What happens when technology is designed around the way Zambian businesses actually work?
That is the question behind Keji Labs, a Lusaka-based digital agency co-founded by David Mboma.
The company builds websites, digital systems and AI-powered automations for Zambian businesses and clients beyond the country.
Its starting point is simple: technology needs to work in the environment where it is being used.
For businesses operating with unreliable connectivity, local payment systems and highly specific workflows, imported solutions do not always fit neatly. Keji Labs sees those realities as design requirements rather than obstacles.
The company is also incorporating AI into its work, using it for automation, data analysis and smarter business systems where there is a clear practical benefit.
From problem to product
Keji Labs typically begins with the client's problem rather than a predetermined technology.
That could mean helping a business improve its online presence, automate repetitive work or make better use of the information it already has.
The team then develops, tests and refines a solution before launch, with continued support after delivery.
The company describes its position as somewhere between the individual freelancer and the large agency: a relatively small team that can remain closely involved while bringing expertise across software development, QA, cybersecurity, blockchain and AI.
KSJ Interview: David Mboma, Co-Founder of Keji Labs
KSJ: What gap are you trying to fill in the market?
David Mboma: A lot of businesses know they need technology, but they don't always know what technology they actually need.
We try to start with the business problem and work backwards. Instead of selling a product first, we ask: what's taking up your time, where are you losing money, and what could work better?
KSJ: You talk about building for African realities. What does that mean in practice?
Mboma: It means paying attention to things that can easily be overlooked—connectivity, payment methods, how people actually use a system and the way businesses operate locally.
Those details can determine whether a product is genuinely useful or simply looks good in a demonstration.
KSJ: Where does AI come into that?
Mboma: AI is another tool in the toolbox. We use it when it can genuinely improve the solution.
For example, it can handle repetitive processes, help analyse information or make certain systems more responsive. But we don't want to use AI just to put “AI” on a proposal.
KSJ: What does a client experience when they work with Keji Labs?
Mboma: Usually, it starts with a conversation. They tell us what they're trying to achieve, and we figure out what the technology should look like.
From there we develop, test, make the necessary fixes and launch. We also remain available afterwards because launching a system isn't the end of the relationship.
KSJ: Why work with a smaller agency rather than a freelancer or a large agency?
Mboma: We're small enough to know our clients and their projects properly, but we have people with different technical skills.
Our clients aren't just another number. We want to understand their business and see whether what we've built is actually making a difference.
KSJ: Your team is relatively young. How do you balance that with experience?
Mboma: We're a youthful team, but the people have experience across different areas—development, QA, cybersecurity, blockchain and AI.
We're also very conscious that we're representing more than ourselves. We want to demonstrate that people building from Zambia can deliver work that stands alongside what is being produced elsewhere.
KSJ: How quickly can you deliver?
Mboma: It depends on the project. A website rebuild can take six to eight weeks, while a complex automation system could take three to four months.
AI-assisted development has also allowed us to move much faster on smaller projects. Some can be delivered in about two weeks, including development, testing, fixes and launch.
KSJ: Where do you want Keji Labs to be in the next few years?
Mboma: We want to take on larger systems, develop more specialised AI capabilities and build longer-term partnerships rather than just one-off projects.
We're also interested in documenting what we learn and sharing that with other people building technology in Zambia.
Ultimately, we want to show that Africa can build its own technology and doesn't have to follow someone else's playbook.
The bigger ambition
Keji Labs is still a young company, but its proposition reflects a broader shift in Africa's technology sector.
The opportunity is no longer simply to bring existing digital products into African markets. It is increasingly about building products around the realities of those markets—and then seeing how far those products can travel.
For Mboma and his team, the ambition is captured in the company's tagline:
Technology that Serves You.
Keji Labs
The Team:
Bwalya Nonde
Twiza Sinyangwe
Chipili Nonde
Emmanuel Mwandalesa
Contact: +260 961 608 752
Website: Currently under development
