E-Government Development in Zambia

As of 2024, Zambia ranked 130th in the UN E-Government Development Survey (compared to 131th in 2022), with an EGDI of 0,55. This places it in the 18th place among African countries.

According to the World Bank GovTech Maturity Index, Zambia was among the countries with “some” focus (C category) on GovTech with GTMI amounting to 0.554 (compared to the Sub-Saharan average of 0.394).

Data Privacy Law

The Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 provides a framework for the use and protection of personal data. It establishes the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, responsible for enforcing data protection regulations, registering data controllers, and licensing data auditors. The personal data is defined as data which relates to an individual who can be directly or indirectly identified from that data which includes a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

Cybercrime Law

The Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 addresses cyber security services, protection of critical information infrastructure, and cybercrime offenses. It establishes the Zambia Computer Incidence Response Team (ZCIRT) and the National Cyber Security Advisory Council. The Act outlines provisions for intercepting communications and managing electronic evidence in legal proceedings. ​

Interoperability Framework

2023 Electronic Government (General) Regulations requires all e-government systems to be interoperable  ensure seamless integration of digital services across government agencies.

Electronic Signature Law

The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 4 of 2021 provides a legal framework for electronic transactions, including the use of secure electronic signatures and the regulation of electronic communications.

The Ministry of Technology and Science acts as the central policy making body in charge of ICT, digital economy, and science and innovation. According to the official mandate, the Ministry is responsible for formulating policies and strategies related to technology and overseeing their implementation across sectors. The Department of Communications within the Ministry is specifically responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of appropriate ICT tools and ICT capacity-building programs. The Department coordinates, collaborates and liaises with two Statutory Agency and one Government State Owned Companies, namely The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL, national operator) and Zambia Postal Services Corporation (ZAMPOST). Its specific functions include  policy formulation, review and implementation encompassing ICT, coordination of ICT and postal activities involving public and private sectors and monitoring and evaluation of  ICT policy implementation. 

The Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) is the regulatory authority for the ICT and telecommunications sector under the Ministry of Technology and Science. It is authorised by three Acts — the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 21, the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Act No. 15 of 2009, and the Postal Services Act No. 22 of 2009. ZICTA’s statutory mandate includes licensing and monitoring of telecom operators, spectrum management, ensuring fair competition, and protecting consumer rights. It also plays a crucial role in enforcing digital laws, including the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act (2021), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (2021), and the Data Protection Act (2021). 

The Smart Zambia Institute (SZI), operating administratively under the Office of the President, is the primary implementing agency for e-governance and digital public service reforms. Its core responsibilities include managing ZamPortal (the government’s one-stop-shop for digital services), the Government Service Bus (GSB), and the Zambia National Data Centre. It is also tasked with developing and implementing e-governance projects, interoperability frameworks, monitoring digital projects across ministries, and ensuring alignment with the national e-Government Master Plan. 

The Data Protection Commission of Zambia is the national authority responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021, which regulates the collection, processing, storage, and transfer of personal data. Established under the Act, the Commission became fully operational in 2025 and plays a key role in safeguarding individuals’ data privacy rights. Its main responsibilities include registering and licensing data controllers and processors, monitoring compliance with the law, conducting audits, and applying sanctions for violations.

Launched in 2019, ZamPortal serves as Zambia’s centralized e-government platform, offering citizens access to a wide array of public services. As of 2025, the platform provides access to 346 services from  various government agencies.  Services are available to both individuals and companies, and users can create accounts linked to their National Registration Card (NRC).  ZamPortal is integrated with secure electronic payment options, including mobile money, credit/debit cards, and online banking.

From a technical standpoint, the ZamPortal platform is powered by the Government Service Bus, which serves as a middleware for data exchange between government databases. The portal is also designed to be accessible via mobile devices, contributing to Zambia’s digital inclusion agenda. According to the Zambia ICT Survey for  2022 conducted by ZICTA, 25,8 % of the households use ZamPortal on a regular basis.  The portal is available only in English.

Source: ZamPortal

Government Service Bus (GSB)

The Government Service Bus (GSB) in Zambia serves a national digital integration platform that connects various government institutions, departments, and agencies. By facilitating seamless data exchange and interoperability, the GSB enhances the efficiency and accessibility of public services, ensuring data exchange and payments between government agencies. As of 2024, approximately 40 government agencies have been integrated into the GSB.  ​

The performance monitoring metrics show that the website requires improvement in order to provide good user experience.

