Zimbabwe's Digital Transformation: Liquid Technologies and Gender Equality Leadership in Africa

In the heart of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe stands on the cusp of a digital renaissance, energized by Liquid Intelligent Technologies’ latest strategic shift — a shift shaped by the vision of its recently appointed CEO, Loretta Songola. With the world’s attention turning to gender equality in the digital age, especially as marked by World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025, Songola’s ascent into Liquid’s top office arrives at a time when both the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Africa are sharply in focus. Under her stewardship, Liquid is not only scaling its technical backbone and infrastructure across Zimbabwe but also leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and strategic satellite partnerships to bridge critical digital divides and deliver lasting socio-economic impact.

From Leadership to Digital Literacy: Anchoring Gender Equality​

Songola’s appointment resonates deeply with the 2025 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day theme — Gender Equality in Digital Transformation. In an exclusive interview, she declared this new role both a privilege and a responsibility, underscoring Liquid’s foundational belief in diversity and equal opportunity. The tech industry, especially telecommunications and IT, has for decades wrestled with gender disparities at leadership and workforce levels. Under Songola, Liquid places a premium on not merely recruiting women for visibility, but fostering pathways for career growth driven by merit, talent, and performance.
One tangible outgrowth of this philosophy is Liquid’s Edu-Zones initiative, which has established free WiFi at 52 universities and polytechnics across Zimbabwe. By focusing on young people and especially girls, this outreach aims not only to democratize access to information but also to cultivate the next generation of female leaders in a tech-centric world. Songola’s emphasis on sustained digital literacy initiatives positions Liquid as both a technology provider and a socially conscious stakeholder committed to closing the gender digital gap.

Building the Infrastructure for a Digital Zimbabwe: Fibre and Satellite Synergy​

Crucial to Zimbabwe’s digital transformation is Liquid’s major bandwidth upgrade — a 35.29% jump that now sees the country’s national capacity reach 1.15 million Mbps. This upgrade is not simply a technical feat but a significant foundation for digital inclusion. As user demand accelerates, especially from the education, healthcare, and commercial sectors, the appetite for resilient, redundant, and scalable connectivity is at an all-time high.
Liquid’s deployment of over 110,000 kilometres of fibre across Africa, including 26,000 kilometres within Zimbabwe itself, creates an unmatched backbone for national and regional connectivity. Yet, what sets Liquid apart is its hybrid approach: integrating traditional fibre with satellite solutions. The recent completion of a 730km fibre extension in Botswana, linking Zimbabwe to South Africa, exemplifies the company’s tactical focus on cross-border robustness and regional integration.
Where fibre is not feasible — especially in Zimbabwe’s vast rural areas — Liquid’s partnerships with global satellite leaders, including Eutelsat, fill the gap, delivering reliable high-speed internet where it is needed most. This hybrid strategy is unique among Zimbabwean ISPs and fundamentally broadens the reach and resilience of digital services.

AI and Advanced Tooling: Charting Zimbabwe Into the Digital Future​

Liquid’s roadmap is anchored in the uptake of cutting-edge technologies, most notably artificial intelligence. Songola’s explicit references to integrating tools like Cassava AI and Microsoft Copilot signal a broader transformation well beyond connectivity.
For enterprises, especially in logistics and finance, this translates into the adoption of cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies powering real-time analytics, automation, and smarter decision-making. For small and medium businesses, the expansion paves the way for e-commerce models and remote operations previously hindered by connectivity gaps. At the consumer level, improved access to educational and entertainment resources, as well as telehealth and remote work, marks a discernible uplift already validated by reports from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.
Not to be overlooked, AI’s role in automating operational efficiency and driving innovation is also balanced by forward-thinking cybersecurity measures. Liquid’s Secure360 framework, which fuses AI-powered threat detection with compliance and user education, exemplifies a proactive rather than reactive posture. This is especially pressing as cyber threats escalate in tandem with burgeoning digital access. Songola affirms that security is not a bolt-on, but a core service, closely aligned with Zimbabwe’s Data Protection Act and reinforced through global cybersecurity partnerships.

Notable Achievements: The Past Year in Perspective​

In reviewing Liquid Zimbabwe’s trajectory over the past year, Songola highlights several milestones: the fibre and bandwidth expansions, and landmark agreements with satellite players like Eutelsat and Globalstar. The former partnership is bringing low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to Africa, while the latter is introducing advanced 5G solutions across multiple regions, including the Middle East and Gulf.
Liquid’s sustainability focus, notably through responsible sourcing and environmental and social reporting, further sets it apart as a corporate actor sensitive to the broader environmental and societal consequences of growth.
While specific financial details for 2024 remain proprietary, Songola suggests that extensive infrastructure and technological investments have positioned the company — and by extension, the country — for sustained digital acceleration. The portfolio now spans connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, colocation, AI compute, and payment systems, all critical pillars for a modern, diversified digital economy.

Strengthening the Digital Economy: Impact Across Sectors​

The strategic upgrades and expanded reach reflect already in multi-sectoral benefits across Zimbabwe:

• Education: Free, high-speed WiFi in tertiary institutions connects students and faculty to global information networks. Rural learners, historically marginalized, can now participate in virtual classes due to satellite-backed infrastructure.
• Healthcare: Telemedicine platforms are now feasible in distant clinics, helping to bridge the chronic shortage of specialized services in the country's remote areas. Timely access to digital health records and remote consultations, powered by both fibre and satellite networks, is fast becoming a healthcare standard.
• Commerce: Enhanced bandwidth and reliable internet allow MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) to expand into digital marketplaces, automate logistics, and access fintech services. Rural farmers and artisans increasingly use digital tools to reach customers, secure financing, and streamline supply chains.
• Government Services: The bandwidth upgrades help public sector entities digitize records, enable e-governance services, and increase transparency and access for previously underserved citizens.

