This afternoon, the Under-15 Youth World Cup Tier B Winners, Zambia, were hosted at State House by His Excellency, the Republican President,&nbsp;Mr. Hakainde Hichilema. This is precisely what I had hoped for, and I am thrilled by the remarkable achievement of the boys and the entire FAZ Technical Team. Congratulations,&nbsp;colleagues and friends. Well done.​Now, after the luncheon has been served and everyone disperses, what next? How can this exceptional performance and achievement of the Under-15s be systematically replicated? Is it possible to design a national program of action that draws from a deep pool of raw talent and potential—not just for football, but across multiple sports disciplines?​I propose a national strategic program to shift our mindset: moving from perceiving sport merely as a leisure activity to treating it as a high-yield economic sector that generates jobs, creates corporate opportunities, and significantly boosts our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). My proposal stems from my experience as a teacher heavily involved in youth sports and as a manager running a sports football academy.​The Economic Case for Sport​Sport is not just a game; it is a major global economic engine. The global sports industry generates an estimated $2.3 trillion annually, with direct core sports market revenues (ticketing, media rights, and sponsorships) exceeding $417 billion and projected to reach $602 billion by 2030. Furthermore, sports tourism accounts for $672 billion in global spending, while the global sporting goods and apparel sector contributes another $675 billion to global GDP and supports over 28 million jobs worldwide.​Beyond economics, sport unites people across social and cultural divides, provides hosting nations with strategic country-branding platforms, and promotes public health by sustaining an active, productive workforce.​To commercialize sports as an industry and capture a fraction of this global valuation for Zambia, we must focus on seven key pillars:​1. Strategic Plan &amp; 25-Year Sports Policy​If we hope to excel across various sports disciplines, Zambia needs a clear 25-year National Strategic Plan and Policy framework.​Focus Areas: Identify core athletic disciplines where Zambia holds a competitive advantage for the next 25 years.​Target Setting: Establish measurable targets and budget allocations for each discipline.​Policy Architecture: Design a comprehensive National Sports Policy framework featuring robust governance standards, enforceable timelines, and actionable implementation roadmaps.​2. Schools &amp; Communities as Sports Talent Factories​Our school system and local communities are the fundamental factories producing athletes. To build a high-performance talent export engine, we must transform them into professional development hubs:​Infrastructure Restoration: Reclaim encroached sports grounds in urban centers and restore basic infrastructure for football, basketball, netball, volleyball, tennis, rugby, hockey, gymnastics, and swimming.​Reactivating Physical Education: Transition PE from purely theoretical instruction back to active, mandatory practical sessions.​Community Sports Preserves: Partner with municipal councils to safeguard dedicated open spaces in high-density areas (such as compounds in Lusaka, Ndola, and Kitwe) so children learn and play early.​High-Performance Centers: Build regional multi-sport high-performance centers equipped with sports science, video analytics, and specialized coaching to prepare top talent directly for international transfer markets.