Ericsson and Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Partner to Advance AI-Powered Networks in Zimbabwe
The collaboration will deliver practical solutions that support Zimbabwe’s national sustainability goals while enabling Econet’s continued network growth.
Ericsson and Econet Wireless Zimbabwe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain to design, test and deploy next-generation mobile services in Zimbabwe powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G Advanced and enhanced network security.
The joint innovation programs will include initial focus areas such as AI-driven radio access network (RAN) optimization and energy-efficient network evolution, 5G Advanced features, AI-driven RAN, exposed network APIs, network slicing and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled services to enhance network performance, drive service reliability, and boost user experiences.
The collaboration will deliver practical solutions that support Zimbabwe’s national sustainability goals while enabling Econet’s continued network growth. Ericsson and Econet will deploy AI‑driven network optimization and automation to enhance energy performance and improve operational efficiency. Moreover, deploying energy‑efficient LTE and 5G solutions, and network architectures will reduce carbon footprint while expanding coverage and capacity
By combining advanced connectivity with automation and security capabilities, the collaboration aims to support Zimbabwe’s national ICT Policy 2022 – 2027 by enabling wider digital inclusion and facilitating new and improved digital services across sectors such as education, healthcare, enterprise and industry digitalization.
The collaboration is expected to improve network capacity, energy efficiency, and service reliability across key urban and rural areas.
“This memorandum of understanding with Ericsson reflects our continued focus on evolving our network capabilities to meet growing customer expectations and national digital priorities. By exploring AI-driven automation, advanced connectivity and sustainable network solutions, we aim to enhance service performance while enabling new digital opportunities across Zimbabwe.”
– Roy Chimanikire, Deputy CEO, Econet Zimbabwe
“Together with Econet Zimbabwe, we are advancing the evolution toward intelligent, programmable and more sustainable networks in the country. By leveraging Ericsson’s leadership in programmable and AI-native networks, this memorandum of understanding creates a framework for testing and deploying technologies that enhance network resilience, automation and service innovation to provide communities with advanced connectivity that can enable meaningful digital services in their daily lives.”
– Alain Maupin, Vice President and Head, Ericsson East and North Africa
The MoU builds on a trusted and long-standing relationship spanning more than 20 years, during which Ericsson has delivered core and radio network solutions supporting Econet Zimbabwe’s infrastructure.
