Zambia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

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Last updated: 16 Apr 2025 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 200

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

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