Accelerating Digital Transformation in Zambia : Digital Economy Diagnostic Report
Zambia’s seventh national development plan (7NDP) sets ambitious targets for economic growth and poverty reduction. Technology can play an important role as Zambia advances this vision for economic transformation. The introduction of digital system...
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| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/340701590035450025/Accelerating-Digital-Transformation-in-Zambia-Digital-Economy-Diagnostic-Report http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33806 |
| Summary: | Zambia’s seventh national development
plan (7NDP) sets ambitious targets for economic growth and
poverty reduction. Technology can play an important role as
Zambia advances this vision for economic transformation. The
introduction of digital systems can also have a
transformative effect on government. Improved access to
digital technologies and effective use of data and digital
systems can thus be powerful tools in the quest to increase
private sector productivity, enhance public sector
efficiency and effectiveness, and improve the accountability
of both the public and private sectors. This digital economy
diagnostic assesses Zambia’s strengths and weaknesses with
respect to five pillars that together form the foundation
upon which the benefits of digital transformation can be
realized. These pillars are digital infrastructure, digital
skills, digital entrepreneurship, digital platforms, and
digital financial services. This analysis finds that Zambia
has made significant strides on its path to digital
transformation over the past few years. Progress is
particularly evident in digital infrastructure, digital
financial services, and digital platforms, while more
significant gaps remain in digital skills and digital
entrepreneurship. This report suggests that the digital
transformation strategy include four strategic: (1)
promoting greater use of digital technologies in the
economy, (2) reducing government transaction costs and
reducing the cost of doing business through digitally
optimized government systems, (3) improving the adoption of
innovative digital solutions by enabling entrepreneurship,
and (4) leveraging data and digital systems to improve
sector-specific outcomes in secondary towns and rural areas. |
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