LUSAKA — Zambia has intensified its drive for digital sovereignty after signing a strategic partnership with Chinese technology company Huawei to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure, sovereign cloud services and a national data centre aimed at keeping critical government data within the country.
The agreement, signed between the SMART Zambia Institute and Huawei during the Zambia Mobile Congress, forms part of the government’s broader digital transformation agenda. Officials say the partnership will support the deployment of AI-powered services across all 25 government ministries while strengthening the country’s digital public infrastructure.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Huawei will assist Zambia in building national AI and cloud infrastructure, including a data centre designed to host sensitive government information domestically. Authorities view the project as a key step towards reducing reliance on foreign-hosted systems and enhancing national control over strategic digital assets.
Vice President W.K. Mutale Nalumango described artificial intelligence and cloud technologies as essential tools for improving public service delivery and accelerating economic development. The initiative aligns with Zambia’s ambition to become a digitally connected and competitive economy by 2030.
The partnership also includes a major skills development programme. Huawei has committed to training approximately 5,000 Zambian ICT professionals through its Global Academy over the next three years, helping to build the local expertise required to support emerging digital technologies.
The agreement comes as Zambia prepares for the nationwide rollout of its digital identity programme under the World Bank-backed Digital Zambia Acceleration Project. Government officials believe stronger cloud infrastructure and local data hosting capabilities will be critical to supporting future digital services and safeguarding citizen information.
The Huawei deal builds on a relationship spanning more than two decades and reflects a wider trend across Africa, where governments are increasingly prioritising digital sovereignty, local data storage and control of the infrastructure underpinning digital identity and public services.
If successfully implemented, the partnership could position Zambia among a growing group of African nations seeking greater ownership of the technologies that support government operations and economic growth.