Minister of Technology and Science, Hon. Felix Mutati, has announced a 280 million plan to permanently address nationwide network outages, linking recent communication failures to the severe 2023/2024 drought and Zambia's reliance on hydropower.
Responding to a three-week network collapse in Lumezi Constituency, Mutati outlined a three-pronged strategy focusing on energy security, national network sharing, and rapid tower rollout. He confirmed that outages in areas such as Shibande, Kazembe, and Chitungulu were caused by low energy output from hydropower-dependent grids, which left communication towers disconnected.
The government plans to implement nationwide backup and alternative energy solutions, including hybrid power systems combining fuel-generated power, renewables, and standby batteries. A pilot of 20 towers is already underway with private sector participation.
