Zamtel Hosts Major Mobile Money Agent Conference to Drive a Cashless Future
Zamtel Money today hosted its Mobile Money Agent Conference under the theme “Scoring a Cashless Future,” bringing together agents, partners, and key stakeholders to chart the next phase of Zambia’s digital financial transformation.
The event, held in Lusaka, served as a platform to celebrate the achievements of mobile money agents and reaffirm Zamtel’s strategic commitment to financial inclusion and innovation.
Opening the conference, Zamtel Money Managing Director Comfort Nyondo lauded the contributions of agents who have become vital financial access points across the country. “Our agents are not just service providers—they are economic enablers,” Nyondo said. “They’ve transformed kiosks into powerful community hubs, empowering women entrepreneurs and youth-led businesses, and closing the rural-urban financial gap.”
Following her remarks, Zamtel CEO Jason Mwanza delivered a comprehensive review of Zambia’s evolving digital finance landscape.
He highlighted that financial inclusion had surged from 59% in 2015 to over 70% by 2024—fueled primarily by mobile money. Active mobile accounts had grown exponentially from 500,000 in 2016 to more than 13 million today, with transaction volumes more than doubling.
Mr. Mwanza outlined Zamtel’s strategic roadmap, including the expansion of merchant payment options, integration with utilities and insurance services, and pilots for micro-credit disbursements via mobile wallets.
He also emphasized the growing threat of fraud, particularly through social engineering, and called on agents to be the first line of defense by promoting financial literacy and customer awareness on security practices.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Eng. Elias Mubanga, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, hailed mobile money as a transformative force for rural development.
“What used to take days and telegrams now happens in seconds, thanks to mobile money,” Mubanga said.
He commended Zamtel’s agent network for bringing financial services to underserved communities and pledged his ministry’s support for digital skills training and rural market expansion.
The conference concluded with a shared commitment from all stakeholders to foster innovation, enhance transaction security, and deepen cooperation between mobile operators, regulators, and development partners in building a truly inclusive digital economy.
