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Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Honourable Tatenda Mavetera, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accelerating digital transformation following a high-level ICTPCS stakeholders’ engagement meeting held on Tuesday. The digital transformation initiative represents a critical pillar in Zimbabwe’s economic development roadmap as the nation works toward achieving its ambitious Vision 2030 objectives.
The stakeholders’ engagement meeting served as a platform to review key milestones achieved in 2025 and outline strategic priorities for driving economic transformation under National Development Strategy 2. Digital transformation has been positioned as a central enabler of growth and inclusion, with the government emphasizing the critical role of technology in modernizing Zimbabwe’s economy and improving the quality of life for all citizens.
Among the major achievements highlighted during the digital transformation review was the finalization of Zimbabwe’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and National Cybersecurity Strategy. These comprehensive frameworks are aimed at fostering a secure, innovative, and resilient digital ecosystem that can support the country’s growing technological ambitions. The National AI Strategy positions Zimbabwe to harness artificial intelligence for economic development, while the National Cybersecurity Strategy ensures that digital transformation occurs within a protected environment that safeguards national interests and citizen data.
The development of these strategic documents represents months of consultation with industry experts, government agencies, and international partners. The digital transformation agenda recognizes that without robust cybersecurity measures and clear AI governance frameworks, the benefits of technological advancement cannot be fully realized or sustained over the long term.
Digital Inclusion Initiatives Expand Access
The Ministry also reported significant progress in expanding digital inclusion through several flagship initiatives designed to bring technology to underserved communities.
The Presidential Internet Scheme has been instrumental in providing affordable internet access to citizens across the country, particularly in areas where connectivity was previously limited or nonexistent. This digital transformation initiative directly addresses one of the key barriers to technological adoption in Zimbabwe.
Telemedicine programmes have emerged as a transformative force in healthcare delivery, enabling patients in remote areas to access medical consultations and specialist services without the need for extensive travel. The digital transformation of healthcare services has proven particularly valuable in improving maternal health outcomes and managing chronic conditions in rural communities.
The Digital Skills Ambassadors program represents another critical component of Zimbabwe’s digital transformation strategy. These ambassadors work at the community level to build technological literacy and confidence, ensuring that citizens can effectively utilize digital services and opportunities. The program recognizes that infrastructure alone cannot drive digital transformation without corresponding investments in human capacity development.
Community Digital Centres have been rolled out across the country, providing physical spaces where citizens can access computers, internet connectivity, and digital skills training. These centres serve as hubs for digital transformation at the grassroots level, enabling entrepreneurs to register businesses online, students to access educational resources, and community members to engage with e-government services.
Investment Growth and Connectivity Milestones
Investment in the ICT sector recorded notable growth during the review period, with digital transformation attracting increased capital flows. ICT investment increased by 14.5 percent, reflecting growing confidence in Zimbabwe’s technological future and the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for digital innovation. This investment growth spans telecommunications infrastructure, software development, digital services, and technology manufacturing.
Connectivity improvements have been particularly impressive, with Zimbabwe’s mobile penetration reaching 103 percent. This figure indicates that mobile device ownership has exceeded the population, with many citizens owning multiple devices or SIM cards. The achievement demonstrates the success of digital transformation efforts in making mobile technology accessible and affordable across diverse socioeconomic groups.
Internet penetration climbed to 83 percent, reflecting growing access to digital services nationwide. This digital transformation milestone means that the vast majority of Zimbabweans can now access online information, e-commerce platforms, digital financial services, and educational resources. The expansion of internet access has created new opportunities for entrepreneurship, remote work, and digital innovation across the country.
Honourable Mavetera emphasized that digital skills development, inclusivity, and public private partnerships remain critical pillars in the country’s ambition to build a fully digital economy by 2030. The digital transformation vision recognizes that technology must serve all citizens, not just urban elites or those already connected to the digital economy. Inclusivity ensures that women, youth, persons with disabilities, and rural populations can all participate in and benefit from digital opportunities.
Digital skills development has been identified as perhaps the most crucial element of sustainable digital transformation. Without a workforce equipped with relevant technological competencies, Zimbabwe cannot fully capitalize on digital opportunities or compete effectively in the global digital economy. The government has therefore prioritized coding boot camps, digital literacy programs, and partnerships with technology companies to build local capacity.
