Zimbabwe—a low-income country in Eastern Africa. With about 17 million people, it was once known as “the jewel of Africa” for its great prosperity. However, over the past two decades, Zimbabwe has been experiencing prolonged economic distress, exacerbated by external shocks and internal instability.
The political landscape has also played a significant role in shaping the country’s current state. Since independence in 1980, one party has dominated Zimbabwean politics. Unfortunately, this dominance has often been maintained through severe crackdowns on the political opposition, critical media, and all sources of dissent. These actions have created a challenging environment for any form of progress, including digital transformation.
Now, when we look at the digital aspect of Zimbabwe, it becomes evident that the nation is grappling with significant limitations. The prolonged economic distress has undoubtedly affected the country’s ability to invest in the necessary infrastructure for digital development.
This lack of investment has made it difficult for Zimbabwe to keep pace with other nations in the region, particularly in terms of telecommunications infrastructure, online service provision, and human capital development.
How does digital Zimbabwe rank according to international reports?
According to the recent UN e-government report, the country falls into the Medium TII (Telecommunication Infrastructure Index) category, indicating that while the telecommunication infrastructure is somewhat developed, it still has room for improvement. It also struggles with a Low EPI (E-Participation Index), highlighting the limited engagement of citizens in digital governance processes.
On a brighter note, Zimbabwe boasts a High HCI (Human Capital Index), which reflects a well-educated population capable of utilizing digital services effectively. Overall, Zimbabwe is placed in the Middle EGDI (E-Government Development Index) group, signifying a moderate level of e-government development.
Looking at the specifics, the UN e-government Knowledgebase ranked Zimbabwe 138th in e-governance and 148th in e-participation out of 193 countries assessed back in 2022. This ranking places Zimbabwe in the lower-middle tier globally, suggesting that there is significant potential for improvement… especially in encouraging citizen participation in digital governance.
Now, according to the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) report on East and Southern African countries, digital Zimbabwe has “some focus on GovTech” along with 13 other countries in the region. This means that while there are initiatives and policies aimed at leveraging technology for government operations and services, these efforts might not be as advanced as those in countries with a stronger emphasis on GovTech. It’s a start… but there’s plenty of room for growth and expansion.
Connectivity and the digital gap in Zimbabwe
Internet access is severely limited, and this problem is made worse by an ongoing economic crisis and inadequate electrical infrastructure, which often cause power cuts.
At the start of 2024, there were 5.48 million internet users in Zimbabwe, Which means that internet penetration stood at just 32.6%. To put this into perspective, that leaves 11.36 million people without internet access. So, 67.4% of the population remained offline at the beginning of the year. That’s a significant number of people who are disconnected.
Also, there were 13.88 million active cellular mobile connections in early 2024, covering 82.4%of the population. On the surface, this seems like a high number. However, having a mobile connection doesn’t necessarily mean having reliable internet access… especially given the infrastructural issues.
While Zimbabwe’s international connectivity infrastructure is relatively well-developed. Fiber optic cables connect major cities and urban areas, which sounds promising. But, large gaps remain in rural areas. While the government reports favorable statistics on internet penetration, the quality and accessibility of connections remain poor, especially in rural and marginalized communities. This discrepancy between reported figures and real-world experience is a major issue.
What’s more… ongoing hyperinflation has reduced many Zimbabweans’ ability to pay for internet access. High costs, combined with economic instability, mean that even where infrastructure exists, people can’t always afford to use it.
So, while on paper, there seems to be some progress, the reality on the ground is different.
Using mobile money…again
Zimbabwe’s journey with mobile money has had its ups and downs. As one of the leaders on the African continent in mobile money usage, Zimbabwe boasts an impressive 7.67 million subscribers with mobile wallets. Considering that the country has a population of around 17 million, and just over 7 million of those are adults, the adoption rate of mobile money here is quite remarkable. Zimbabwe was among the leaders on the continent in the use of mobile money.
However, the story took a dramatic turn in 2020 when the government decided to shut down mobile money services. They blamed these services and their agents for the collapse of the Zimbabwean dollar and the subsequent economic turmoil. It was a bold move, but the rationale was that mobile money was being manipulated in ways that destabilized the national currency and economy.
Fast forward to 2024, and there’s an interesting development on the horizon. Digital Zimbabwe is now considering allowing mobile money agents to resume their operations. The timing is crucial, given the introduction of the new gold-backed currency, the ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold), launched in April 2024. This new currency was designed to replace the beleaguered Zimbabwean dollar and help stabilize and boost the economy.
Final thoughts
For the country to truly move forward, there needs to be a concerted effort to improve both the reach and quality of internet services, especially in rural areas.
Addressing these issues is not just about technology… it’s about enabling people to participate in the modern world, access information, and create opportunities for themselves first and foremost. Without this, Zimbabwe will continue to lag behind in e-participation.
Sources:
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/192-Zimbabwe
