Zambia ICT Sector Performance Review 2010 - Research ICT Africa

Towards Evidence-based ICT Policy and Regulation
Conclusion and Recommendations
The Zambian communications market has experienced significant improvement over the last
decade. This has been characterized by rapid growth in the mobile voice market and increased
investments in broadband infrastructure, broadening access and usage of ICTs. Recent
developments in the sector include the liberalization of the international gateway, “privatization” of
the incumbent state-owned Zamtel and the passing of the ICT Act of 2009 and Electronic and
Communications Transactions Act of 2009. These, and the introduction of new licensing
regulations, are likely to provide a basis for stimulating increased and new investment in the sector.
However, the widely anticipated favorable market entry conditions and enhanced competition
premised on the provisions of the ICT Act of 2009’s new legal and regulatory framework have been
severely constrained by the government’s policy decision to restrict market entry to existing players
until 2015.
The foregoing serves to demonstrate that having a good ICT policy or state-of-the-art legislation is
not enough. Much work remains to be done to ensure that the legal and regulatory framework
works to nurture an environment that stimulates increased investment in the sector. The general
perception of inefficient policy and regulatory environment as captured in the TRE assessment
suggests that the following areas will continue to be major issues of concern:
ZICTA needs to
enhance its credibility
and realise the
autonomy bestowed
on it by the ICT Act by
building on its
competences,
transparency and
predictability in
decision-making.
The Government
should rescind the
policy decision to
restrict market entry as
this will hamper the
development of a
competitive
environment
• Ease of market entry
• Consumer protection & Quality of services
• Frequency Spectrum management
• Interconnection regulation
• Tariff regulation
• Equitable and open access to broadband infrastructure
To effectively address these challenges ZICTA needs to enhance its credibility and realise its
autonomy by building on its competences, transparency and predictability in decision-making.
The remainder of this chapter highlights key recommendations to address some of the findings of
the study.
Policy Making
Recommendations:
• Build capacity at higher leadership and policy levels to enhance e-leadership and shared
vision
• Review the National ICT Policy and design an implementation plan
• Mainstream ICTs in national development plans (with emphasis on their dual role as enabler
and industry)
• Expand existing diploma and graduate programs and establish new postgraduate programs
in ICTs
• Support multi-disciplinary research in ICTs to enhance evidence-based decision making at
all levels
Regulatory Issues
Market Entry
• The Government should rescind the policy decision to restrict market entry as this will
hamper the development of a competitive environment which is the key objective of the
National ICT Policy and ICT Act of 2009
• Review licensing regulations and revise licensing fees downwards to encourage local
entrepreneurship in the ICT sector
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