​3. Curriculum Redesign &amp; Flexible Learning Schedules​Our school curriculum currently penalizes young athletes. When the U-15 national team was competing abroad, their peers were in class. Returning athletes face rigid schedules without structured remedial support or supplementary exams, forcing many parents to pull children out of sports to safeguard their academic performance.​Flexible Academic Pathways: Review and redesign secondary and tertiary learning schedules to accommodate training camps and competition calendars.​Dual-Career Frameworks: Create modular online learning, summer terms, and tailored exam periods so student-athletes can pursue high-performance sports alongside academic qualifications without falling behind.​4. Infrastructure Investment &amp; Commercialization​Developing a sports economy requires substantial infrastructure investment combined with private-sector efficiency:​Corporate Tax Incentives: Introduce tax breaks for private corporations (e.g., mining firms, banks, telecommunications companies) that finance youth academies, leagues, or sports infrastructure.​Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Concession management of major assets like National Heroes Stadium and Levy Mwanawasa Stadium to private management firms. These venues should host non-sporting events (concerts, trade expos, conventions) up to 300 days a year to generate sustainable maintenance revenue.​Decentralized Community Hubs: Partner with local councils to construct revenue-generating, multi-purpose sports complexes (futsal courts, gymnasiums, padel courts) across the country.​5. Professional Human Capital &amp; Sports Education​A multi-million-dollar industry requires certified professionals to manage operations, sports law, and performance science.​Academic Programs: Partner with institutions like the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU) to launch specialized degree and diploma programs in Sports Management, Sports Law, Sports Medicine, Sports Marketing, and Facilities Engineering.​Technical Certification: Develop structured coaching and officiating certification tracks across all major sports.​6. International Partnerships &amp; Regional Event Hosting​To expand our reach, Zambia must leverage international expertise and capitalize on its natural assets:​Strategic Global Alliances: Build strategic partnerships with foreign federations—such as the USA for basketball, China for gymnastics and tennis, and South Africa or Europe for rugby and motorsport.​Regional Hosting Hub: Position Zambia as a preferred destination for COSAFA, CAF, and Region 5 competitions by bundling sports hosting with tourism.​Sports &amp; Eco-Tourism Integration: Leverage Zambia's topography to develop destination sports—such as white-water rafting and marathons in Livingstone, Chipata, and Mbala; sports angling on Lake Kariba; and golf tourism across Lusaka and the Copperbelt.​7. Secondary Industries &amp; Manufacturing​A sports economy cannot thrive if every jersey, boot, and ball is imported.​Local Apparel &amp; Equipment Manufacturing: Incentivize local manufacturing of sports gear, uniforms, and merchandise using local textiles to retain capital and create domestic jobs.​Sports Tech &amp; Digital Media: Regulate and foster digital sports platforms, e-sports, and sports betting to unlock new revenue streams in tech sponsorships, application development, and tax revenues.​Conclusion​Building a billion-dollar leisure sports industry within 10 years is entirely achievable under the Grow Zambia 2030 Agenda. By putting in place a long-term strategic policy, reforming our academic curriculum, transforming schools and communities into talent factories, attracting private investment, and fostering domestic manufacturing, Zambia can turn athletic potential into a sustainable pillar of national economic growth.