The website’s First Contentful Paint (FCP) amounts to 3.2 seconds, while the average length is 0.9s. The Speed Index stands at 3.3s, with a figure representing good user experience amounts to 1.3s or less. The Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is 3.5s (good user experience — 1.2s). The main page’s Time to Interactive stands at 3.3s (good user experience — 2.5s).  Total Blocking Time (TBT) is 0ms (average — 150ms). Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) takes 0.01 (good user experience — 0.1 or less).

The portal is visited by 70 thousand visitors monthly – which is insignificant compared to the population of Zambia exceeding 21 million people.

Security

The website possesses TLS 1.2, and TLS 1.3 certificates. SSL 2 and SSL 3 are not available. It uses a valid certificate issued by DigiCert Global Root CA.

Accessibility

The website’s main page has 3 errors, namely 3 empty buttons with no text or value. The front page also has 19 contrast errors meaning very low contrast between text and background colors. The website possesses 11 ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes.

Integrated National Registration Information System (INRIS)

Launched in 2022, Zambia’s Integrated National Registration Information System (INRIS) represents a major step for the country’s identity management system. It assigns a unique national identity number at birth, replacing the previous system that issued IDs at age 16. By October 2023, over one million individuals had been registered. The system also includes the issuance of biometric-enabled ID cards incorporating fingerprints and facial recognition data. To modernize identity records, over 81% of legacy paper-based civil records had been digitized by mid-2024, while biometric data for approximately 1.3 million citizens had been collected by May 2024.

To support this infrastructure, Zambia has adopted the Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP), which ensures secure and scalable identity management, improves interoperability among government services, and enables electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) processes, particularly in finance and healthcare.

Furthering the reach of legal identity, a nationwide mobile registration campaign was launched in April 2025, aiming to issue National Registration Cards (NRCs) to 3.5 million citizens, with a focus on remote and underserved areas. This three-month initiative is designed to promote inclusive access to legal identification.

 In the electoral domain, Zambia began using biometric technology in 2021, when the Electoral Commission deployed 1,000 Smartmatic e-Poll books equipped with fingerprint scanners and facial recognition. This move significantly enhanced the security and credibility of the voter authentication process.

The Zambia Tax Online (ZRA e-Services) portal is the official digital platform of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) for managing tax-related activities. It enables taxpayers to register for a Taxpayer Identification Number (TPIN), file returns such as VAT, income tax, and PAYE, make payments, request tax clearance certificates, and view submission and payment history. 

Access to the portal requires a TPIN and password; first-time users must activate their TPIN through the registration system. Besides, ZamPortal allows citizen to file Tax Clearance Certificate online.  

In addition, Zambia has implemented the Value Added Tax (Cross Border Electronic Services) Regulations, 2024, mandating non-resident digital service providers to register, collect, and remit VAT using a simplified registration system. This initiative aims to ensure equitable taxation in the evolving digital economy and enhance revenue collection from international digital services. ​Non-resident digital services providers are required to register if they exceed a threshold of ZMW 800,000 (USD 29 000) per annum or ZMW 200,000 (USD 8 000) per quarter for sales arising from Zambia. The operation can be done through the ZamPortal.

Zambia is steadily advancing its digital education agenda through a combination of government-led programs and technology-based initiatives. The Astria Learning Management System (LMS), launched in 2020, supports the country’s transition to online learning. This cloud-based platform enables institutions to manage and monitor educational programs with tools for real-time course tracking, mobile access, and automated progress monitoring. It offers virtual classrooms, multimedia resources, collaborative workspaces, and personalized learning paths that adapt to individual student needs. Astria LMS also integrates smoothly with existing systems, providing flexibility for schools adapting to digital education.

In 2022, the Ministry of Education introduced the Zambia Learning Passport, an online platform offering video lessons for Grades 5–12, as well as selected content for younger learners. It includes materials to support exam preparation, teacher resources, and audio lessons available in English and seven local languages: Chitonga, Cinyanja, Icibemba, Kikaonde, Lunda, Luvale, and Silozi. The platform is designed to be accessible and inclusive, supporting continued learning across diverse regions and linguistic groups.

Source: Zambia Learning Passport

Another major initiative is iSchool, which delivers interactive e-learning content through Mwabu tablets for use in schools, by teachers, and at home. Rather than replacing classroom teaching, iSchool complements it with curriculum-aligned digital lessons in English and eight major Zambian languages, including Bemba, Tonga, and Nyanja. The lessons incorporate animations, narrated stories, and interactive exercises aimed at developing critical thinking and self-directed learning. First piloted in 20 Lusaka schools in 2010, the project has since expanded to include upper primary grades and more schools nationwide. The iSchool model includes not only the tablets but also projectors, printers, charging trolleys, solar power solutions, teacher training, and ongoing technical support. Its group-based rotation system is particularly effective in large classrooms, allowing teachers to engage with smaller groups of students more directly.

