Reported by: The Agency Media.
Date: 7th May, 2025.
Lusaka, Zambia.
Zambia is accelerating its ambition to become Southern Africa’s leading hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital resilience, as Minister of Technology and Science, Hon. Felix C. Mutati, unveiled the country’s comprehensive digital transformation blueprint at the 2025 Huawei ICT Congress, held at the InterContinental Hotel in Lusaka.
Delivering the keynote address to a distinguished audience including the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, His Excellency Han Jing and senior Huawei executives Minister Mutati presented a forward looking strategy built around five foundational pillars:
- Digital infrastructure
- Platforms
- Services and Security
- Digital literacy
- Skills and Innovation
At the core of this strategy is a sharpened focus on AI integration and digital security seen as essential drivers of inclusive economic growth and Zambia’s evolution into a knowledge based economy.
“Transformation is no longer a futuristic ideal it is an immediate necessity,” Mutati emphasized, citing the New Dawn Government’s Digital Transformation Strategy and the newly launched National AI Framework as key instruments in reshaping the country’s socio economic trajectory.
Central to his address was the vision “Accelerating All Intelligence” a holistic development philosophy that combines human ingenuity, institutional readiness, and cutting edge AI to address Zambia’s most urgent challenges. The Minister cited practical examples such as precision agriculture, intelligent energy systems, predictive healthcare and AI enhanced learning tools already making an impact across sectors.
Cybersecurity emerged as a dominant theme, with Mutati expressing concern over escalating threats in the digital space. He pointed to a global projection of over $10 trillion in cybercrime losses in 2025 and noted that mobile money transactions in Zambia alone had exceeded one billion in the first quarter of the year. In response, the government is intensifying the rollout of cybersecurity frameworks aimed at safeguarding public trust and protecting digital infrastructure.
“Trust is the currency of the digital age,” the Minister stated, affirming the government’s commitment to ensuring that security evolves alongside rapid technological adoption.
Minister Mutati also acknowledged Huawei’s vital role in Zambia’s digital ecosystem, particularly its efforts in extending digital services to underserved communities. Sharing a personal account from a recent visit to Muchila Village, he recounted the story of a young girl who gained access to quality education through a Huawei supported digital platform an example he described as “digital inclusion as human empowerment.”
He further praised Huawei’s collaborative initiatives with the ministry, including the Hakainde Hichilema Innovation Competition and the development of a national innovation hub both of which aim to cultivate a culture of creativity and tech-led entrepreneurship.
“Let us ensure that our digital progress is inclusive, innovative and sustainable,” Mutati concluded, officially opening the 2025 Huawei ICT Congress.
The event convened leaders from government, business and the tech sector to explore collaborative pathways toward a digitally secure, AI powered future cementing Zambia’s status as a rising force in Africa’s digital transformation landscape.
The Agency.