The Sports Economy & Grow Zambia 2030 Agenda: How Zambia Can Grow Leisure Sports into a Billion-Dollar Industry in 10 Years

The 2027 Budget plans K284.8bn of spending, +12.5% on 2026, with K41.9bn borrowed and 23.7% going on debt service. What it spends, how it is paid for, and how past budgets held up.

KSJ Budget Analysis: The 2027 Budget

Zambia 2027 Budget Analysis

<h1>Zambia economic month in review: October 2026</h1>KSJ’s monthly round-up of Zambia’s economic data for October 2026: prices, the kwacha, interest rates, money and trade, and what drove them. <h2>At a glance</h2><ul><li>Annual inflation: 6.3% in October (6.1% in September)</li><li>Breakfast mealie meal: K235.86 a 25 kg bag in October</li><li>Kwacha: K19.42 per US dollar in September (monthly average)</li><li>Copper: $14,416 a tonne in September</li><li>Policy rate: 13.25% at the end of September</li><li>Trade: a deficit of $186.4m in September</li></ul><h2>What happened in October</h2>October brought a mixed picture for Zambia's economy. Inflation edged higher for the first time since December 2025, but the increase was driven by non-food prices rather than food. Fuel prices recorded a sharp increase during the month, while mealie meal prices remained lower than a year earlier.The kwacha also came under renewed pressure, even as copper prices remained strong. Meanwhile, Government's K19.9 billion supplementary budget put domestic borrowing, interest rates and the availability of credit to businesses back into focus.The 2027 Budget, initially scheduled for 30 October, was postponed to 6 November. Its eventual presentation will provide a clearer picture of Government's fiscal position and financing requirements heading into 2027. <h2>Prices</h2>Annual inflation rose to 6.3% in October from 6.1% in September, its first rise since December 2025. Prices rose 0.7% during October itself, after 0.4% in September.Food inflation fell to 5.7% in October from 5.8% in September, while non-food inflation rose to 7.4% from 6.6%.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-inflation]]</code>The split is important. Food prices continued to ease, helping to contain the overall inflation rate, while non-food prices accelerated. The increase in fuel prices was a major part of that shift, with implications for transport and the cost of moving goods around the country.The national average price of a 25 kg bag of breakfast mealie meal fell 0.2% to K235.86 in October, 10.2% lower than a year earlier. Roller mealie meal fell 0.1% to K181.99 in October, 11.8% lower than a year earlier. A 20-litre tin of maize grain rose 5.2% to K106.98 in October.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-mealie-meal]]</code>At the pump, petrol rose 24.4% to K31.46 in October, and diesel rose 23.8% to K33.25 (national averages per litre).<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-fuel]]</code>The fuel increase was one of October's clearest price shocks. Unlike a rise in the price of one food item, fuel can spread through the economy via transport, distribution, production and other operating costs.That makes the composition of inflation worth watching in the months ahead. Food prices are providing some relief, but energy and other non-food costs are moving in the opposite direction. <h2>Markets</h2>The latest figures here are for September 2026, as published by the Bank of Zambia; each figure gives its month.The kwacha averaged K19.42 per US dollar in September, weaker than in August (K18.90) and stronger than a year earlier (K23.78). At bureaux de change the dollar averaged K21.60, 11.2% above the official rate.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-kwacha]]</code>The September average does not capture the full movement seen during October, when the kwacha came under renewed pressure. A weaker currency matters beyond the foreign-exchange market because Zambia imports fuel, machinery, vehicles, food and a wide range of intermediate goods.Copper rose 1.9% to $14,416 a tonne in September; Dubai crude rose 18.5% to $95.56 a barrel (monthly averages).<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-copper-oil]]</code>For Zambia, the two commodities move in opposite directions economically. Higher copper prices strengthen export earnings and foreign-exchange supply, while higher oil prices increase the country's import bill.The Bank of Zambia’s policy rate stood at 13.25% at the end of September, unchanged since May. Commercial banks’ average lending rate rose to 27.70% in September from 27.29% in August. The interbank rate held at 13.25% in September. At the Treasury bill auctions, the 91-day yield fell to 9.75% in September from 10.50% in August, and the 364-day yield fell to 11.90% from 12.10%.