Source: Bizbwana

To strengthen the foundation for these digital learning initiatives, the National Electronic Government Plan 2023–2026 includes significant investments in digital infrastructure. As part of the plan, the Government will expand the Government Wide Area Network (GWAN) to cover all 12,450 educational facilities. This is aimed at improving connectivity and enabling consistent access to electronic services and digital learning platforms across the education sector.

Launched in 2023, SmartCare Professional builds on Zambia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its health information systems, following the Evaluate for Health (E4H) program funded by USAID in 2021. The platform continues this trend by replacing earlier versions—SmartCare Legacy and SmartCare Plus—with a more integrated and workflow-oriented system.

SmartCare Professional is a web-based electronic health record (EHR) platform with centralized data storage, accessed through a secure login. It is designed around clinical processes to support healthcare providers in delivering services efficiently.

Source: SmartCare Pro

The system includes modules for outpatient and inpatient care, capturing patient complaints, medical histories, examinations, diagnoses, and treatment plans. It also records vital signs and anthropometric data, with alerts for values outside normal ranges.

SmartCare Pro supports a range of services, including HIV testing, post- and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PEP and PrEP), and antiretroviral therapy for adults and children. These modules are linked to testing and follow-up workflows.

Other key features include a pharmacy module for prescriptions and drug dispensing, and an investigations module for ordering and viewing lab, pathology, and radiology tests. Integration with the DISA system enables the exchange of test orders and results across platforms.

The platform also supports vaccination tracking (including COVID-19), family planning, birth and death registration, appointment management, and entry of historical data from paper records—helping facilities maintain comprehensive and coordinated patient care.

Zambia has progressively incorporated biometric technology into its electoral process. The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) maintains a centralized voter database containing both biometric and biographic data, used in the 2011, 2016, and 2021 general elections. Since 2010, in partnership with Smartmatic, the ECZ has conducted periodic voter registration exercises using portable kits. In 2020, a nationwide update collected ten fingerprints and ICAO-compliant facial photographs from each voter to improve data accuracy and enable biometric deduplication through an Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

In 2021, biometric e-Poll books were deployed at polling stations to authenticate voters using fingerprint and facial data, aiming to reduce identity-related fraud. According to the European Union Election Observation Mission Final Report (Zambia 2021), the 2020 voter registration exercise introduced a new biometric voter register, which removed approximately 1.4 million deceased voters from the previous roll. The final register, certified in May 2021, included 7,023,499 voters, covering 83.2% of eligible citizens. It also, for the first time, included 11,359 prisoners, following legal changes that expanded eligibility. Restrictions on voter registration for persons with mental disabilities were also revised to align with legal definitions of capacity.

The voter card was issued electronically at the point of registration. Voters were able to verify and correct their details during a designated inspection period. However, the process faced criticism for limited timeframes, insufficient registration locations, and lack of broad consultation. Concerns were also raised about uneven issuance of national registration cards (NRCs), which affected access to registration in some regions.

Zambia does not yet have a unified e-Justice platform that fully integrates all digital elements of the justice system, but several targeted efforts are underway to modernize judicial processes through technology.

One of the major initiatives is the development of an Electronic Case Management System (e-CMS), led by the Judiciary of Zambia in partnership with Synergy International Systems. The system aims to streamline operations across all levels of the judiciary—from the Supreme Court to Subordinate Courts—by replacing manual processes with digital workflows. It is designed to address issues such as delays, inefficiencies, and data security gaps, while improving record tracking, coordination, and access to timely justice.

Parallel to this, the Judiciary has implemented the digitalization of court records to address the long-standing problem of missing files. As of the end of 2019, over 113,000 case records—comprising more than 1.9 million documents—had been scanned in key jurisdictions including Lusaka, Kitwe, and Ndola.

Courtroom modernization is also in progress. Selected courtrooms in Lusaka, Kitwe, and Ndola have been equipped with audio-visual systems, including projectors, public address systems, digital exhibit tools, and real-time court reporting technologies. The Judiciary has recruited and trained 83 real-time court reporters, significantly reducing the time needed to produce transcripts for judicial decision-making.

Zambia has also introduced the use of audio-visual technology in legal proceedings, particularly for receiving oral evidence remotely. Legally recognized under Rule 2(8), this allows witnesses to testify via video link from within or outside the country. However, current regulations limit the use of such technology to oral testimony only, and there are ongoing concerns regarding procedural clarity, judicial discretion, and the reliability of remote witness assessments.

Some limited online legal services are available through platforms like ZamPortal, such as the registration of court orders related to land. However, these services are isolated and not part of a broader integrated digital justice system.

