• Zambia receives $120 mln World Bank grant to modernize digital public infrastructure.

• Project covers digital ID, e-signature, online payments and data-sharing systems.

• Part of strategy to make Zambia a digitally autonomous, inclusive nation by 2030.

The World Bank has approved a $120 million grant to help Zambia modernize its digital public infrastructure (DPI) as part of the country’s national digital transformation strategy. The announcement was made last week in Lusaka by Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati, in remarks delivered on his behalf by ministry HR director George Matulula at the launch of the ABSA Mobi Tap app.

Although authorities have not detailed the scope of the project, the World Bank said DPIs provide essential digital functions that can be reused across sectors, enabling public and private service providers to innovate and deploy services faster and more efficiently. Common DPI systems include digital identity, e-signatures, digital payments, and data-sharing platforms.

In July, the SMART Zambia Institute, the government’s e-government agency, announced plans to roll out a national electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) system. Authorities had earlier expressed their intention to draw on international best practices, including Ethiopia’s experience. Zambia has already introduced an e-signature service and ZamPay, a platform for online payments.

Under its digital transformation strategy, Zambia aims to become an integrated, inclusive and digitally autonomous nation by 2030. The government expects digitalization to drive productivity, improve efficiency and customer experience, and contribute to wealth creation and poverty reduction.

The World Bank noted, however, that DPIs are part of a wider digital ecosystem and rely on enablers such as broadband connectivity, devices, data centers, cloud services, and sector digitalization.

“Successfully developing and deploying DPIs requires broader ecosystem enablers, including whole-of-society digital transformation strategies; legal and regulatory frameworks for data governance, protection, and e-transactions; strong cybersecurity capacity; sound governance and oversight; and efforts to build digital literacy and skills across the public and private sector,” the institution said.