Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Zimpapers Correspondent
ZIMBABWE took a major step towards becoming an artificial intelligence-driven economy after the launch of AI, with the government hailing the development as a milestone in the country’s digital transformation agenda and a key pillar of the National Development Strategy 2.
Speaking at the Econet AI launch in Harare last week, ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister, Tatenda Mavetera, said the initiative marked Zimbabwe’s transition from being a passive consumer of technology to an active producer and innovator.
The launch comes barely a month after President Mnangagwa unveiled the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2026–2030) at the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden.
“This event signals Zimbabwe’s firm transition from aspiration to action in the digital age,” said Minister Mavetera.
“Zimbabwe has shifted from being a passive consumer of technology to becoming a creator and innovator. The launch of Econet AI exemplifies this change, occurring at the vital intersection of supportive Government policy and remarkable private-sector innovation.”
She said the move dovetails with the government’s vision under NDS2 to build a digital economy and transform Zimbabwe into a prosperous, knowledge-driven upper-middle-income society.
Minister Maveera said artificial intelligence was no longer a concept for the future but a present-day reality already reshaping economies and societies.
“AI is no longer a future technology concept — it is here, already beginning to define and impact how we work, live and do business,” she said.
“I believe nations that are investing in AI today will shape the global economy tomorrow. Zimbabwe has made the strategic choice to lead this revolution and actively compete for the future.”
The Minister said the country’s AI strategy is anchored on six pillars — infrastructure and computational capability, talent development, sector-wide adoption, governance and ethics, research and innovation, as well as international collaboration.
She commended Econet for aligning its investment with Government policy and for expanding access to cutting-edge AI tools.
“Your investment in advanced AI infrastructure has positioned Zimbabwe’s economy, including private and public enterprises and SMEs, to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and compete globally.”
Cassava Technologies president and chief executive officer, Mr Hardy Pemhiwa, said the launch represented a structural shift for Zimbabwe’s economy and digital future.
“AI is not a faster version of what we have seen before. It is a structural substitute for an entire category of human effort,” he said.
“The question is not whether it is coming. It has already arrived. The question is whether we make a structural response.”
Mr Pemhiwa said Cassava had invested in Africa’s first AI Compute Centre to serve the region and confirmed that Econet AI would now access world-class GPU computing power and AI cloud services locally.
“This means organisations in Zimbabwe can now train AI models, run large-scale data analytics and deploy AI applications locally without sending their data abroad,” he said.
Econet deputy chief executive officer Mr Roy Chimanikire said the platform would unlock innovation across critical sectors such as banking, mining, healthcare, agriculture and telecommunications.
He said the company’s partnerships with global technology giants, including Google, Microsoft and Nvidia, would help build a robust AI ecosystem in Zimbabwe.
Chief executive officer of Econet AI Mr Navdeep Kupar, said the platform had been designed to democratise access to AI by enabling users to create solutions without advanced coding skills.
“Our objective is that any person who has an idea should be able to develop an AI service or application,” he said. “The person does not have to know coding and does not even have to know English.”
The launch places Zimbabwe among the leading countries in Africa pursuing sovereign AI infrastructure and localised innovation, with potential to transform service delivery, agriculture, health and education.
