Zambia is accelerating its ambition to become a regional technology hub, mobilising public and private capital to prepare its youth for the AI Robotics for Good Challenge, a United Nations-backed global competition culminating in Geneva.
The Ministry of Technology & Science Zambia has partnered with E-MARK Zambia and Liquid Intelligent Technologies to equip students aged 10–18 with artificial intelligence, robotics and coding skills ahead of the 2025–2026 competition cycle. The initiative is designed to tackle real-world challenges with a particular emphasis on food security while positioning Zambia as a credible player in the global digital economy.
The programme feeds into the AI for Good Global Summit, organised under the International Telecommunication Union. The final competition will take place in Geneva this July, where Zambian students will compete against peers from more than 50 countries.
At a signing ceremony formalising the strategic partnership, Liquid Intelligent Technologies’ chief executive Mwendamo Mazaba joined Zambia’s Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati, marking what organisers described as “an important milestone in Zambia’s Road to Geneva”.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies pledged 250,000 kwacha ($14,000) in financial support, alongside mentorship and technical expertise. The funding injection is modest by global standards but significant in Zambia’s emerging innovation ecosystem, where access to structured technical training and industry exposure remains uneven.
Minister Mutati underscored the government’s commitment to nurturing homegrown talent through mentorship, private-sector collaboration and access to quality resources. Zambia intends to build its digital capacity internally rather than rely solely on imported expertise.
E-MARK Zambia, which has been driving youth innovation initiatives across the country, will coordinate programme delivery, ensuring students gain practical exposure to robotics engineering, AI development and coding. National finals are scheduled for 31 March 2026.
“The programme empowers students aged 10 to 18 with practical skills in robotics, artificial intelligence, and coding, preparing the next generation to innovate, solve real-world challenges, and participate meaningfully in the global digital future,” E-MARK said.
Zambia’s move comes as African governments intensify efforts to close the continent’s digital skills gap. Africa has the world’s youngest population with more than 60 per cent under the age of 25, yet faces persistent unemployment pressures. Technology, particularly AI and robotics, is increasingly viewed as a lever for productivity gains in agriculture, mining, financial services and public administration.
The programme’s focus on food security is strategic. Agriculture accounts for a substantial share of Zambia’s employment and GDP, and AI-driven robotics from precision farming to automated monitoring systems could help address climate volatility, yield inefficiencies and supply chain fragmentation.
Across Africa, AI adoption is accelerating in fintech, agri-tech and health-tech, with startups attracting rising venture capital flows despite global funding contractions. The continent’s digital economy is projected to contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to GDP over the next decade, according to industry estimates. Governments are now racing to ensure their populations possess the technical competencies to compete.
The AI Robotics for Good Challenge, a United Nations initiative under the International Telecommunication Union, is designed to translate coding and robotics theory into practical problem-solving. By targeting students aged 10–18, Zambia is embedding digital literacy early, a move aligned with broader continental ambitions to leapfrog legacy infrastructure constraints.
More than 50 countries will compete in Geneva, raising the stakes for Zambia’s cohort. The competition is not merely symbolic. It serves as a platform for international exposure, partnerships and potential investment pathways.
For Liquid Intelligent Technologies, the partnership reinforces its positioning as a digital infrastructure and solutions enabler across Africa. For E-MARK Zambia, it deepens its footprint in national innovation programming. For the Zambian government, it signals policy alignment between education reform, digital transformation and industrial strategy.
The signing ceremony in Lusaka may appear local, but its implications are global. As advanced economies debate AI regulation and automation risks, African nations such as Zambia are focusing on capability building training the next generation to design, deploy and govern intelligent systems.
The initiative reflects a nationwide effort to position Zambia as a technology hub and invest in the next generation of problem-solvers. It also highlights a wider shift across Africa: entrepreneurship is no longer confined to fintech apps and e-commerce platforms. It is moving into deep technology robotics, AI engineering and digital infrastructure.
In Geneva, Zambia will stand alongside the world’s most technologically advanced nations. The students competing will not simply represent a country, they will embody an economic strategy built on youth, innovation and collaboration between state and private sector. For Zambia, the Road to Geneva is about far more than a competition. It is a statement of intent.
