies, and startups can easily connect their services. To get people online, the third part focuses on cheap smartphones so more citizens can actually afford to join in.
They are also setting things up for an AI-enabled economy, the fourth pillar, wanting to use those tools in practical and ethical ways for local needs. The fifth piece is about digital money, specifically through things like a new MTN Mobile Money Mastercard deal, to let people pay for stuff across borders and get into global online commerce.
Minister Mutati admitted the work is not finished, but pointed to real results coming from government and private sector teams working together. He said you can finally see Zambia digitizing and wiring itself into the wider world.
Their first goal is to use Zambia's location, since it touches eight other countries, to turn itself into a central internet hub for the region. But they know just having cables is not enough. The second pillar is about making all the different digital systems work together, so banks, telecom companies, and startups can easily connect their services. To get people online, the third part focuses on cheap smartphones so more citizens can actually afford to join in.
They are also setting things up for an AI-enabled economy, the fourth pillar, wanting to use those tools in practical and ethical ways for local needs. The fifth piece is about digital money, specifically through things like a new MTN Mobile Money Mastercard deal, to let people pay for stuff across borders and get into global online commerce.
Minister Mutati admitted the work is not finished, but pointed to real results coming from government and private sector teams working together. He said you can finally see Zambia digitizing and wiring itself into the wider world.
