Zambia’s digital transformation of public services is entering a significant phase, with the national electronic government platform now offering 572 services and recording nearly K9.8 billion in revenue. Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane has commended the Ministry’s ICT team for the progress, highlighting the growing role of technology in making government services more accessible while strengthening revenue collection and public financial management. The latest figures represent a substantial increase from the 322 services reported on ZAMPORTAL in September 2024, when the platform had recorded more than 3.7 million transactions and about K5 billion in revenue. The expansion shows how digital government is becoming an increasingly important part of Zambia’s public administration. It also demonstrates how electronic payments, integrated government systems and digital platforms can support more efficient delivery of services to citizens and businesses.
Dr. Musokotwane made the remarks during a strategic visioning visit to the ICT Department, where he reviewed progress in digitising government services, revenue collection and payment systems. During the visit, the Minister engaged ICT Director Beaton Sibulowa and Assistant Directors Sylvia Mulenga, Stanely Phiri and Dora Sumaili, while also interacting with other ICT staff. He toured the server room and visited the call centre established to support electronic government services across the country. The visit gave him an opportunity to assess the infrastructure supporting Zambia’s digital government programme. It also highlighted the importance of the ICT professionals responsible for developing, operating and expanding these systems.
At the centre of Zambia’s digital government system is the Government Service Bus, commonly known as the GSB, which provides an interoperability backbone connecting government systems. The platform allows different government systems to communicate and share information rather than operating entirely as separate systems. ZAMPORTAL provides citizens and businesses with a single digital access point to public services. The Government Payment Gateway, including ZAMPAY, facilitates electronic payments to public service providers. The wider system also incorporates payments, authentication, digital signatures, notifications and audit trails, creating an integrated environment for government transactions.
The latest figures show that ZAMPORTAL currently hosts 572 services across 52 service providers and has served more than 1.17 million customers. The platform has generated more than 6.66 million bills and facilitated the collection of K9.78 billion in revenue. Of the 572 services reported by the ICT Department during the Minister’s visit, 394 are provided across central government while 178 are available across eight local authorities. These figures demonstrate a significant expansion in the reach of Zambia’s digital government services. They also show that the platform is becoming an important channel for both service delivery and government revenue collection.
The growth becomes clearer when the current figures are compared with those reported in September 2024. At that time, ZAMPORTAL had 322 services, recorded more than 3.7 million transactions and generated approximately K5 billion since its establishment. The platform has since added hundreds of services and processed millions of additional bills. Revenue collected through the platform has also increased substantially. This expansion shows that Zambia’s digitalisation programme is moving beyond simply providing information online and is increasingly supporting actual government transactions.
For citizens, the expansion of online government services can make it easier to access public services without visiting government offices for every transaction. A centralised digital platform can give users a clearer way to find services and complete payments or applications electronically. Businesses can also benefit when government processes become more accessible through digital channels. Electronic services can reduce the time and administrative effort involved in completing certain public transactions. However, the success of digital government also depends on reliable internet access, functioning systems, public awareness and adequate support for people who encounter difficulties.
The call centre established to support electronic government services is therefore an important part of the wider digital transformation programme. Providing online services does not automatically guarantee that every citizen will know how to use them. Some users may require assistance with registration, payments, applications or other digital processes. A dedicated support facility can help people navigate these services while also identifying common problems that require attention from government agencies. Strong public support can help ensure that investments in digital infrastructure translate into actual use.
Revenue collection is another major area affected by the expansion of digital government. The K9.78 billion collected through ZAMPORTAL demonstrates the financial importance of electronic government transactions. Digital payment systems can create clearer records of payments and reduce reliance on manual or cash-based processes. Electronic records can also support reconciliation, monitoring and reporting by government institutions. These functions are particularly important for ensuring that public revenue is collected, receipted, accounted for and remitted to the Treasury.
The Government’s 2027 to 2029 Budget Call Circular places the digital revenue collection system within the medium-term fiscal framework. The Government Service Bus and Government Payment Gateway are being positioned as central systems for government revenue collection. Ministries, Provinces and Agencies are expected to prioritise migrating their services onto the GSB before considering alternative systems. This approach is intended to reduce duplication and help minimise the costs associated with separate systems. It also creates a more coordinated framework for delivering and paying for government services online.
The Budget Call Circular further establishes the Government Payment Gateway as the sole online payment gateway for government services. Public institutions are directed not to budget for separate online payment solutions, with online payments expected to be facilitated through the GSB and Government Payment Gateway. A common payment infrastructure can help government establish consistent processes for payments, reporting and accounting. It can also reduce the number of separate platforms that public institutions have to develop and maintain. The approach is intended to create a more unified digital government environment.
