Zambia Launches National Public Key Infrastructure to Strengthen Digital Trust
The NPKI is expected to support wider adoption of electronic approvals and digital signatures, strengthen government-to-government and government-to-citizen interactions, reduce reliance on paper-based processes and lower administrative costs.
Zambia has launched its National Public Key Infrastructure (NPKI), marking a major step towards strengthening digital trust, security and efficiency across the country’s growing digital economy.
Launched on September 7, 2026, the NPKI provides a national framework for verifying digital identities, authenticating electronic documents and signatures, and securing online transactions against impersonation, fraud and unauthorised alterations.
Speaking at the launch, Ministry of Technology and Science Permanent Secretary Eng. Dr Brilliant Habeenzu said the initiative would provide an important trust layer for Zambia’s digital transformation. He said digital services must be supported by systems that give citizens and businesses confidence that digital identities can be verified, transactions authenticated and information protected from manipulation.
The NPKI is expected to support wider adoption of electronic approvals and digital signatures, strengthen government-to-government and government-to-citizen interactions, reduce reliance on paper-based processes and lower administrative costs. It could also enable businesses to conduct electronic transactions with customers, suppliers, financial institutions and government with greater confidence.
Dr Habeenzu said the success of the initiative would depend on more than the NPKI itself, stressing the need for reliable connectivity, secure data centres, resilient networks, cybersecurity capabilities, digital identity systems and skilled personnel. He also called for collaboration among government institutions, regulators, financial institutions, telecommunications operators, the private sector, academia and development partners.
Smart Zambia Institute National Coordinator Mr Percy Chinyama, meanwhile, cautioned that the launch was only the beginning. He stressed the importance of sustainable funding, technical capacity and long-term planning to ensure the NPKI and the infrastructure supporting it remain operational.
Chinyama also urged public institutions to become more receptive to technological innovation and reduce dependence on external vendors by developing stronger internal technical capabilities. He further called for better coordination between legal, procurement, technical and decision-making teams to ensure technology projects are implemented quickly enough to keep pace with changing digital requirements.
ZICTA Board Chairperson Eng. Prof. Mundia Muya described the NPKI as national digital trust infrastructure rather than simply another technology platform. He said the system would provide a foundation for trusted digital identities for individuals, organisations, devices and documents through digital certificates and signatures.
Prof. Muya noted that the infrastructure is particularly relevant as Zambia expands the use of mobile money, digital banking, e-commerce, electronic government services and online business transactions. He said connectivity alone was not enough, as citizens must also be confident that the people and organisations they interact with online are legitimate.
The NPKI is expected to strengthen identity verification and protection against impersonation, tampering, phishing and other forms of digital fraud. It could also support secure electronic documents, approvals and paperless processes while reducing the time and costs associated with traditional transactions.
Prof. Muya said the National Digital Trust Anchor had been operationalised through ZICTA’s role as the National Root Certification Authority, providing a foundation for participating entities to develop trusted digital certificate services.
ZICTA Director General Eng. Collins Mbulo described the launch as an important milestone in Zambia’s transition towards a secure and digitally enabled economy. He said digital certificates and trusted digital identities would help establish the identities of parties involved in online transactions, validate electronic records and protect information from unauthorised changes.
The launch brings together Zambia’s digital transformation, cybersecurity and identity initiatives around a common trust framework. However, officials emphasised that its long-term impact will depend on adoption by government institutions, businesses and other stakeholders, as well as continued investment in infrastructure, skills, security and public awareness.
