IN a significant milestone for Zimbabwe’s digital landscape, the government has revealed that the combined penetration rate for mobile phones and internet access has surpassed the 70 percent mark.
This achievement is attributed to the successful implementation of various ICT projects through the Universal Services Fund and by private players, alongside the arrival of Starlink satellite internet services.
The 50th Computer Society of Zimbabwe Annual Summit held in Victoria Falls this Friday saw the government reiterating its commitment to ensuring all citizens are connected.
“We are very excited that if you check our penetration rates, we are hovering above 70%. The least of them being the internet penetration rate, which is around 73%. The mobile penetration rates are above 90%. As a Ministry, we are saying we would not want to leave any place and anyone behind.
“Recently we licenced Starlink and we think that should actually cover those areas where it is geographically difficult to set up your ordinary infrastructure like fibre and so on and so forth,” said Ministry of ICT and Courier Services permanent secretary, Mrs Beaullah Chirume.
The Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Dr Tatenda Mavetera weighed in, “From education, e-commerce, agriculture, mining to health and all other sectors, technology is rapidly transforming how we live and relate. As government we are committed to promoting an environment that supports innovation, nurtures talent, and encourages the use of ICT in all sectors. Events like this summit are essential for Zimbabwe as they foster collaboration between the public and private sectors, a synergy that is key to our success as a nation.”
The five-day summit sought ways of harnessing the full potential of ICTs and propelling the country to an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
The National Development Strategy One (NDS1) identifies a digital economy as one of its 14 critical pillars, underscoring the importance of technology in transforming Zimbabwe’s economy.
Source: ZBC