Secure Growth: Cyber-smart strategies for Zambia’s SMEs
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Zambia’s economy. They create jobs and deliver services in areas where larger corporations often don’t reach. Around 97% percent of Zambian businesses fall into this category, contributing 70% of the country’s GDP and 88% of its employment. However, as they adopt digital solutions such as mobile money and cloud platforms, they inevitably expose themselves to cyber risks.
This is because cybercriminals go where the defences are weakest. For many SMEs, outdated systems, basic antivirus software, and limited staff training leave dangerous gaps. Fortunately, with awareness, training, and a technology partner who understands the risks and how to address them, Zambia’s SMEs can safeguard their futures.
To start with, they should understand these five security touchpoints:
- Cyber security is about trust, not just compliance – The financial consequences of a cyber-attack could be devastating for a small business operating on a stretched budget. Lost trust is also a very real possibility, from customers worried about sharing data to suppliers fearing they’ll be implicated. From a legal standpoint, the Data Protection Act provides businesses with guidelines for managing sensitive information, but it’s up to the organisations themselves to show that they can protect client and supplier data. In an economy where partnerships and reputation matter, this becomes a serious competitive advantage.
- Know the threats that matter most – Knowing how to protect a business means understanding the potential threats. One of the most pressing dangers facing Zambian SMEs is phishing and social engineering. In fact, a 2024 survey found that 79% of Zambians were targeted by digital or phone fraud. Understandably, mobile money fraud is one of the most common cybercrimes, along with ransomware locking SMEs out of their own data and demanding ransoms they can’t afford. Unfortunately, not all threats originate outside the business. Insider threats, such as using unsecured Wi-Fi, clicking on suspicious email links, or misusing sensitive data, remain a reality.
- Secure the basics: connectivity and cloud – Securing an SME shouldn’t be complex. First, secure and reliable connectivity limits the chances of data being intercepted. Then, cloud services provide affordable backup, access controls, and collaboration features. Providers like Liquid Intelligent Technologies offer managed services that bundle connectivity, cloud, and security in SME-friendly packages, allowing even small firms to access enterprise-grade safeguards.
- Make employees the first line of defence – Technology can’t plug every gap, and human error is often the entry point of many breaches. In a recent phishing test that we conducted, almost 40% of a Lusaka SME’s staff clicked a fake link. After training, that figure dropped below 5%. The lesson is clear: awareness works and can help protect SMEs against attack. Staff who know what to look for are a company’s strongest firewall.
- Prepare today for tomorrow’s risks – Cyber threats are evolving fast, and methods change daily. Attackers already use AI to generate convincing phishing messages and deepfake audio to trick staff into releasing funds. For SMEs in Zambia, such as a fintech startup handling mobile payments or a logistics company managing cloud-based inventory, building future-proof systems is essential for safeguarding their growth and competitiveness. Having a response plan ready in case attackers find a chink in the SME’s armour is also key. It’s best to operate on a when it happens scenario, rather than if it happens.
Future-proofing Zambia’s SMEs
For SMEs feeling overwhelmed, the path to resilience begins with small steps like updating systems, implementing stronger passwords, backing up data, and training staff. As the business grows, more advanced solutions can be added. A comprehensive cloud-based risk management solution, such as Liquid’s Secure360, brings together all the essential defence mechanisms needed to safeguard SMEs, including employee education, verification processes, robust technical controls, advanced anti-phishing and AI-powered detection tools, and secure communication channels.
Add to this the additional support provided by local cyber security fusion centres, and alignment with Zambia’s AI and digital transformation strategies, and it’s clear how a trusted technology partner is best placed to help SMEs prepare not only for current risks, but future issues as well.
