ZRA, ZAMTEL turn to local innovation to drive economic growth
Nation Reporter
ZRA, ZAMTEL turn to local innovation to drive economic growth
Content Type: Free
By MUBITA KATETE
THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Zamtel have partnered to harness local innovation and technology to improve public service delivery, strengthen revenue collection and support the country’s ambition of doubling its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2031.
Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati said the partnership, which includes a national innovation challenge targeting university students, would enable institutions to tap into the creativity and technical skills of young Zambians to develop homegrown solutions.
Mr Mutati said the country had talented innovators beyond established institutions whose ideas could help address challenges affecting public services, businesses and the economy.
Speaking during the launch of the 2026 ZRA-Zamtel Innovation Challenge, Mr Mutati urged the two institutions to extend their innovation initiatives across the country to identify solutions that respond to challenges in different communities.
“Lusaka has not got the monopoly of wisdom. The solutions are also out there, and you will be surprised when you get the best answers from other parts of Zambia,” he said.
He said ZRA, which collects more than 80 per cent of Government revenue, needed to continue strengthening tax compliance, improving revenue collection and deploying technology to minimise fraud.
Mr Mutati commended Zamtel for providing the connectivity and technological infrastructure supporting ZRA’s operations, including digital taxpayer services and fraud detection.
He said the partnership demonstrated the growing importance of technology in driving institutional performance and national development.
Meanwhile, Zamtel chief executive officer Jason Mwanza said the 2026 innovation challenge was designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical solutions by giving university students an opportunity to address real-life challenges.
Mr Mwanza said students would be expected to identify gaps in existing digital services, engage the people affected and develop solutions that improve efficiency and accessibility.
He said the challenge covered four thematic areas, namely youth digital lifestyle and innovation, inclusive digital finance and economic empowerment, intelligent digital customer and business ecosystems, and a smart and sustainable Zambia.
Mr Mwanza said the initiative would give young innovators an opportunity to showcase their abilities, interact with industry experts and contribute to the digital economy.
Meanwhile, ZRA Commissioner General Dingani Banda said the authority was planning to establish an innovation hub to strengthen the development of homegrown technologies and improve tax administration.
In a speech read on his behalf by Director of Innovation and Project Management, Mr Banda said ZRA had already developed solutions such as Tax Online, Tax on Phone, a Taxpayer Nudging System, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot and a customs valuation risk management engine.
Mr Banda said the authority was also working with the African Tax Administration Forum and the World Bank to develop cost-effective ICT solutions for African tax administrations.
He said last year’s technology innovation initiative attracted more than 270 students from 18 universities, with some participants subsequently securing internships and contributing to ZRA’s innovation programmes.
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