The government says it is working hard to create conditions that will spur a digital revolution in the country and transform the economy into a cashless one.
Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati said that the new dawn administration is devising ways of creating a conducive and enabling environment that will support and enhance the growth of digital and financial inclusion.
“We as government are working very hard in partnership with the private sector and other players, particularly the financial and banking sector to ensure that this ultimate goal is actually delivered…”said Mr Mutati.
Mr Mutati pointed out that there are tremendous benefits that can accrue from having digital and financial inclusion in the country.
The minister stressed that digital and financial inclusion is cardinal for rebooting the economy and creating desired jobs in the country.
Mr Mutati said this during the graduation of 247 students from the Zambia Institute of Banking and Financial Services in Lusaka under the theme “financial education in a digital economy”.
The minister however regretted that there is no adequate digital infrastructure available to support the development and progression of digital and financial inclusion in the country.
Mr Mutati noted that financial inclusion in Zambia is below 70 percent, which is much lower than the global rate.
He acknowledged that available digital skills are not adequate to aid the growth of digital and financial inclusion.
The minister said financial education is a key driver for digital and financial inclusion which must be promoted if the country is to benefit from a digital economy.
Mr Mutati praised the institute for deploying technology as a mechanism to deliver undisrupted provision of education to Zambians.
He said the institute’s efforts of continued provision of quality training demonstrates its immense contribution to the development of the financial sector and support towards the national agenda of financial education.
The minister challenged the graduates to be innovative and apply their skills to enhance the digital and financial sector and provide solutions to challenges government is facing in the sector.
Speaking at the same function, President of the Zambia Institute of Banking and Financial Services, Moses Shuko said the institute will continue to work with government in the development of quality human resource for the banking and financial sector.
He said the institute will continue to enhance provision of digital education and will soon establish a secure e-learning platform to facilitate online examinations.
Mr Shuko said the banking and financial sector in the country is in need of qualified personnel to push and sustain the country’s economic development through the growth of the digital and financial sector.
He said there is need for the private sector and government to embrace digital innovations and applications in service delivery as opposed to use and reliance on traditional banking.
And giving a vote of thanks, Michel George said there is need for continued acquisition of knowledge in the banking and financial sector if society is to benefit from continuous digital and technological advancements.
With 85% of the country still without GSM coverage, and 95% without 3G or 4G, you got a LOT of work ahead. You only think about connectivity in Lusaka. I’m 15km outside the capital and I have NO coverage. Think about the rural areas for a change!
Felix Mutati, NATO: No action, Talk only.
He talks a lot about things he does not know. He is technologically bankrupt.
Kikikikiki…….He is NATO indeed !!!! Talk Talk no action.
This NATO has been talking from the time he was appointed.
He has promised Zambia will have satelites soon. He has promised that a tablet of panadol will be traced from EGYPT to Kaputa health clinic.
He is now promising that my grandmother in Shangombo can now do internet banking. He has said so many meaningless things. A real NATO indeed.
What has NATO achieved so far?
This man just likes talking a lot with no action…if you want to spur a digital revolution you would have removed the internet phone call tax Dora imposed on Zambians. Last time he was talking about launching a satellite within 2 years…now its 1 year and 7 months to go if he was serious he would have been talking to professors at UNZA so they work with the Japanese to attain this goal like how Rwanda did it.
PF Cadres tekanyani: Real investment and achievements take time to achieve, but i dont blame you as you were used to chipantepante from the PF. Mutati is one minister that has effectively delivered on his pronuncements, i know you cadres are hungry for good things but i dont believe you, cos to me you are full, if you were really hungry u wud ve boycoted against Lungu’s stealing. But u were quiet and want to sound clever now, jst becos HH has given u the freedom to yap. And now u talking anyhow even if you saw a fly flying by your nose – you open your mouth, with an intention to tell the fly to stop passing close to your,SHUT UP! cos the fly ll now insted enter into your mouth.
REemember with Chipantepante; the president or minister can say “Fire Trucks” today and tommorow very old outdate fire trucks are delivered, He could also say “Malls/Bridges” and the chinese builds a mall while an indian build a bridge using chinese bamboo over night, he also say “Medicines in Hospitals” and overnight HoneyBee suppliers delivers expired plastics, including to non existing clinics & hospitals. Real investment dont get built over night – Ask the Romans how they built Rome. Also ask the Jews why they run the whole world by wealth today.
HH7 quickly needs to reshuffle his cabinet to freshened it up…this ministry here needs a young energic man not an old horse like Mutati who can tell you stories till the cows come back take him to SME Ministry or better still get rid of him yes you have to ruthless at times..also move that incompetent Minister of Information who is costing taxpayers a lot of money because UPND is creating positions in that ministry to assist her.
There is a link between productivity and innovation Innovation inventions create new products services and improvements on existing for productivity and value especially when you review the critical need for this ministry to support KTI industries maybe check for srticles patents registration value added and moreso collaborations in KTI industries There has been some developments with local but the knowledge drivers are long as to why and how to record progress and measure progress unless you know how its done it’s difficult to relate stem ministry this to productivity and KTI it also begins from STEM schools before it becomes industrials but measuring progress and how in those development stratergies is what is important Unless you know you cannot acheive productivity and…
Work on measurements on progress but unless you know it becomes difficult to measure progress from STEM schools into KTI
Fragmentation of systems is prevalent in our digital payment systems though regulatory and standardisation has been active through zicta. Even in this sector more is needed looking at the number of successfully ict local delivery and rankings in the ict index digitals here in Africa like mentioned Rwanda Kenya Nigeria Capetown and others taking the lead But unless you know and create capacity you cannot measure progress towards productivity and also on national accounts
Small entrepreneurs local like brobase those society and town center Lottie house to mediums with franchise. But impact is low local driven like I have said unless you know it’s difficult to measure progress see WIPO statistical database in patents for innovation global and relate to global trades and Investments created from these conversations being driven by minister here It’s leadership drive leading I think the approach is pump stratergy but more so if it becomes measurable and related to industrials KTIs otherwise it becomes NATO yaa okay but that ecz long acres tech council has been trying except under focus SECTORIAL you begin with collabos with likes of say TWIMMs moreso also
WIPO SIPO Chinese USPTO. United States . And or our PACRA check growth in listing and workings in together as say a measure of indicators of innovations sectorial
Ati ba NATO…….Kkikkikiki……Zambians ..awe sure!!!
Very little innovation and innovative progressive ideas in foods and agro processing at local and industrials also This is a huge sector of value except for those silver n focus here also in productivity