Zimbabwe signals shift to AI-driven digital economy at Telecommunications Conference
Date: 2026-04-03
By: Kanto Kai Okanta
Zimbabwe’s
Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, has called for
a transition from basic connectivity to intelligent digital innovation, as the
country advances its ambitions to build an AI-driven economy.
Speaking
at the third edition of the Business Times Zimbabwe Annual Telecommunications
Conference and Exhibition held at the Harare International Conference Centre,
the Minister said the country is entering a new phase of digital transformation
focused on leveraging connectivity to drive economic growth and national
development.
The
conference, held under the theme “Beyond Connectivity: Telecoms, AI and
Zimbabwe’s Digital Future,” comes on the heels of the launch of Zimbabwe’s
National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2026–2030) by President Emmerson
Mnangagwa.
Mavetera
said the strategy is anchored on six key pillars including talent development,
infrastructure, governance, ethics, research, and international collaboration.
She noted that Zimbabwe aims to position itself not only as a consumer of
artificial intelligence technologies but as a regional hub for AI-driven
solutions across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education.
She
further urged private sector players to increase investment in advanced digital
infrastructure capable of supporting high-performance computing and efficient
data flows, describing this as critical to unlocking innovation and
competitiveness.
Addressing
concerns around digital safety, the Minister disclosed that government is
finalising a Child Online Protection Policy and proposing legislation aimed at
safeguarding minors from cyber threats as digital adoption accelerates.