Government has also provided indicative resources annually from 2027 through 2029 for development of the electronic payment system under the medium-term budget ceilings. This demonstrates that digital government is being incorporated into longer-term fiscal planning. The fiscal framework places importance on ensuring that revenue-generating institutions properly collect, receipt, account for and remit public revenue. It also identifies non-tax revenue mobilisation as an important part of financing government programmes, projects and operations. Digital payment systems can support these objectives by providing structured processes for collecting and recording revenue.
The Government’s digitalisation programme also seeks to improve integration and efficiency in public-service delivery. Instead of every institution developing separate technology platforms, common systems can allow government agencies to connect through shared infrastructure. This can reduce duplication while making it easier to expand digital services. It can also create opportunities for government institutions to share relevant information through properly controlled systems. Effective integration will require coordination among ministries, agencies, local authorities and the teams responsible for maintaining the national digital infrastructure.
Dr. Musokotwane has urged the ICT Department to intensify public sensitisation so that more people become aware of the services available through digital platforms. He said awareness programmes should reach members of the public, Members of Parliament, local authorities and government institutions responsible for collecting non-tax revenue. Other agencies whose services can be migrated onto the digital platforms should also be included in these efforts. Public awareness is important because the number of services available online does not necessarily determine how many people will use them. Citizens and businesses need clear information about available services, access procedures and the benefits of completing transactions electronically.
The Minister said wider adoption of digital systems would make government services more accessible and convenient while strengthening revenue collection, accounting, transparency and public financial management. These objectives are closely connected because a government transaction involves more than the service itself. The system must also record the transaction, process any payment, provide appropriate documentation and maintain an audit trail. When these functions operate through integrated electronic systems, government can improve its ability to monitor transactions and manage public resources. Digitalisation can therefore influence both the public experience of government and the internal processes used to manage government operations.
The expansion of digital government also creates greater responsibility for the institutions managing the systems. As the number of users and transactions increases, the underlying infrastructure must remain reliable and secure. Government systems that handle payments and personal information also require strong security controls and appropriate access management. Audit trails and authentication mechanisms become increasingly important as more services move online. Continued investment in technology, technical personnel and system maintenance will therefore be necessary to support the growing digital government ecosystem.
The digital transformation also has implications for Zambia’s private sector. Businesses interact with government through many processes involving licences, registrations, payments, approvals and other administrative requirements. Digital access can make these interactions more convenient and reduce the need for businesses to visit multiple offices. Faster and more predictable government processes can also support business activity by reducing administrative burdens. As more services become integrated, the relationship between government digital infrastructure and private sector development is likely to become increasingly important.
Local authorities are also becoming part of this digital transformation. The 178 services available across eight local authorities show that the expansion of digital government is reaching beyond central government institutions. Local authorities provide services that directly affect communities and businesses, making their participation important to the overall success of the programme. Bringing local government services onto shared platforms can improve access while creating more consistent approaches to electronic payments and service delivery. Further integration could expand the range of services available to citizens without requiring them to rely exclusively on physical government offices.
The progress recorded by ZAMPORTAL since 2024 demonstrates the scale of Zambia’s digital government expansion. The number of services has grown from 322 to 572, while the platform has increased the number of customers, bills and revenue transactions it handles. The figures show that digital platforms are becoming increasingly embedded in government operations. They also indicate that electronic service delivery is no longer a limited experiment but an expanding part of public administration. The next stage will involve bringing more institutions and services into the system while ensuring that the infrastructure remains reliable and accessible.
The continued integration of government services will also require cooperation among institutions. The Ministry of Finance and National Planning, SMART Zambia Institute, ministries, provinces, agencies and local authorities all have roles to play in expanding digital government. Successful integration requires institutions to align their systems and processes with common standards. It also requires government employees to understand the platforms and help citizens use them effectively. Digital transformation is therefore both a technology project and an institutional change process.
The nearly K9.8 billion in revenue collected through ZAMPORTAL provides a clear indication of the growing financial role of digital government systems in Zambia. The 572 services currently available demonstrate the expansion of the platform across central government and local authorities. The Government Service Bus provides the connectivity needed to integrate systems, while the Government Payment Gateway provides a central mechanism for online payments. Together, these systems form an increasingly important part of Zambia’s approach to digital public administration. The progress also explains why the Government is incorporating digital revenue collection and electronic payment infrastructure into its medium-term fiscal planning.
Zambia’s digital transformation is ultimately about making government services easier to access while improving how public institutions manage information, transactions and revenue. The growth of ZAMPORTAL shows that the country has made significant progress in expanding electronic government services and increasing the use of digital payments. Dr. Musokotwane’s call for greater public sensitisation highlights the next important challenge, ensuring that citizens, businesses and government institutions actually use the systems available to them. Continued integration, investment, technical support and public awareness will be essential as more services move online. With 572 services already available and K9.78 billion in revenue collected through the platform, Zambia’s digital government programme has become an increasingly important part of modern public service delivery and public financial management.