ZICTA’s innovation initiative attracts K300, 000 support from Airtel

AIRTEL Zambia has contributed K300, 000 to support activities of the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority’s (ZICTA) 2024 innovation programme.

The Information Communication Technology (ICT) is ZICTA’s flagship initiative aimed at providing business and technical developmental support services to ICT related innovators, start-ups, and entrepreneurs.

It targets local youths with innovative, viable, and scalable ICT-related ideas or business ventures that attempt to solve current challenges across various sectors of the economy.

At the cheque handover on Thursday in Lusaka, ZICTA Director General, Choolwe Nalubamba said the authority have had over 400 programme beneficiaries from the programme.

Mr Nalubamba said the programme had also benefitted at least 30 commercialised innovations.

“We witnessed one of our alumni innovators host a successful market launch of his product. This underscores the impact that is being created by ZICTA and our partners on the programme,” he said.

ZICTA, he said, continued to create an environment that promoted innovation, research and development.

Mr Nalubamba also said ZICTA would continue to jointly support the prosperity of start-ups and other early-stage entrepreneurs.

He noted Airtel’s support, saying this was the fifth time the firm had supported the execution of this programme.

“We are grateful for the financial, technical and material support that has been rendered by Airtel, and look forward to a continued collaboration on the programme.

“ZICTA invites other industry players and development partners - digital innovation and entrepreneurship,” he said.

And Airtel Zambia’s Managing Director, Hussam Bada, said the firm continued to be inspired by success stories that had been coming out of this programme.

Mr Bada noted the start-ups that were getting commercialised, the jobs that were being created, and the huge impact that the innovations were having on the lives of individuals and businesses across the country.

He reiterated support to the ICT Innovation Programme and commitment to Airtel’s mission to provide globally admired technologies and services that gave Zambia an easy and dependable way to connect to the world.

“This is yet another demonstration of the fresh opportunities for learning, business, and connection that the digital revolution is creating, ultimately driving economic growth and innovation in Zambia and across the continent.

“It is in recognition of our significant facilitative role that Airtel Zambia, besides supporting innovators to turn their ideas into successful ventures, remains committed to facilitate the deployment of these solutions to individuals and businesses,” he said.

Mr Bada said Airtel Zambia continued investing in not only expanding and densifying its infrastructure across the country, but also provide cutting-edge technologies.