Zambia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 16 Apr 2025 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 200

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Zambians encouraged to engage with e-government services

Following elections held in August 2021, the new government immediately established a Ministry of Technology and Science to promote the use of ICT in developing economic growth and social inclusion. This focus on ICT, and on telecoms in particular, has been central to government strategies for some years. As part of the Smart Zambia initiative, investment has been made in data centres, a computer assembly plant, ICT training centres, and a Smart Education program. The government has facilitated engagement with citizens via a Citizen Support Portal, launched in January 2025.

These efforts have been combined with the extension of broadband access and improved connectivity to international submarine cables. In turn, this has resulted in a considerable reduction in fixed-line and mobile access pricing for end-users. Nevertheless, there remain several taxes on telecom services which are considered to inhibit stronger engagement by end-users, and to discourage new investment by telcos. The government has been encouraged to eliminate the new levy on m-money transactions, which are expected to negatively affect the usage of m-payments as it increases the cost of using such payment platforms, and to reduce the corporate tax on telecom services from 35% to 30%. There is also an excise duty on telecom services which remains at 17.5%, which has reduced their affordability and inhibited the country’s progress in the adoption and usage of ICT.

Following the allocation of additional spectrum in mid-2022, MTN Zambia and Airtel Zambia both launched 5G services soon afterwards. While these services have a limited reach, the government has looked to close down GSM and 3G networks with a view to having LTE and 5G as the principal technologies for providing mobile broadband services. This will go some way to delivering the universal internet coverage which forms part of the government’s ICT strategy and ambitions for a digital economy transformation.

Key developments

Government launches ZamFree Wi-Fi service.
Zambia and Burundi agree to build a fibre cable under Lake Tanganyika.
Government imposes levy on mobile money transactions.
Smart Zambia Institute unveils the Public Service Change Management Framework to help citizens engage with e-government services.
Report update includes the regulator’s market updates to December 2024, operator data to Q4 2024, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report

Zambia Telecommunications (Zamtel, LAP Green), MTN Zambia; Bharti Airtel, Cell Z (Zamtel), ZamNet, Coppernet Solutions, UUNet Zambia, Microlink Technologies, AfriConnect, Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO), Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), Comium

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Taxes

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecommunications Act 1994
ICT Policies
ICT Act 2009
Regulatory Framework 2017
Telecom sector liberalisation
International gateways
Licensing
New unified licensing regime 2009
Universal Access Fund (UAF)
Infrastructure sharing
Privatisation
Quality of Service (QoS)
Converged licensing

Mobile network developments

SIM card registration
Spectrum auctions
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
Roaming

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile data

Mobile broadband
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

Airtel Zambia (formerly Zain/Celtel, Zamcell)
MTN Zambia
Zamtel Mobile (formerly Cell Z)
Vodafone Zambia
UZI Zambia
Zed Mobile

Mobile content and applications

M-commerce
M-payment and m-banking

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Broadband statistics
Public internet access locations
Community telecentres

Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Leased lines
Other fixed broadband services

Fixed network operators

Zamtel

CDMA2000 wireless local loop (WLL)

ZESCO
Liquid Intelligent Technologies (LIT)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
National backbone networks
Data centres
International infrastructure

