Government has challenged mobile network operators to further reduce data prices arguing that affordability is key to accelerating digital inclusion and economic growth.
Speaking at the 2026 Postal and Telecommunications Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting in Harare, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera said there was still room for tariff reductions despite the financial pressures facing operators.
“There remains scope, under the current operating conditions, for operators to reduce tariffs further and improve service quality,” she said adding that cheaper data would expand usage, stimulate innovation and ultimately grow revenues through higher volumes
The meeting, held at the POTRAZ Auditorium brought together government officials, regulators, telecoms firms and other ICT stakeholders to map priorities for 2026 and beyond.
The minister revealed that Zimbabwe has completed its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy with preparations under way for its official launch by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in early March 2026.
Mavetera said implementation not publicity would determine success.
“The accurate measure of success will not be the launch event, but implementation. We must ensure that this strategy becomes a living framework that drives innovation, investment and skills development” she said.
Alongside the AI blueprint, the government has also finalised a National Cybersecurity Strategy, which is now awaiting cabinet approval. Together, the two frameworks are expected to strengthen digital governance and national resilience.
Zimbabwe’s growing profile in artificial intelligence was underscored by Mavetera’s appointment to the Smart Africa Artificial Intelligence Council a body made up of only seven ministers from across the continent.
“This appointment is not a personal accolade; it is recognition of Zimbabwe’s growing leadership and credibility in the digital and AI space,” she said
According to the minister, investment in Zimbabwe’s ICT sector grew by 14.5% over the past year, while mobile penetration has surpassed 103% signalling an industry that is expanding in both reach and impact.
She pointed to flagship initiatives such as the Presidential Internet Scheme and the Telemedicine Project as evidence of how technology is already transforming access to services particularly in underserved communities.
The government has also rolled out free national digital skills programmes including the 1.5 Million Coders initiative and the Digital Skills Ambassadors Programme aimed at building a digitally competent population.
Community Information Centres have been rebranded as Digital Centres repositioned as local hubs for innovation, skills training and access to government services.
Despite these gains, the cost of ICT services — especially mobile data — remains a major barrier to wider digital participation.
Mavetera said the government was engaging the Ministry of Finance to review taxes affecting the sector and working with local authorities to address high municipal charges and wayleave fees that raise the cost of network deployment.
However, she made it clear that operators also had a responsibility to act.
“Increased affordability is not only a social imperative; it is also a growth strategy,” she said, urging companies to review pricing models with a view to making services more accessible to all Zimbabweans.
The minister acknowledged that Zimbabwe still faces significant hurdles in its digital transformation drive, including the absence of a comprehensive Digital Economy Strategy and a relatively low e-Government Development Index score of 0.4481 in 2024.
Rural connectivity gaps and the growing problem of electronic waste were also highlighted as urgent issues requiring coordinated action.
“Developing and enforcing a clear policy on waste from electrical and electronic equipment is no longer optional,” Mavetera warned citing environmental and health risks linked to rising e-waste volumes
Looking ahead, the government says its ICT agenda is anchored in the National Development Strategy 2 which runs from 2026 to 2030 and aligns with Zimbabwe’s ambition to become an upper-middle-income economy by the end of the decade.
“ICTs are not peripheral to this vision; they are central,” the minister said calling for stronger public-private partnerships to turn policy commitments into tangible results.
