Giving business and citizens a smart edge

Digitisation of service delivery to citizens by the Zambian government is making it easier to do business in the country. The National Digital Strategy 2023-27 has identified five pillars under which the country will transform, namely digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital services, digital literacy and skills and digital innovation and entrepreneurship. “Over the past few years, the Government of Zambia has made significant progress in laying the foundations of its digital transformation,” says Paul Ndungutse, senior digital specialist at the World Bank, who has been assisting government departments. “Through the Government e-services Portal (ZamPortal), citizens can now access a growing range of digital services such as road fitness certificates, immigration services and land and deeds services, among others. “We have seen firsthand how integrating digital payments, data exchange and identity verification is transforming how government delivers services faster, more transparently and inclusively,” he says. In April 2026, the Presidential Delivery Unit issued a statement: “Zambia’s digital transformation is no longer a policy ambition; it is a delivery story. “Expanded infrastructure, improved network quality and a growing number of citizens coming online are evidence of what coordinated effort among government, regulators and industry can achieve. “The progress is measurable and the opportunity it creates for investment and innovation is real.” According to the statement, average population coverage by mobile network operators reached 95% between 2022 and 2025. Internet subscriptions rose from 10.4 million in 2021 to 14.7m in 2025, meaning more Zambians are not only within network range but are actively using digital services in their daily lives. “The economic contribution is equally telling. The ICT sector accounted for 1.8% of Zambia’s 4% GDP growth in 2024, demonstrating that infrastructure investment is translating into tangible economic output,” the statement points out. To support growth, the World Bank-funded $100m Zambia Skills Training for Resilience and Industry Valued Employment (STRIVE) project aligns digital skills with occupational training in priority sectors. ER