Public-private partnerships have proven essential in accelerating digital transformation while managing fiscal constraints. By leveraging private sector expertise, capital, and innovation, the government can expand digital infrastructure and services more rapidly than would be possible through public investment alone. These partnerships also ensure that digital transformation initiatives remain responsive to market needs and technological trends.
During the engagement, stakeholders raised several key concerns that require urgent attention to sustain digital transformation momentum. High data costs remain a significant barrier to internet adoption, particularly among low-income citizens and small businesses. The cost of connectivity in Zimbabwe remains higher than in many comparable markets, limiting the economic benefits that digital transformation can deliver. Stakeholders called for regulatory interventions and market reforms to drive down data prices and make internet access truly affordable for all.
Infrastructure gaps in rural areas continue to limit the reach of digital transformation efforts. While urban centres enjoy relatively robust connectivity, many rural communities still lack reliable electricity, telecommunications infrastructure, and last-mile connectivity. These infrastructure deficits create a digital divide that threatens to leave rural populations behind as the economy becomes increasingly digitized. Stakeholders emphasized the need for targeted infrastructure investments that prioritize underserved areas.
The need to accelerate local manufacturing of ICT hardware, such as laptops and mobile devices, emerged as another critical concern. Currently, Zimbabwe imports the vast majority of its technology hardware, creating foreign currency pressures and limiting opportunities for local skills development. Establishing domestic manufacturing capacity for digital transformation hardware would improve affordability, create jobs, build technical skills, and reduce the country’s import bill. Stakeholders called for incentives to attract technology manufacturers and support for local assembly operations.
The Minister acknowledged these challenges and assured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to working closely with fiscal authorities, local governments, and industry players to address the issues and fast-track practical digital transformation. The government recognizes that addressing data costs requires coordination between the telecommunications regulator, competition authorities, and operators to create a more competitive market environment. Infrastructure development in rural areas will require innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and development partner support.
On local manufacturing, the government indicated willingness to explore tax incentives, skills development programs, and partnerships with international technology companies to establish assembly and manufacturing operations in Zimbabwe. The digital transformation agenda recognizes that building a complete technology value chain, from manufacturing to software development, is essential for long-term competitiveness and self-sufficiency.
Honourable Mavetera expressed appreciation to industry partners for their continued collaboration in advancing Zimbabwe’s digital transformation objectives. TelOne Zimbabwe has been instrumental in expanding fixed line broadband infrastructure and supporting enterprise connectivity solutions. Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has driven mobile innovation and expanded network coverage to previously unserved areas.
NetOne Cellular has contributed to competition in the mobile market and supported government connectivity initiatives.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies has invested heavily in fibre optic infrastructure and international connectivity, positioning Zimbabwe as a potential digital hub for the region. Dandemutande has supported rural connectivity initiatives, while DFA has contributed expertise in digital financial services. The Information and Marketing Communication sector represented by IMC has played a crucial role in promoting digital literacy and awareness.
Powertel Communications has leveraged its infrastructure to expand connectivity options, while ZARNet has supported research and education networks that enable collaboration between universities and research institutions. The Computer Society of Zimbabwe has provided thought leadership on digital transformation policy and supported ICT skills development. Aura Group has contributed to enterprise digital solutions and cloud services adoption.
DHL has supported e-commerce growth through reliable logistics services that enable online retail, while Zimpost has modernized postal services to support digital commerce and financial inclusion. POTRAZ, as the telecommunications regulator, has provided the regulatory framework that enables competition and investment while protecting consumer interests. These partnerships demonstrate that digital transformation is a collaborative effort requiring alignment between government, regulators, telecommunications operators, technology companies, and service providers.
The Minister noted that these partnerships are vital to achieving Zimbabwe’s digital development goals and emphasized the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where private sector innovation can flourish. The digital transformation journey requires sustained collaboration, significant investment, policy coherence, and unwavering commitment to building a truly inclusive digital economy that benefits all Zimbabweans.
As Zimbabwe progresses toward Vision 2030, digital transformation will continue to serve as a fundamental enabler of economic growth, social development, and improved quality of life. The achievements recorded to date demonstrate that with strategic vision, effective partnerships, and inclusive policies, Zimbabwe can realize its ambition of becoming a fully digital economy that competes effectively in the global marketplace while ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the digital revolution.