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-rates]]</code>The rate picture remains mixed. Treasury bill yields have fallen, but commercial bank lending rates remain high. In other words, lower short-term government yields have not yet translated into cheap borrowing for businesses and households.That distinction becomes more important as Government seeks additional domestic financing. The K19.9 billion supplementary budget could increase competition for domestic funds, making the interaction between Government borrowing, liquidity and private-sector credit an important issue to watch. <h2>Money &amp; banking</h2>The latest figures here are for August–September 2026, as published by the Bank of Zambia; each figure gives its month.Broad money (M3) was 3.9% larger in August than a year earlier, against 7.7% in July. Credit to the private sector stood at K106.0bn at the end of August, 9.7% higher than a year earlier. Commercial banks’ kwacha loans came to K108.6bn, 17.0% higher than a year earlier. Banks’ core liquid assets averaged 59.07% of deposits in September, against a required minimum of 6.00%.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-money-growth]]</code><code>[[chart:review-2026-10-credit]]</code>The banking system therefore remains highly liquid, while lending continues to grow. But liquidity and affordability are not the same thing. Businesses may have access to a banking system with substantial liquidity while still facing borrowing costs that make investment and expansion difficult.The next question is whether credit growth can continue without putting additional pressure on inflation, the exchange rate or the cost of domestic financing. <h2>Reserves &amp; trade</h2>The latest figures here are for June–September 2026, as published by the Bank of Zambia (reserves) and the Zambia Statistics Agency (trade); each figure gives its month.Gross international reserves stood at $5,802m at the end of June, down 10.6% on the month, enough to pay for about 4.5 months of imports.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-reserves]]</code>Zambia ran a trade deficit of $186.4m in September, after a surplus of $48.0m in August. Exports fell 8.1% to $1,606.4m in September, and imports rose 5.4% to $1,792.8m.<code>[[chart:review-2026-10-trade]]</code>The trade deficit is a reminder that strong commodity prices alone do not determine Zambia's external position. Export earnings also depend on the volume and timing of shipments, while imports determine how much foreign exchange leaves the country.For the kwacha, the combination of strong copper prices, higher import demand and movements in the oil price will remain important as the year draws to a close. <h2>What October tells us</h2>October's economic story is less about the headline inflation rate than about what is happening underneath it.Food prices are relatively contained. Mealie meal is cheaper than a year ago and food inflation continues to ease. But fuel prices jumped sharply, pushing non-food inflation higher and creating a potential second-round effect across transport and business costs.The kwacha also came under renewed pressure, while copper remained a major source of external support. At the same time, commercial lending rates remain high despite lower Treasury bill yields.The fiscal picture is becoming increasingly important. Government's K19.9 billion supplementary budget, and the proposed reliance on domestic borrowing, means that fiscal financing could increasingly influence interest rates, liquidity and private-sector access to credit.The 2027 Budget, now due in November, will provide the next major test.For businesses, the question going into November is therefore not simply whether inflation is rising or falling. It is whether fuel prices, the kwacha and Government borrowing begin to reinforce one another — or whether strong copper earnings and easing food prices continue to provide a buffer. <h2>About the data</h2>Inflation, household prices and trade come from the Zambia Statistics Agency’s monthly bulletin; the kwacha, commodity prices, interest rates, money, banking and reserves from the Bank of Zambia’s fortnightly statistics. Monthly figures are averages for rates and prices and end-of-month levels for stocks. Data available: Prices to October 2026; Markets to September 2026; Money &amp; banking to August–September 2026; Reserves &amp; trade to June–September 2026. The charts end at October 2026; explore every series on <a href="https://www.katondostreet.com/analytics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KSJ Analytics</a>.

