Zimbabwe Unveils Ambitious AI Roadmap at 3rd Digital Economy Conference

Bulawayo – On the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2026, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Tatenda Mavetera, hosted the 3rd Edition of the Digital Economy Conference. Under the theme “Accelerating the Digital Economy—Harnessing AI for action towards Vision 2030,” the event signaled a major shift in Zimbabwe’s approach to emerging technologies.

The conference featured a powerful keynote address by Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Hon. Paula Ingabire, highlighting a growing strategic partnership between the two nations centered on the “Kigali-Harare bridge” for shared innovation.

Minister Mavetera characterized Artificial Intelligence not merely as a trend, but as a fundamental utility for the continent.

“I left the stage firmly convinced that Artificial Intelligence is the new electricity for Africa’s re-industrialisation,” she stated, quoting computer scientist Andrew Ng to emphasize that AI is a practical tool for efficiency, not just a “buzzword” or a chatbot.

Five Strategic Commitments for a Digital Future

To move beyond rhetoric, Minister Mavetera announced five concrete strategic commitments aimed at integrating AI into the fabric of Zimbabwe’s economy and governance:

• National AI Centre of Excellence: A new hub to be twinned with Rwanda’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR).
• Digital Nomad and AI Skills Visa: A proposal to attract global talent and turn “brain drain” into “brain circulation.”
• Mandatory AI Literacy: A training mandate for all civil servants to ensure the public sector is future-ready.
• Sovereign Cloud Framework: An infrastructure project to protect national data while enabling interoperable, pan-African AI models.
• Ethical AI Procurement Pledge: A commitment through the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) to ensure public sector technology is home-grown and bias-free.

A Continental Vision for Trade

The conference also addressed broader African integration. Invoking Gibson’s Law —“The future is already here” — Mavetera outlined a vision for a single AI-powered trade window. This digital gateway is intended to link SADC and COMESA, breaking language barriers and accelerating intra-African commerce.

The event, anchored in the ZITF theme of “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries,” served as a declaration that Zimbabwe is ready to build the digital backbone of a competitive future.

Minister Mavetera concluded by praising the “speed of execution” seen in Rwanda’s Irembo platform as a model for Zimbabwe, calling on industry and academia to join the Ministry in this roadmap. She closed her remarks with a reminder of national responsibility: “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.”