• Zambia unveils AI strategy to boost jobs, governance, skills
• Plans include innovation hubs, pilot projects, AI training center
• Government targets 8% GDP boost by 2030 through AI adoption

In Zambia, government and civil society officials met on Thursday, August 21, to discuss how artificial intelligence will affect governance and employment. Brilliant Habeenzu, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Technology and Science, presented the government's plan for a national AI strategy and a science, technology, and innovation policy. This plan aims to regulate AI use, improve data protection, create innovation hubs, and advance digital skills training.

According to the World Bank, about 90% of young Zambians were on the economic sidelines in 2023 due to a lack of relevant training. The government hopes to reverse this trend with AI by creating opportunities in digital services, agrotechnology, and telecommunications.

The National AI Strategy (2024–2026) includes the deployment of pilot projects within government and key sectors such as agriculture, education, and health. Following its adoption, the Ministry of Technology and Science announced in September 2024 the launch of an AI Center of Excellence at the University of Zambia in partnership with Google and the ZAMREN academic network. The administration estimates that AI could boost the national GDP by nearly 8% by 2030, despite a dominant informal economy and a slowdown in GDP to 4.5% in the first quarter of 2025.

The challenge remains in transforming these ambitions into concrete training and real jobs, especially in rural areas. The experience of other African countries shows that community digital hubs can have a significant impact. In Benin, the Guerra Tech Hub in Parakou has already trained more than 120 young women and 500 educators, and it has raised awareness among more than 15,000 people. In Côte d’Ivoire, the Yango Fellowship in Abidjan aims to train several hundred thousand young people to strengthen the local ecosystem.

Initially written in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Mouka Mezonlin