Zambia Plans Telecom Upgrade Drive as Service Complaints Rise
May 20th 2026
- Zambia allocates $11.9 million to improve national telecom infrastructure
- Funding targets network upgrades and expanded rural connectivity coverage
- Rising digital demand increases pressure on African telecom service quality
Zambia’s government plans to spend 225 million kwacha ($11.9 million) to improve telecommunications services across the country as demand for digital connectivity grows.
Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati announced the funding on Thursday, May 14, at the third edition of the Digital Economy Roundtable (DERT III), which brought together telecom operators, regulators and technology firms to discuss digital infrastructure, service quality, connectivity expansion and Zambia’s participation in the global digital economy.
The funds will support infrastructure upgrades, network modernization and efforts to expand coverage, particularly in rural areas, Mutati said.
The announcement comes as consumers across Africa increasingly complain about poor telecom services, including slow internet speeds, dropped calls, network congestion during peak periods, unstable mobile money platforms and recurring outages. Zambia’s telecoms regulator fined operators Airtel and MTN in 2025 over service disruptions.
Consumers and regulators are putting increasing pressure on telecom operators as demand for connectivity rises across the continent, driven by the rapid growth of digital services.
The expanding use of video streaming, digital payments, cloud computing, remote work tools and artificial intelligence applications is increasing data consumption and putting additional pressure on telecom infrastructure.
The GSMA, the global association of mobile operators, said improved service quality could enhance digital access and create new opportunities for individuals and businesses.
Zambia had 23.05 million mobile subscriptions and 7.29 million internet subscriptions at the end of 2025, according to DataReportal.
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