Technology & Infrastructure Portfolio

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We Build and Deploy

At LevrAge, our market entry expertise comes from direct deployment experience. We're not consultants offering theory—we're operators who've navigated the same challenges you will face.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE

The Zambia Technology Landscape

Understanding Zambia's current tech infrastructure, emerging opportunities, and strategic gaps

Digital Connectivity: The Foundation

Key Metrics (2025)

33.0%
Internet Penetration
7.13M users
14.5M
Population Offline
67% without access
20.3M
Mobile Connections
Total connections
90.8%
Broadband Coverage
3G/4G networks
10M+
Mobile Money Users
MTN, Airtel active
3,568
Cellular Towers
Operational by 2023
The Opportunity

Two-thirds of Zambia's population (14.5 million) remains offline. This represents a greenfield market for digital services, fintech, e-commerce, and cloud-based applications.

Infrastructure Expansion

  • 3,568 cellular tower sites operational by 2023
  • Government targeting 96% broadband coverage by 2024
  • 60 new 4G mobile towers under construction (priority on rural connectivity)
  • ZamFree public Wi-Fi initiative rolling out in urban centers

Data Sovereignty & AI Infrastructure: Zambia's Strategic Advantage

The Legal Framework

Zambia's Data Protection Act of 2021 mandates that sensitive personal data must be stored on servers located within Zambia—creating captive demand for local data center capacity.

Regulatory Moat for Infrastructure Investment

National AI Strategy (2024-2026)

Launched November 2024, positioning Zambia as a hub for AI-driven development with projected 8% GDP boost by 2030.

Focus: Agriculture, mining, healthcare, education
Validation: $1.5B CopperTech AI investment (Nov 2025)

The Critical Bottleneck: Power

Power availability is the #1 challenge (48% of respondents) delaying AI-ready data center projects in Africa. Tech investors and mining companies now share the same dependency on energy reforms—creating a unified private-sector lobby for renewable deployment.

Strategic Gaps & White-Space Opportunities

Data Center Infrastructure

$300-500M

Market gap for sovereign data centers despite legal demand and regional positioning

Build before international hyperscalers dominate

Venture Capital Ecosystem

83%

African startup funding goes to "Big Four" countries, leaving Zambia underserved

Diaspora-led VC leveraging US/EU capital

Tech Talent Pipeline

Limited

Insufficient software engineers, data scientists to meet growing demand

Training institutes, corporate academies, mentorship

Enterprise SaaS

Near Zero

Few locally-built SaaS products for African market needs

Sector-specific solutions (agriculture, mining, healthcare)

Fintech & Digital Financial Services: Proven Traction

67
Active Fintechs
Operating in Zambia
16
Funded Startups
4 at Series A+
$1.4B
Africa Fintech (2024)
60% of all equity funding

Notable Players:

eShandi: $12M funded, expanding regionally
Union54: USD debit cards via API
Lupiya: Online microlending marketplace
Zoona: Mobile money and digital payments

Zambia's Tech Inflection Point

✅ In Place

  • Regulatory frameworks (AI Strategy, Data Protection Act)
  • Government commitment to digital transformation
  • Commercial validation ($1.5B CopperTech AI investment)
  • Growing user base (7M+ internet, 20M+ mobile)
  • Strategic positioning (US/EU alignment, Lobito Corridor)

❌ Execution Gaps

  • Infrastructure constraints (power, data centers)
  • Capital access challenges (limited VC)
  • Talent pipeline gaps (limited tech training)
  • Ecosystem fragmentation (lack of coordination)
  • Energy dependency (load-shedding impacts operations)

The opportunity: First movers who can systematically address these substrate gaps will capture outsized value as Zambia's digital economy scales.

Why This Matters for Your Deployment

When LevrAge advises on infrastructure projects, we draw from battle-tested execution experience:

Data center deployment experience (CopperCloud)

AI application architecture (AfriAI)

Regulatory navigation (both ventures)

Government partnership coordination

This isn't theoretical knowledge—it's battle-tested execution.

Our Ventures

Strategic technology deployments building Africa's digital and AI infrastructure

☁️
COPPERCLOUD

Data Sovereignty Infrastructure

Building Africa's first sovereign data infrastructure platform—enabling secure, locally-controlled AI deployment and digital services across the continent.

Key Initiatives:

  • Zambia data center pilot (Mufulira)
  • Regional data sovereignty framework
  • AI infrastructure partnerships
🧠
AFRIAI

AI Impact Incubator

Accelerating AI applications that solve real infrastructure and economic challenges across African markets.

Key Initiatives:

  • Agriculture optimization
  • Mining sector AI applications
  • Financial inclusion technology

From Deployment to Advisory

Real-World Testing

Our ventures validate strategies before we recommend them to clients

Market Intelligence

First-hand insights into infrastructure challenges and solutions

Proven Pathways

We guide you through regulatory and partnership processes we've navigated ourselves

Deploying Infrastructure in Africa?

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