Inflation at 6.3% in October, the kwacha at K19.42 per dollar in September, copper at $14,416 a tonne, a deficit of $186.4m on trade.

KSJ Monthly Economic Review: October 2026

The numbers point in several directions ahead of Wednesday’s policy rate announcement.The Bank of Zambia is due to announce its latest monetary policy decision on 30 September 2026, with the policy rate currently at 13.25%.Ahead of the announcement, Nsembe Technologies’ policy-rate analytics model points to a relatively narrow range around the current rate — but with some room for a cut.The model’s latest estimates, based on data through August, put the implied policy rate between 13.16% and 13.78%. Its blended signal is 13.47%, just 0.22 percentage points above the current rate.That means the data does not point to a large move in either direction.<h3>Inflation is giving the BoZ some room</h3>Annual inflation fell to 6.2% in August, down from 6.5% in July and below the midpoint of the Bank of Zambia’s 6–8% target band.That is important for monetary policy.With inflation currently within the target range, there is less immediate pressure from prices for the central bank to raise interest rates. At the same time, the Bank still has to consider the exchange rate, fiscal conditions and external risks before deciding whether there is enough room to ease.The kwacha was trading around K18.90 per US dollar in the August dataset, with relatively limited recent movement.<h3>But interest rates remain high in real terms</h3>The current 13.25% policy rate is substantially above August inflation.On a simple policy-rate-minus-inflation measure, that produces a real policy rate of about 7.05%.That suggests monetary conditions remain restrictive, particularly when compared with an assumed neutral real rate of around 2%.Average commercial-bank lending rates were still 27.29% in August, although they edged down from the previous month.For businesses and households, therefore, the question is not simply whether inflation is falling. It is also whether borrowing conditions remain tighter than necessary for an economy where inflation is now within the target band.<h3>What does the model say?</h3>The Nsembe policy-rate model combines a Taylor Rule framework with machine-learning estimates.Its latest signals are: <ul><li>Taylor Rule: 13.78%</li><li>Ridge Regression, three-month outlook: 13.16%</li><li>Six-month model projection: 13.04%</li><li>Blended signal: 13.47%</li></ul>A separate classification model assigns probabilities of 41% to a cut, 30% to a hold and 29% to a hike over the next three months.These figures should not be read as the Bank of Zambia's own probabilities. They are outputs from an independent model using historical macroeconomic relationships.<h3>So what should we watch for?</h3>The key question for Wednesday is whether the Bank considers the decline in inflation and relatively contained exchange-rate pressure sufficient to justify easing, or whether it prefers to keep the policy rate unchanged while watching the broader macroeconomic picture.The model itself does not point to a dramatic adjustment. Its estimates cluster close to the current 13.25% rate.That makes the size — and direction — of any move more important than the headline debate about whether rates are simply "high" or "low".For borrowers, a cut could eventually reduce the cost of credit. For savers and holders of fixed-income instruments, however, lower policy rates can reduce returns on some interest-bearing assets.The Bank will ultimately weigh these competing effects alongside inflation, exchange-rate stability, financial conditions, fiscal developments and external risks.For now, the data suggests a policy rate that is close to where the models think it should be — with a modest easing signal emerging as inflation moves further inside the target range.Model estimates by Nsembe Technologies, using 161 monthly observations from January 2013 to August 2026. The analysis is an independent analytical model and does not represent the Bank of Zambia's forecast or policy position.

What Will the Bank of Zambia Do With the Policy Rate?

