ZICTA to install more than 160 towers in 2023

22 November 2023

The Zambia Information and Technology Authority (ZICTA) plans to install more than 160 telecommunications towers in the country this year, to complement the efforts made by telecom operators to promote connectivity.

The project is part of a wider program by the regulator to install 980 communications towers by 2025 to address communications gaps in the country, in line with the Universal Access Master Plan. Furthermore, the government's digital transformation program provides for exhaustive coverage of the population in telecommunications services by 2030.

According to the latest ZICTA statistics (June 2023), Zambia has 11.4 million internet service subscribers for a penetration rate of 58%. The number of users of mobile telephone services stands at 20.1 million, representing a penetration rate of 102%. However, the actual figures are expected to be lower as some people have multiple SIM cards registered in their name.