How Smart Cities Can Drive Zambia’s Economic Growth

By Mark Townsend, Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Zambia

It’s hard to imagine a world without the internet. Every waking hour of our day is impacted in some way by online applications or services, and this isn’t limited to the confines of our personal space – it extends to our homes, offices, neighbourhoods, and the cities we live in.

In fact, smart cities are emerging as the way of the future, driven in part by increasing calls for sustainable construction methods that integrate renewable energy resources, reduced carbon emissions, and eco-friendly infrastructure. As residents seek homes that offer improved quality of life, increased efficiency, and safety, they are also looking for structures that use technology to integrate and streamline all aspects of their daily lives. 

The foundation of these technology-driven cities is a robust, reliable network that provides uninterrupted connectivity to drive the myriad of applications underlying its operations. 

Smart connectivity solutions for Zambia’s cities

Zambia is emerging as an example of a country that has embraced the smart city concept, showcasing its prowess and innovative thinking. 

Underscored by Liquid Intelligent Technologies’ 110,000km of fibre network coverage across the African continent, the company has made Zambia the ‘connector of countries’ like the recent expanding of its fibre backbone to directly connect Luanda, Angola, to Lusaka, Zambia, via Chavuma. The 2500 km fibre route brings additional and affordable Internet services, positively impacting the lives of millions of people along the way. Zambian cities are also reaping the rewards of uninterrupted internet access across the country through Liquid’s overhead fibre lines which are further supporting the government’s smart city initiative and the National Digital Transformation Strategy by providing infrastructure for surveillance equipment, with safety cameras, smart poles equipped with micro base stations, enhanced 4G and 5G coverage – thus enhancing and contributing to a safer urban environment. 

Recently, Liquid launched an innovative public Wi-Fi service in Livingstone, aimed at providing cost-effective, high-speed Wi-Fi access. The expansion provides Wi-Fi access in public areas such as the Victoria Falls, government institutions, hospitality venues, and more, catering to a wide range of industries and users.

With 6.51 million internet users representing an internet penetration rate of 31%, Zambia’s users include households, small businesses, and large-scale enterprises, all seeking connectivity solutions tailored to their unique requirements. These range from products such as fibre-to-the-home for household and small business users, to private LTE networks for large-scale enterprises.

 Economic growth through connectivity

For Liquid, it’s not simply about providing connectivity; it’s about contributing to the digital transformation of Zambia and enabling its customers to also participate in this process. By helping organisations to transform the way they do business, they are being empowered to become active players in Zambia’s digital economy. 

Connectivity lies at the heart of Zambia’s digital transformation, encouraging economic growth and community development, and fostering smart cities and industries across all business sectors. These include finance to retail, hospitality, mining, and logistics, thus driving efficiency and growth across the economy. 

Scalable solution to Zambia’s connectivity needs

The beauty of these solutions is that they can be matched to unique requirements. Whether it’s a large-scale enterprise looking to implement a private LTE network that connects all its operations securely, or a corporate entity operating in a remote area that wants to provide on-site employees in a staff village with business-grade connectivity where cellular coverage is limited, applications should be scalable and easily tailored.

As Zambia continues its digital transformation journey, the role of connectivity will expand exponentially, empowering citizens and businesses to realise their full potential, driving economic growth, and building a more inclusive society. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is proud to be contributing to a digital future that leaves no Zambian behind.