Zimbabwe’s ICT Minster Unveils 5 Point Blueprint To Connect 800 million Offline Africans

Zimbabwe’s Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda Mavetera, speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 ITU Regional Development Forum for Africa (ITU RDF-AFR 2026), addressed the continent’s persistent digital divide.

Citing the stark reality that over 800 million people across Africa still lack internet access, Mavetera argued that digital connectivity must be firmly established as a fundamental human right rather than a luxury.

To bridge this significant developmental gap, the Minister proposed a five-pillar framework intended to guide Africa’s collective digital policy and infrastructure development.

The first pillar focuses on universal access infrastructure, emphasising the critical need for networks that explicitly target remote and rural communities.

Mavetera highlighted the necessity of last mile connectivity to protect vulnerable demographics from being left behind, noting the ongoing, practical challenges faced by individuals who must travel long distances simply to charge their mobile devices.

Infrastructure expansion, however, must be paired with affordability. The minister stressed that network coverage is meaningless if the public is priced out. She argued that data should not cost a worker an entire day’s wage and called for the implementation of just and fair pricing frameworks.

The strategy also addresses human capital through digital skills training. The Minister called for aggressive educational investments to transition African populations from consuming digital products to actively creating them, fostering a workforce equipped for the global economy.

Similarly, she championed locally relevant content, stating that the internet must operate fluidly in native languages and reflect African solutions and stories.

Finally, Mavetera emphasised the need for digital sovereignty, asserting that Africa must claim absolute ownership over its digital future.

According to the Minister, this requires implementing strict, continent-led governance over regional data, core infrastructure, and regulatory rules.