Terrestrial cables
Submarine cables
Satellite

Digital economy

E-health
E-learning
E-government
E-banking

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Zambia – 2025 (e)
Table 2 – Voice interconnection rates for operators (ZMW / minute) – 2013 – 2022
Table 3 – SMS interconnection rates for operators (ZMW per message) – 2013 – 2022
Table 4 – Change in mobile voice tariffs (ZMW / minute ) – 2012 – 2024
Table 5 – Change in annualised mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Table 6 – Change in the number of unique mobile subscriptions by operator – 2020 – 2023
Table 7 – Change in the market share of mobile subscriptions by operator – 2010 – 2024
Table 8 – Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 9 – Development of mobile market revenue and capex (ZMW million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 10 – Growth in mobile network outgoing domestic voice traffic – 2012 – 2024
Table 11 – Increase in average mobile voice traffic per subscriber – 2012 – 2024
Table 12 – Development of SMS traffic – 2012 – 2024
Table 13 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 14 – Growth in mobile broadband network bandwidth capacity (Tb/s) – 2019 – 2024
Table 15 – Change in the number of mobile sites by platform – 2016 – 2024
Table 16 – Increase in the number of mobile towers – 2019 – 2024
Table 17 – Development of mobile geographic coverage by operator – 2012 – 2024
Table 18 – Development of Airtel Zambia’s financial data (ZMW million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 19 – Growth in the number of Airtel Zambia’s mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2024
Table 20 – Change in the number of MTN Zambia’s mobile sites by technology – 2017 – 2024
Table 21 – Development of MTN Zambia’s financial data (ZAR million) – 2012 – 2024
Table 22 – Development of MTN Zambia’s financial data (ZMW million) – 2016 – 2024
Table 23 – Change in MTN Zambia’s mobile service revenue (ZAR million) – 2018 – 2024
Table 24 – Change in the number of MTN Zambia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Table 25 – Development of MTN Zambia’s mobile ARPU – 2013 – 2024
Table 26 – Growth in the number of Zamtel’s mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2023
Table 27 – Increase in the value of m-money transactions – 2017 – 2024
Table 28 – Increase in the volume of m-money transactions – 2017 – 2024
Table 29 – Change in the number of m-money subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Table 30 – Growth in the number of MTN Zambia’s m-money subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Table 31 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 32 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2025
Table 33 – Growth in the number of FttB subscribers – 2012 – 2025
Table 34 – Decline in fixed-line market revenue – 2014 – 2024
Table 35 – Decline in fixed-line ARPU – 2014 – 2024
Table 36 – Decline in Zamtel’s fixed-line revenue – 2014 – 2023
Table 37 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 38 – Change in annualised fixed-line ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Table 39 – Development of fixed-line voice traffic (million minutes) – 2012 – 2024
Table 40 – Decline in average fixed-line voice traffic per subscriber – 2012 – 2024
Table 41 – Decline in fixed-line revenue – 2021 – 2024
Table 42 – Increase in fibre network backbone length and capacity – 2023 – 2024
Table 43 – Increase in the number of data centre racks – 2023 – 2024
Table 44 – Increase in data centre storage capacity (PB) – 2023 – 2024
Table 45 – Increase in data centre bandwidth usage (Mb/s) – 2023 – 2024
Table 46 – Increase in the number of data centre customers and revenue – 2023 – 2024
Table 47 – Growth in terrestrial network capacity (Gb/s) – 2019 – 2024
Table 48 – Growth in international internet bandwidth (Mb/s)– 2012 – 2023
Table 49 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 – 2011
Table 50 – Historic - Registered mobile SIM cards – 2012 – 2015
Table 51 – Historic - Zamtel mobile revenue (ZMW million) – 2012 – 2013
Table 52 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic - Internet users – 2000 – 2015
Table 54 – Historic - Internet connections by data rate – 2011 – 2015
Table 55 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2003 – 2008
Table 56 – Historic - Growth in the number of fixed-line internet subscribers and penetration – 2006 – 2011
Table 57 – Historic - International bandwidth – 2000 – 2011
Table 58 – Historic - Change in urban and rural household mobile penetration – 2015; 2018

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Africa – Market Leaders global ranking
Chart 3 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 4 – Africa – Market Challengers global ranking
Chart 5 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 6 – Africa – Market Emergents global ranking
Chart 7 – Africa – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 8 – Africa – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Africa – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Change in annualised mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2024
Chart 11 – Change in the number of unique mobile subscriptions by operator – 2020 – 2023
Chart 12 – Change in the market share of mobile subscriptions by operator – 2010 – 2024
Chart 13 – Growth in the number of active mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 14 – Development of mobile market revenue and capex – 2012 – 2024
Chart 15 – Growth in mobile network outgoing domestic voice traffic – 2012 – 2024
Chart 16 – Development of SMS traffic – 2012 – 2024
Chart 17 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 18 – Growth in mobile broadband network bandwidth capacity – 2019 – 2024
Chart 19 – Change in the number of mobile sites by platform – 2016 – 2024
Chart 20 – Development of Airtel Zambia’s financial data (ZMW million) – 2012 – 2024
Chart 21 – Growth in the number of Airtel Zambia’s mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2024
Chart 22 – Change in the number of MTN Zambia’s mobile sites by technology – 2017 – 2024
Chart 23 – Development of MTN Zambia’s financial data (ZAR) – 2012 – 2024
Chart 24 – Development of MTN Zambia’s financial data (ZMW) – 2016 – 2024
Chart 25 – Change in MTN Zambia’s mobile service revenue (ZAR) – 2018 – 2024
Chart 26 – Change in the number of MTN Zambia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2024
Chart 27 – Development of MTN Zambia’s mobile ARPU – 2013 – 2024
Chart 28 – Growth in the number of Zamtel’s mobile subscribers – 2014 – 2023
Chart 29 – Increase in the value of m-money transactions – 2017 – 2024
Chart 30 – Increase in the volume of m-money transactions – 2017 – 2024
Chart 31 – Change in the number of m-money subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Chart 32 – Growth in the number of MTN Zambia’s m-money subscribers – 2018 – 2024
Chart 33 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 34 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2025
Chart 35 – Growth in the number of FttB subscribers – 2012 – 2025
Chart 36 – Decline in fixed-line market revenue – 2014 – 2024
Chart 37 – Decline in Zamtel’s fixed-line revenue – 2014 – 2023
Chart 38 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 39 – Development of fixed-line voice traffic – 2015 – 2024
Chart 40 – Growth in terrestrial network capacity – 2019 – 2024
Chart 41 – Growth in international internet bandwidth – 2011 – 2023

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Africa – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Africa – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Africa – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Map of Zambia
Exhibit 7 – Spectrum awards 700MHz and 2600MHz – 2022

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Zambia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Zambians encouraged to engage with e-government services

Key developments

Companies mentioned in this report

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Digital economy

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views