Online Reporter
Jacqueline Ntaka, Feature
ZIMBABWE’S digital future hinges on one critical component: its mobile base station infrastructure. The nation’s telecommunications landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by a marked shift towards advanced mobile network technologies.
The 2024 annual report from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) reveals a promising upward trend in the deployment of mobile base stations — a critical step towards enhancing nationwide connectivity.
However, to truly unlock Zimbabwe’s digital potential and ensure equitable access, a sustained and intensified effort to expand this vital infrastructure remains absolutely essential.
By December 31, 2024, Zimbabwe’s mobile base stations increased significantly to 11 738, up from 10 759 at the end of 2023. This 979-unit growth in 2024 saw a clear focus on future-proof LTE (635 new stations) and 5G (93 new stations) technologies. This strategic shift away from older 2G and 3G infrastructure signals a commitment to delivering faster, more reliable, and higher-capacity networks.
The impact of this expansion is already being felt, particularly in rural areas. LTE network population coverage in these often-underserved regions saw a significant increase of 20,85 percentage points in 2024. This is a vital development, as improved rural connectivity can bridge the digital divide, stimulate economic activity, and provide access to essential services and information for a broader segment of the population. At the same time, urban areas experienced a robust 13,25 percentage point improvement in 5G network coverage, signaling a move towards ultra-fast connectivity for businesses and individuals in key economic hubs.
While these figures are undeniably encouraging, the path to ubiquitous, high-quality connectivity for all Zimbabweans necessitates an even more aggressive push for mobile base stations. Despite the commendable growth in rural LTE coverage, large areas of the country — particularly remote and sparsely populated regions — still lack adequate network access. More base stations are essential to reach these unserved and underserved communities, ensuring that no Zimbabwean is left behind in the digital era.
Even in areas with existing coverage, the quality of service can vary. A higher density of base stations results in stronger signal strength, fewer dropped calls, faster data speeds, and more stable connections — ultimately enhancing the overall user experience. This is crucial for businesses that rely on consistent connectivity, as well as for individuals engaged in remote work, online learning, or e-commerce.
As Zimbabwe embraces the digital economy, the demand for bandwidth-intensive services such as video streaming, cloud computing, and advanced IoT applications will continue to grow. A robust and expansive base station network is the foundational infrastructure required to support this evolving digital landscape and to foster innovation.
While 5G deployment is gaining momentum in urban centres, its true transformative potential — enabling smart cities, advanced industrial automation, and hyper-connected environments — requires a much greater density of base stations. Expanding 5G infrastructure beyond current urban hotspots will be critical for Zimbabwe to fully harness these next-generation capabilities.
Reliable and widespread mobile connectivity is a powerful catalyst for economic growth. It facilitates communication, enables e-commerce, supports financial inclusion through mobile money services, and attracts foreign investment. A well-connected Zimbabwe is a more competitive and prosperous Zimbabwe.
While current mobile base station deployment in Zimbabwe shows positive progress, a concerted and sustained drive for more base stations is absolutely essential to truly elevate the nation’s digital infrastructure and secure its future as a digitally empowered society. Continued collaboration between the Government, operators, and regulators will be key to ensuring every corner of Zimbabwe benefits from enhanced network connectivity.
l Jacqueline Ntaka is the CEO of Mviyo Technologies, a local tech company that provides custom software development, mobile applications and data analytics solutions.
She can be contacted on [email protected]
