Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP) (WB-P505094)

Regions
  • Africa
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Zambia
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Financial Institutions
  • World Bank (WB)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Approved
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
B
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Voting Date
Sep 11, 2025
Date when project documentation and funding is reviewed by the Board for consideration and approval. Some development banks will state a "board date" or "decision date." When funding approval is obtained, the legal documents are accepted and signed, the implementation phase begins.
Borrower
Government of Zambia - Smart Zambia Institute
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Communications
  • Infrastructure
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Grant
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 100.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Project Cost (USD)
$ 120.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Bank Documents
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ WB website

Updated in EWS Oct 10, 2026

Disclosed by Bank Jul 28, 2024

Contribute Information
Can you contribute information about this project?
Contact the EWS Team

Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

According to the Bank’s website, the objective of the Digital Zambia Acceleration Project is to increase access to and the inclusive use of the internet and digitally enabled services.

There are four components to the project, the first component being affordable broadband. This component focuses on expanding essential, high-quality, resilient, and affordable broadband infrastructure and services. This component comprises three subcomponents: extending the backbone and regional networks, providing last-mile connectivity, and enhancing the enabling environment. The second component is the Interoperable and secure platforms. This component comprises three subcomponents: developing digital ID services, enhancing digital government and services, and facilitating regional trade. The third component is the digital skills and capabilities. This component includes two subcomponents: enhancing basic digital literacy and nurturing employment-ready advanced digital skills. Finally, the fourth component is the program management and capacity building. This component will support the critical building blocks for strong implementation, learning, and coordination of the program.

Early Warning System Project Analysis
For a project with severe or irreversible impacts to local community and natural resources, the Early Warning System Team may conduct a thorough analysis regarding its potential impacts to human and environmental rights.

The environmental and social risk rating is Moderate. An assessment of the project reveals potential environmental and social risks and impacts and occupational health and safety (OHS) risks that may result from proposed activities. These could include: (a) excavation of trenches for installation of fiber optic cables; (b) minimal vegetation loss; (c) generation of e-Waste; (d) exposure to electrical hazards, including working under high-voltage supply lines; (e) traffic-related incidents; (f) transmission of communicable diseases; (g) potential exclusion of vulnerable groups from accessing project benefits; (h) potential incidences of sexual exploitation and abuse or sexual harassment (SEA/SH) due to contractor-community interactions; (i) potential loss of data privacy due to exposure of personal information to unauthorized individuals; and (j) theft of fuel or oil and solar equipment powering ICT infrastructure if not properly secured. 

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.

Total Project Cost: US$ 120.00 million
IDA Grant: US$ 100.00 million

Private Actors Description
A Private Actor is a non-governmental body or entity that is the borrower or client of a development project, which can include corporations, private equity and banks. This describes the private actors and their roles in relation to the project, when private actor information is disclosed or has been further researched.

The SMART Zambia Institute is a Division under the Office of the President mandated to coordinate and implement electronic government (E-Government) for the citizens, businesses and within government for improved service delivery. The Institute was established through a Government Gazette notice No 836 of 2016.


Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

CONTACT POINT - World Bank

Task Team Leader: Caroline Chepkorir Koech
Title: Digital Development Specialist
Email: ckoech@worldbank.org

TTL Contact: Timothy John Charles Kelly
Job Title: Lead Digital Development Specialist
Email: tkelly@worldbank.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

To submit an information request for project information, you will have to create an account to access the Access to Information request form. You can learn more about this process at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/access-to-information/request-submission

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint

How it works

How it works