For many schools, the end of term comes with another familiar task: spreadsheets.Marks have to be entered, formulas checked, grades calculated and report cards prepared. A small error in a spreadsheet can mean going back through records and doing the work all over again.It is a problem Mainza Namangani believes technology can solve.Namangani is the founder of Micho Technologies, a Zambian technology company developing software, cybersecurity and practical digital solutions. One of its products, MichoSMS, is designed to bring many of the everyday processes involved in running a school into one digital platform.Rather than having student information, marks, report cards, timetables and other records scattered across different files and systems, MichoSMS puts them in one place.<h3>From a school problem to a technology product</h3>The idea started with something fairly ordinary: seeing educators spend too much time managing academic information manually.For teachers, calculating results and preparing reports can become a significant administrative task, particularly when records are maintained across multiple spreadsheets or paper documents.Namangani's approach has been to build around that problem rather than simply digitise an existing form.With MichoSMS, teachers can enter marks for each term while the platform handles grading and generates report cards and other academic records.Administrators can manage learner profiles, enrolment, subjects, classes and performance information through the same system.The platform supports ECZ-aligned grading and reporting and is designed for different types of schools, including primary and secondary, day and boarding institutions.<h3>Designing for the realities of Zambian schools</h3>A digital platform can look very different on paper from how it works in a school where internet connectivity is inconsistent.Micho Technologies says its Android application has been designed to be offline-ready for low-bandwidth environments.That is an important consideration for a product intended to operate beyond Zambia's largest cities.MichoSMS currently lists schools in places including Mansa, Mwinilunga, Chibombo, Mushindamo, Chipata, Lusaka, Ndola and Kalumbila.The geographic spread also reflects a broader opportunity for locally developed education technology: building products around the operating conditions that Zambian institutions actually face.<h3>Making school data more useful</h3>Namangani's vision for MichoSMS also goes beyond simply replacing paper report cards.The platform includes academic analytics that allow school administrators to examine performance across classes and subjects.Instead of waiting until the end of the academic year to manually compile statistics, school leaders can use dashboards to look at performance patterns and identify areas that may need attention.That changes the role of school data.Information that was previously collected mainly for record keeping can potentially become a tool for understanding academic performance and supporting decisions within the school.The wider platform also includes timetable management, teacher portals and AI-assisted lesson planning.<h3>Putting parents closer to the information</h3>Another part of the platform is aimed at the other side of the school relationship: parents.Through the parent-facing mobile application, parents and pupils can access published results, view previous academic records and download report cards.For parents, this means academic information can be accessed from a phone rather than relying entirely on printed reports or physically visiting the school.It also gives schools another channel for communicating academic information to families.<h3>From an idea to schools across Zambia</h3>MichoSMS says the platform currently has 31 schools and more than 10,000 pupils using the system.Schools listed on its platform include Musaila Secondary School, Lunga Day Secondary School, Kabangalala Primary School, Muyange Day Secondary School, Chizongwe Technical Secondary School and Jiwundu Boarding Secondary School.The company is also trying to make adoption easier.New schools can currently use MichoSMS for one full school term without payment. Annual subscription packages listed on the company's website range from K1,100 to K2,500, depending on the package.For a school, that means it can introduce the system into its normal operations before deciding whether to continue with a paid subscription.<h3>The bigger idea</h3>For Namangani, the opportunity is bigger than digitising report cards.The underlying problem is how schools manage information.When learner records, academic results, timetables and other information exist in disconnected systems, it becomes harder for teachers and administrators to get a complete picture of what is happening.Connecting those pieces creates a different possibility: a school where information moves more easily between teachers, administrators, pupils and parents.Micho Technologies says its broader mission is to use technology to reduce the administrative burden on educators, improve access to academic information and reduce reliance on paper-heavy processes.For Namangani, MichoSMS is therefore not simply an attempt to replace Excel.It is an attempt to build a digital layer around the way Zambian schools already operate.And as more schools move from paper records and disconnected spreadsheets toward integrated systems, the question may become less about whether schools should digitise — and more about what they can do with their data once they do.Website: michosms.comDeveloper: Micho TechnologiesFounder: Mainza NamanganiContact: +260 777 183 520 / +260 974 481 038

