Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati has handed the job of building the new Ministerial Technology Advisory Panel to a Zambian company, Hobbiton Investments Limited, telling a Lusaka breakfast meeting on November 11, 2026 that the panel will drive better public services under the Grow Zambia Agenda.
According to LusakaTimes.com, the panel will pull together government and private sector players to speed up the country's digital transformation with modern digital infrastructure built at home, for Zambians.
What the Ministerial Technology Advisory Panel will do
Mutati said the new legislative framework puts smart solutions first, so that decisions on services like home data and social support systems are guided by reliable data instead of guesswork.
“We love our city as a Government and we must have one unified approach towards it. Through technology-focused policies, we are addressing how best to improve the efficiency of Government service delivery, ranging from home data to social support systems,” Mutati said.
He framed the work around what he called the five I's: identity, interoperability, intelligence, infrastructure and inclusivity.
“To move the five [I's], namely identity, interoperability, intelligence, infrastructure and inclusivity, there is need for collaboration because Government is not a monopoly of wisdom,” Mutati said.
Here is the part that should warm every Zambian heart. The Minister made clear the state's job is to set the rules and let Zambian companies do the building. Not foreign consultants flying in and flying out with our money.
“Our role as Government is to create an enabling environment through sound policies and legislation. This empowers tech companies and telecoms to invest, expand their networks, and support the broader national agenda of building a resilient, double-digit economy,” Mutati said.
Zambians are already saving their own money, K1 at a time
The same event showed what Zambian hands can do when given the space. Hobbiton Investment Management Limited chief executive officer Mimi Lungu said no nation transforms its economy while most citizens stay outside the formal financial system, and that capital formation starts at the grassroots through disciplined savings.
That is exactly why the firm created Patumba, a savings and investment platform for ordinary Zambians with an entry threshold of just K1. You do not need to be rich to start building your own financial security.
“The platform's growth trajectory underscores a growing savings culture nationwide. Patumba has officially crossed the K500 million mark in Assets Under Management (AUM), driven by over 2.5 million registered Zambian accounts since its inception,” Lungu said.
She said the firm now aims to double that portfolio to K1 billion in assets under management by 2027, betting on rising demand among Zambians for savings and investment opportunities. Hobbiton Technology chief executive officer Mwangala Mwiya put active uptake at 1.6 million people on the platform.
Elias Chipimo's warning: from digital mediocrity to national excellence
Hobbiton Investment Management Limited board chairperson Elias Chipimo did not mince words. He said Zambia was an early adopter of technology but implementation failures and regulatory hurdles have stalled progress, leaving the country struggling to turn breakthroughs into sustained economic momentum.
He called for an urgent shift from digital mediocrity to national excellence so that technology contributes meaningfully to productivity, growth and public service delivery.
That diagnosis is hard to argue with. Zambia has the talent. What it has lacked is follow-through, and too often the patience of waiting for foreign approval before moving. This panel is a chance to fix that with our own people in the driving seat.
How this fits Zambia's wider digital agenda
The push is not happening in a vacuum. Zambia Monitor reported that the World Bank has called on Zambia to step up investment in digital infrastructure and skills, and that the country targets 80 percent digital exposure by 2026 through new ICT infrastructure initiatives. Mutati has previously pointed to the Government Service Bus, which handled 1.2 million transactions last year and now hosts 532 services, as proof that technology can improve public delivery.
The Ministry has also been strengthening engagement with private sector players. Africa Newsroom reported that after Mutati's reappointment, the Ministry remains open to dialogue and strategic partnerships that support innovation and the Grow Zambia Agenda, including a recent courtesy call from Liquid Intelligence.
The line that matters: partnerships yes, but the agenda must stay Zambian. When Zambian firms like Hobbiton carry the load, the skills, the jobs and the value stay right here at home.
What happens next
The Ministerial Technology Advisory Panel now moves to formation, with public and private stakeholders expected to begin sharing ideas on the five I's. Patumba, meanwhile, chases its K1 billion target by 2027.
FAQ
What is the Ministerial Technology Advisory Panel?
It is a government advisory body whose formation has been tasked to Hobbiton Investments Limited, bringing public and private sector stakeholders together to improve public service delivery through digital infrastructure under the Grow Zambia Agenda.
Who is Felix Mutati?
Felix Mutati is Zambia's Minister of Technology and Science, reappointed to the role and leading the country's digital transformation agenda.
How much has Patumba raised from Zambian savers?
Patumba has crossed K500 million in assets under management, with over 2.5 million registered Zambian accounts since inception and 1.6 million active users, according to figures announced by Hobbiton executives on November 11, 2026.