Songola notes that rural telehealth and online learning remain among the standout success stories, underlining the theme that connectivity is not just about speed, but creating meaningful, life-changing opportunities.

Critical Analysis: Notable Strengths and Potential Risks​

Strengths​

• Unique Hybrid Model: Liquid’s combination of extensive fibre and sophisticated satellite partnerships makes it the most resilient and broadly accessible provider in Zimbabwe. This positions the company as a linchpin for national digital ambitions.
• Technological Partnerships: Collaborations with industry leaders such as Microsoft, Eutelsat, and Globalstar bring global expertise to local challenges and accelerate the pace of tech adoption across sectors.
• Inclusive Digital Policy: Commitment to gender equality, leadership development, and digital literacy initiatives extend the benefits of digital transformation beyond urban elites, fostering national cohesion and opportunity.
• Security-first Ethos: By embedding AI-driven cybersecurity from the outset, Liquid ensures that new users and enterprises alike can navigate the digital economy without undue risk, in alignment with evolving data protection regulations.
• Sustainability and Social Impact: Investments in green practices and social reporting mark Liquid not just as a market leader, but as a responsible, future-ready organization.

Risks and Challenges​

• Digital Divide: Despite significant progress, legacy inequalities risk persisting, especially if rural networks remain more reliant on satellite than fibre, which can be more costly and offer higher latencies. Sustaining affordability, especially for the most vulnerable, remains a persistent challenge.
• Cybersecurity Escalation: The adoption of AI and IoT increases the threat surface for cyber attacks. While Liquid’s secure frameworks are robust, the escalating sophistication of ransomware and infiltration tactics globally means that constant vigilance and adaptation are requisite.
• Market Competition and Monopolization: Liquid’s dominance in both the fibre and satellite arenas could potentially stifle fair competition, raising concerns around pricing, service innovation, and consumer choice unless other providers are able to keep pace with infrastructure investment.
• Dependence on External Partners: While global alliances fast-track innovation, heavy reliance on partners like Microsoft or Eutelsat entails a degree of operational risk, especially in the face of geopolitical instability or shifting international tech regulations.
• Financial Sustainability: Large-scale infrastructure upgrades are capital intensive, requiring ongoing investment. The ability to maintain cash flow, especially if uptake in less affluent markets falters, will test the company’s resilience.

Unpacking the Numbers: Bandwidth, Reach, and Ambitions​

Verifiable figures support Liquid’s regional leadership:

• Bandwidth: National capacity now stands at 1.15 million Mbps, a 35.29% increase, verified as a substantial advance congruent with growing market demands in Zimbabwe’s urban and rural hubs.
• Fibre Footprint: Liquid’s 26,000 kilometres of fibre inside Zimbabwe form part of its continent-wide 110,000km network.
• Edu-Zones: 52 universities and polytechnics now benefit from free WiFi, with anecdotal and regulatory reports affirming higher digital participation and improved service quality in these settings.
• Regional Integration: 730km of fibre through Botswana secures Zimbabwe’s connectivity to robust South African internet exchange points, referencing progress communicated in both local and international telecoms trade reports.

Such data points are echoed in independent reports from the Zimbabwe Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, which highlight service quality improvements over the past year.

Looking Ahead: Seeding Zimbabwe’s Digital Prosperity​

Liquid’s strategic north star is to drive inclusive, technology-led growth wherein every Zimbabwean, regardless of geography or gender, is empowered to take part in the global digital economy. The company plans to lead with AI-driven automation, expanded partnerships, and a continued roll-out of hybrid fibre-satellite infrastructure. As Songola puts it, inclusive growth sits at the “heart” of the strategy, with an explicit intent to close digital gaps and unlock opportunity at scale.
Anticipated rollouts in the coming year include further advancements in cloud-based services, expanded AI implementation, deepened e-learning and telehealth functionalities, and robust SME support channels designed to help legacy businesses pivot to digital.
Despite the hurdles — affordability constraints, digital literacy gaps, and cybersecurity arms races — the ambition is clear: To lay down not just fibre or satellite links, but the digital rails along which Zimbabwe’s next chapter of socio-economic development will ride.

Conclusion: The Future of Zimbabwe’s Digital Trajectory​

In the landscape of African telecommunications, Liquid’s Zimbabwe operation serves as a crucial case study in balancing innovation with inclusion, scale with security, and ambition with accountability. Under Loretta Songola’s leadership, the company’s fusion of next-generation technology, AI-driven solutions, and deep social investments is setting new standards for what connectivity can and should mean in the developing world.
Songola’s roadmap is not only about meeting present demands but anticipating future needs — equipping Zimbabwe to leapfrog persistent barriers and claim its share of global digital opportunity. For a nation with a history of disruption and resilience, this is more than a telecom upgrade: it is a bet on a future where digital access is the foundation for prosperity, innovation, and equality.
As bandwidth expands and fibre cables stretch farther across savannah and city alike, the promise of a connected Zimbabwe is swiftly becoming reality — transforming the everyday lives of students, farmers, patients, entrepreneurs, and communities nationwide. The journey will demand sustained investment, vigilance against new threats, and above all, a relentless commitment to inclusion. If recent milestones are any indication, Liquid Intelligent Technologies under Songola’s stewardship is poised to meet this moment — shaping a digital Zimbabwe capable not just of catching up, but of leading the way.

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Source: NewsDay Zimbabwe Liquid’s new CEO unveils AI-powered Zim strategy