Mainza Is Building MichoSMS to Simplify School Management

Five women-led businesses have emerged as the winners of the sixth Women in Tech Zambia programme, securing a combined US$50,000 in equity-free seed funding to support their next stage of growth.Each of the five businesses will receive US$10,000, following 12 weeks of acceleration that brought together 10 women entrepreneurs for intensive work around business development, customer discovery, financial management, marketing, growth strategy and fundraising.The five winners are Chifula Nambela of Techroots IT Solutions Zambia Limited, Chikombo Chilufya of Likumi Financial Services, Kasongo Nyakaula of Pluntum, Wanji Maluba of Quotify Services Limited, and Adele Makayi of Pocket Academy by Yellow Ray Digital.The businesses reflect a broadening technology landscape in Zambia — from education and financial inclusion to healthcare, construction intelligence and digital marketing.<h3>From school management to financial inclusion</h3>Chifula Nambela's Techroots IT Solutions is building technology for institutions, with its flagship product, Eduroot, an education management system designed to help schools manage administration, fees, communication and other operations digitally. The company describes its wider focus as software development, digital transformation, cloud services and technology consulting.<a href="https://techrootszambia.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Techroots Zambia</a>For Chikombo Chilufya, the focus is financial inclusion.Her company, Likumi Financial Services, works with informal entrepreneurs who can struggle to access conventional financial services because of limited collateral, credit histories and formal business records. According to a profile published during the programme, Likumi had served more than 140 active customers and disbursed 286 loans, while developing a digital lending platform for further expansion.<h3>Taking healthcare and construction into the data age</h3>Kasongo Nyakaula's Pluntum is approaching digital transformation from the healthcare side.The company's story grew partly from Nyakaula's own experience navigating fragmented healthcare records. Pluntum is developing technology aimed at modernising healthcare and enabling patient information to move more securely and efficiently between healthcare facilities.Pluntum also operates across ICT, automation, data analytics, cybersecurity and digital marketing.<a href="https://pluntum.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pluntum</a>Meanwhile, Wanji Maluba's Quotify Services is targeting a very different information gap: construction pricing.The platform is being developed as a construction cost intelligence system for Zambia, bringing together supplier pricing, material costs, labour, equipment and transport benchmarks to help quantity surveyors, contractors and developers make better-informed estimates.<a href="https://quotifyzm.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Quotify Zambia</a><h3>Building a local digital intelligence layer</h3>The fifth winner, Adele Makayi, is taking on the digital marketing and skills gap through Pocket Academy, developed under Yellow Ray Digital.The platform combines digital marketing education with locally relevant market intelligence. Built as a mobile-optimised progressive web application, it is intended to give marketers, SMEs and students access to practical learning and data reflecting the Zambian market rather than relying entirely on tools and datasets developed for other markets.<a href="https://yellowraydigital.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yellow Ray Digital</a><h3>More than the prize money</h3>The significance of Cohort 6 extends beyond the US$50,000 funding pool.The programme is part of a broader effort to address the financing and business-development gap facing women-led technology ventures in Zambia. Women in Tech Zambia describes its model as combining training, strategic mentorship and equity-free funding for tech-based and tech-enabled businesses.The sixth cohort was implemented by BongoHive in partnership with the Standard Chartered Foundation and Village Capital, with the programme also attracting engagement from Zambia's Ministry of Technology and Science.For the five winners, the immediate question now shifts from winning funding to deploying it effectively — whether towards product development, customer acquisition, technology infrastructure, market expansion or strengthening the teams behind the businesses.That distinction matters.Seed funding can provide breathing room, but the next stage will be measured by what these companies are able to build with it, how many customers they reach and whether their solutions can move beyond early validation into sustainable businesses.With Cohort 7 already being prepared, the Women in Tech Zambia programme is continuing to build a pipeline of women-led businesses seeking to turn technology into commercially viable solutions to local problems.

