Free wifi to create 1,500 jobs for Lusaka youths

GOVERNMENT and a South African firm has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide free Wi-Fi services in Lusaka.

Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Lusaka City Council (LCC) has partnered with Edgy Nicollo M2TD Consortium, a South African company to supply free wifi services in Zambia under phase-one.

Other stakeholders in the project include, Zambia Information and Communication Technology (ZICTA) and the Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL).

Ministry of Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary (PS), Amos Malupenga said during the signing ceremony held in Lusaka that the government is happy with the development of providing internet services to the people.

Mr. Malupenga said the project is expected to create an estimated 1,500 jobs to the youths in Lusaka.

He said the project would also help the local authority to effectively and efficiently provide services to local people.

The Permanent Secretary said government is passionate about empowering its people with job security.

“These are the kind of projects that we as government always encourage councils to undertake because Public-Private Partnership help to keep councils in direct contact with the communities”, Mr. Malupenga said.

Speaking at the same event Lusaka Town Clerk, Alex Mwansa bemoaned the high levels of unemployment among youths especially in the City but expressed hope that the free wifi project will help address the problem.

“I’m glad that the project is finally becoming a reality. It will help to alleviate the problem of unemployment in Lusaka in that an estimated 1,500 jobs are expected to be created”,Mr. Mwansa said.

The free wifi project was initiated by Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba in April this year when he led a delegation of eight members from Edgy Nicollo Group.

Wifi is a term for certain types of wireless such as local area networks and (LAN) widely used in businesses, agencies, schools, and homes as an alternative to a wired LAN.