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Digital Transformation in Zambia: A Diagnostic Summary

Core Content

This report, Digital Economy Diagnostic Report, provides an in-depth analysis of Zambia's progress and challenges in digital transformation across five key pillars: Digital Infrastructure, Digital Skills, Digital Entrepreneurship, Digital Platforms, and Digital Financial Services (DFS). It outlines the current state, key findings, and recommendations to accelerate digital transformation in line with Zambia's 7th National Development Plan (7NDP) and broader development goals.

Main Findings

Digital Infrastructure

• Progress: All provincial centers are now linked to the fiber backbone, and a state-of-the-art data center is in place for both government and commercial use.
• Affordability: International benchmarks for broadband affordability have been met.
• Mobile Penetration: Mobile subscriptions reached 15.5 million in 2019, with 63.5% using broadband.
• Challenges: Last mile connectivity remains a significant gap, limiting access in sparsely populated areas. Connectivity costs are also a barrier due to low income levels.

Digital Skills

• Education System: Despite efforts to integrate ICT into the curriculum, most schools lack internet access, devices, and teacher training.
• Performance: Learners' pass rates in grade 12 are below expectations, raising concerns about the quality of general education.
• Digital Literacy: The country has not yet achieved a high level of digital literacy, which is essential for the full realization of digital transformation benefits.

Digital Entrepreneurship

• Growth: The number of ICT-related firms has increased between 2016 and 2019, with entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions in sectors like finance, education, and agriculture.
• Confidence: Entrepreneurial confidence is declining, and the country scores low on startup skills, technology absorption, and risk capital.
• Enabling Environment: While there are nascent private initiatives, the entrepreneurial ecosystem is still underdeveloped. The government has recognized the need for public-private partnerships to enhance the impact of its efforts.

Digital Platforms

• Government Services: The 7NDP includes targets for online service delivery. Zambia is among the top 10 least developed countries in the E-Government Development Index (EGDI).
• Progress: Internal government systems and G2B/G2P services are increasingly digitized.
• Challenges: Interoperability between systems is limited, reducing their effectiveness. Usage and usability are not consistently monitored, and some systems have limited scale or are deteriorating.

Digital Financial Services

• Growth: DFS adoption has increased significantly since 2016, driven by mobile money providers.
• Financial Inclusion: Access to financial accounts more than doubled from 21% in 2011 to 46% in 2017.
• Interoperability: A national payment switch was launched in June 2019, enabling domestic transaction interoperability, with plans to expand to point-of-sale and mobile money transactions by mid-2020.
• Challenges: Most government payments for social transfers and subsidies are not yet digitized. There is a pressing need for consumer protection measures as DFS continues to evolve.

Key Recommendations

Initiative 1: Promote Greater Use of Digital Technologies in the Economy

• Streamline compliance costs for connectivity providers.
• Strengthen government capacity in cybersecurity, data privacy, and consumer protection.
• Develop a roadmap for digital ID rollout that considers cost-benefit trade-offs.
• Partner with the private sector to identify and fill digital gaps.

Initiative 2: Reduce Government Transaction Costs and the Cost of Doing Business

• Implement digitally optimized government systems to increase efficiency and reduce leakages.
• Focus on improving the reliability and security of existing digital infrastructure.

Initiative 3: Improve Adoption of Digital Solutions by Enabling Entrepreneurship

• Support entrepreneurship through capacity-building programs and public-private partnerships.
• Address the gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster innovation and scalability.

Initiative 4: Leverage Data and Digital Systems to Improve Sector-specific Outcomes

• Expand the digitization of government payments to enhance efficiency and resilience for vulnerable populations.
• Use data to improve outcomes in secondary towns and rural areas, particularly in sectors like agriculture, education, and health.

Conclusion

Zambia has made notable progress in digital transformation, especially in infrastructure, DFS, and platforms. However, gaps in digital skills and entrepreneurship remain significant. To achieve the goals of the 7NDP and ensure sustainable development, the government must adopt a comprehensive digital transformation strategy that prioritizes efficiency, productivity, and accountability. The report emphasizes the need for continued investment in digital infrastructure, education, and an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, while also promoting public-private collaboration to maximize the impact of digital tools.