Five Women Founders Secure US$50,000 in Women in Tech Zambia Cohort 6

<h1>Education Infrastructure, Reimagined</h1>For years, the digital transformation of education has been built around a simple assumption: connect the school to the internet, and digital learning will follow.But across much of Sub-Saharan Africa, that assumption does not always hold.Schools can face unreliable connectivity, expensive data, intermittent electricity, limited computing infrastructure and insufficient technical support. Even where mobile internet is available, a school cannot necessarily afford to put hundreds of learners online at the same time.This raises a different question:What if a school did not need a permanent internet connection to access a modern digital learning environment?That is the idea behind a new approach to education infrastructure being explored by <a href="https://www.nsembe.online/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nsembe Technologies</a>. <h2>Bringing the infrastructure closer to the learner</h2>Nsembe is testing local server units designed to operate directly within schools. Instead of sending every request across the internet to a distant cloud server, learning resources can be stored and delivered locally over the school's own network.A teacher or learner can connect to the school network using a phone, tablet or computer and access digital content from a server located on the premises.The result is a different model of digital education:the internet becomes an optional connection to the wider world, rather than the foundation on which the entire school system depends.Digital libraries, lessons, assessments, school management tools and other educational resources can be hosted locally and accessed even when external connectivity is unavailable. <h2>Designed for environments where infrastructure is limited</h2>This approach is particularly relevant in schools where infrastructure constraints are not temporary inconveniences but structural realities.A school may have: <ul><li>limited or expensive internet connectivity;</li><li>unreliable electricity;</li><li>insufficient computers;</li><li>multiple learners sharing devices;</li><li>poor network coverage;</li><li>limited IT support; or</li><li>long periods where the school is effectively offline.</li></ul>Traditional cloud-based platforms can struggle in these environments because they assume reliable communication between the user's device and a remote server.A local infrastructure model changes the architecture.Instead of:Learner → Internet → Cloud → Internet → Learnerthe school can operate more like:Learner → Local Network → School Server → Learning ContentThis dramatically reduces the amount of infrastructure required to deliver basic digital learning services. <h2>A school can become its own digital node</h2>The longer-term vision extends beyond simply installing a server in a classroom.Nsembe sees schools as potential digital nodes within a distributed education infrastructure.Each node can provide computing, storage and educational services locally while remaining capable of connecting to wider networks when connectivity becomes available.When the internet is available, the node can synchronise content, software updates, administrative information or other data with external systems.When the connection disappears, the local system continues operating.This creates an important principle for infrastructure design:connectivity should enhance the system, not determine whether the system works. <h2>From digital content to digital infrastructure</h2>The distinction is important.Providing a school with a collection of PDF files or videos is not the same as building digital infrastructure.Infrastructure means creating an environment in which learners and teachers can continuously interact with digital services.A local server can potentially support a broader ecosystem: <ul><li>Learning management systems</li><li>Digital libraries</li><li>Curriculum-aligned content</li><li>Offline assessments</li><li>Teacher resources</li><li>School administration</li><li>Student records</li><li>Local applications</li><li>Educational media</li><li>Data collection and analytics</li><li>Local AI and intelligent learning services</li></ul>Because these services operate within the school environment, they can be designed around the realities of the local institution rather than around the assumption of permanent broadband access. <h2>Infrastructure first, connectivity second</h2>This approach does not reject the internet.Quite the opposite.Internet connectivity remains critical for accessing global knowledge, communicating with other institutions, updating systems and connecting schools to national and international education networks.The difference is architectural.Rather than making connectivity the single point of failure, schools can have a local digital core that continues operating independently.Connectivity can then be layered on top.A school might begin completely offline, later add mobile broadband, then fibre, satellite or other connectivity as those options become economically and geographically viable.The underlying infrastructure does not need to be replaced each time the connectivity environment changes. <h2>Building for the realities of African schools</h2>Education technology is often designed for environments where electricity, broadband and computing resources are assumed to be readily available.Nsembe is exploring a different design philosophy: start with the constraints.That means thinking about power consumption, hardware cost, local network performance, maintenance, storage capacity and the ability of a school to continue operating during periods of limited connectivity.It also means considering what happens after the technology is installed.A useful education system is not simply one that works in a technology demonstration. It must work in a real school, with real teachers, real learners and real infrastructure constraints. <h2>The beginning of a distributed education network</h2>The local server concept is only one part of a larger direction Nsembe is exploring.If schools can operate as independent digital nodes, those nodes can eventually become part of a much larger distributed network.A school in Lusaka could operate its own local infrastructure.A school in Chinsali could do the same.A school in Nakonde could operate independently while periodically synchronising with external systems.Over time, these nodes could form a distributed education network capable of moving content, software, data and intelligence between schools without requiring every interaction to pass through a central cloud.This could become particularly powerful as new connectivity technologies—including satellite and next-generation mobile networks—expand access to previously underserved areas. <h2>Reimagining the digital school</h2>The future of digital education should not be defined solely by whether a school has broadband.It should be defined by whether learners can reliably access the tools and knowledge they need.That requires us to rethink the infrastructure underneath education technology.Sometimes the most important innovation is not putting everything in the cloud.Sometimes it is bringing the cloud closer to the classroom.Nsembe Technologies is exploring what that future could look like: schools equipped with local computing infrastructure, capable of delivering digital learning independently while remaining connected to the wider digital world when connectivity is available.The objective is simple:build education systems that continue to work—even when the internet doesn't.

Edge-computing projects are bringing offline digital learning infrastructure to schools without reliable internet or grid access.