Zambia has taken a major step in advancing its digital transformation agenda after signing a Memorandum of Understanding between SMART Zambia and Huawei Technologies to jointly support the development of a National Artificial Intelligence Data Centre.
The agreement also includes a capacity-building programme that will see 5,000 ICT professionals trained by 2028 through Huawei’s Global Academy, aimed at strengthening Zambia’s digital skills pipeline and supporting long-term innovation capacity.
The announcement was made during the 2026 Zambia Mobile Congress in Lusaka, where Vice President W.K. Mutale Nalumango reiterated the government’s commitment to positioning the country as an active player in the global digital economy. She emphasized Zambia’s goal of becoming a smart, connected and competitive nation driven by technology-enabled growth and inclusive development. The partnership is expected to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered services across all 25 government ministries to improve efficiency, accessibility and service delivery to citizens.
SMART Zambia National Coordinator Percy Chinyama said ongoing investments in digital systems are already generating significant public sector efficiencies — including cost savings, improved transparency and enhanced service delivery across agriculture, healthcare, education and finance.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing reaffirmed China’s continued support for Zambia’s digital transformation journey, highlighting the importance of sustained cooperation in building resilient and future-ready digital infrastructure. Huawei Technologies Southern Region vice president for network operations Chen Li expressed the company’s commitment to supporting Zambia’s Vision 2030 objectives through continued investment in digital infrastructure and skills development.
The 2026 Zambia Mobile Congress is ongoing in Lusaka, bringing together stakeholders to shape the country’s roadmap toward a more digitally driven and intelligent economy.
