Business Reporter
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is spearheading a digital revolution, laying the groundwork for a more connected and efficient future, according to deputy chief executive officer Mr Roy Chimanikire.
Speaking at the Econet stand at the ongoing Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS), Mr Chimanikire, shed some light into the company’s ambitious vision for a technology-driven economic transformation.
At the heart of that technology-driven push is the company’s rapid 5G network expansion.
Mr Chimanikire announced that the company has already deployed some 300 5G base stations as of July 2025, bringing high-speed 5G connectivity to over 500 000 customers. This is over and above the rest of its millions of customers that use 4G (LTE) mobile data and the few that still use 3G.
He said while the 5G technology usage is still growing, Econet’s rapid rollout marks a powerful stride towards harnessing the full potential of Zimbabwe’s digital transformation as the country moves towards a full digital economy.
He noted that 5G’s true potential lies beyond basic applications on smartphones, pointing instead to its transformative impact on businesses and industry, through the “Internet of Things” (IoT) – the collective network of connected devices and the technology, such as 5G, that facilitates communication between devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices themselves.
“It’s about the next level of technology in terms of the efficiency it can bring to businesses and the scalability at which businesses can do things and speedily deliver products and services now,” Mr Chimanikire explained.
He showcased several applications at the Econet stand – which is a key attraction at the entire show – including a smart water solution designed to manage water grids more efficiently, using intelligent data from connected devices. He also highlighted the use of drone technology for applications like smart parking and agriculture, noting the significant reduction in labour costs and time for tasks such as crop spraying.
Econet is also actively infusing AI in its business processes and to address customer pain points and improve service delivery.
The company has introduced a chatbot named Yamurai, which fluently communicates in local languages, including Shona and Ndebele.
“What it’s really doing is it is allowing customers themselves to (quickly) resolve some of their pressing pain points,” Mr Chimanikire said.
He added that the chatbot can also assist with tasks such as obtaining a PUK number or configuring a SIM card, all without the need for human interaction with an agent. The AI-powered chatbot supports interactive voice, allowing users to speak to it as if they were speaking to a real human being.
Mr Chimanikire said artificial intelligence presents a significant opportunity for companies to have a positive societal impact, aligning with global development goals.
He said Econet was actively exploring more ways to use these technologies to provide services that are convenient, relevant and have a transformative impact on people’s lives.