Zambia’s efforts to digitalize sectors such as justice and agriculture remain fragmented and largely in early stages. While notable initiatives exist, they are often implemented in isolation and without coordination under a national strategy. This is reflected in studies such as Digital Technology in Zambian Agriculture: A Scoping Report by Nkumbu Nalwimba (PLAAS Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies), which highlights the absence of a national policy on agricultural digitalisation and the limited impact of current interventions. A more coordinated approach could support more consistent and effective use of digital technologies across sectors.

Zambia has implemented a number of technological solutions to strengthen environmental monitoring and disaster preparedness. 

The mobile air quality monitoring caravan, procured  with  the  support  of Zambia  Mining  and  Environmental  Remediation and Improvement Project (ZMERIP) whose obligation as part of  its  objectives is  to support regulatory agencies with  the  enhancement of  institutional capacity for environmental governance and compliance, enhances the Zambia Environmental Management Agency’s capacity to enforce environmental standards. Stationed in Lusaka and the Northern region, the caravan monitors pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and total suspended particles. It also records climatic variables like humidity and wind speed. Equipped with solar panels, gas sensors, particle refraction units, and a modem, the caravan transmits real-time data to a central server in Lusaka. 

The Zambia Drought Monitoring System (ZADMS), launched in February 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from the International Water Management Institute, is a satellite-based system designed to manage drought risk more effectively. It integrates data from multiple satellite and local sources to provide national- and district-level seasonal, sub-seasonal, and seven-day weather forecasts. ZADMS enables authorities to detect the onset and severity of droughts and implement predefined contingency plans. It offers visual tools like on-screen maps and drought bulletins to support timely, informed decision-making aimed at minimizing the impacts of prolonged dry spells on communities and agriculture.

e-Procurement

The Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System is a web-based platform facilitating the tendering process for both buyers and suppliers launched in 2018 by Zambia Public Procurement Authority. e-GP Platform supports the process of procuring works, services and supplies electronically. Different public procurement procedures are supported for both one-off or repetitive purchases through several dedicated sub-modules providing facilities for user registration, tender notification, bid preparation and submission, online bid evaluation, contract awarding, creation and management of catalogue-based information, placement of electronic purchase orders, electronic Invoicing and order tracking.

Business Registration

The Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) provides online services for business name and company registrations. Through its portal, users can register businesses, file returns, and access various registration-related services, streamlining the process for entrepreneurs and investors.

Licensing System

The Business Licensing Portal enables businesses to obtain information on the licenses required for their operations. By providing a centralized database of licenses, permits, and certificates, the system simplifies processes for businesses. Website, however, provides only information and does not allow customers to obtain a license online. Registration of a New Business Entity can be executed via ZamPortal. 

Source: Business Licensing Portal

Artificial intelligence is not yet in use in Zambia’s public sector, but in 2024 the Ministry of Technology and Science launched the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024–2026 to lay the foundation for its future adoption. The strategy aims to leverage AI to support economic growth, improve public services, and promote inclusive development across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education, and finance.

It outlines the creation of a National AI Council and sector-specific working groups to guide ethical AI use, ensure data protection, and align with international standards. The strategy also focuses on building local capacity through education, workforce training, and public awareness, alongside investments in digital infrastructure such as cloud data centers.

To support innovation, the strategy encourages collaboration between government, academia, and startups, and promotes the creation of AI hubs and incubators. Implementation is structured in phases, starting with governance setup and pilot projects, followed by scaling AI education and infrastructure. A monitoring and evaluation framework will track progress and ensure accountability.

Interoperability between government systems remains partial. Although the Government Service Bus (GSB) and ZamPortal have been launched, many services (like health, education, and law enforcement) are not yet integrated, and legacy systems persist. Interoperability is still being developed across ministries.
For example, most of tax-related matters are handled via the ZRA Portal, not through the Zamportal. 

Rural areas lack adequate access to digital services and skills. As of 2022, only 14.6% or rural population were reported to be Internet users.

Automatic translations to the most widespread local languages, such as Nyanja, Tonga or Lozi, is lacking for the most of websites, including the ZamPortal, which is available only in English.

Internet of Environment solutions adopted by the government look promising.  Currently Zambia integrates remote sensing, weather stations, drought management systems and digital forecasting tools. Further development of such services could strengthen the process of digitalization of agriculture and enhance disaster preparedness.

Adoption of a comprehensive AI strategy could boost the launch of AI-based initiatives in Zambia. Further development and investments may have a strong potential in the future.

The elevation of role of Smart Zambia Institute as the leading agency for digital transformation for public institutions in 2023 may boost coordination of the implementation of full-scale e-governance projects.

Authors:

Nikolai Golovko

Pavel Bianki