Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe's finance minister, has set aside around $9.7 billion for ICT goals such as infrastructure and a digitally connected economy.
The minister made the remarks while presenting the country's budget for 2024. The funds are being used to "support interventions that harness and promote the use of Information, Communication Technology and Courier Services (ICT) across the whole spectrum of the economy."
Last year, around $3 million was dedicated to ICT to promote access and utilisation of ICTs, with a focus on E-Government projects, national system maintenance, and the construction of community information centres.
In his remarks, the minister also emphasised the necessity of generative artificial intelligence. He goes on to explain, "in the audit will attempt to identify the skills of the future, especially in the areas such as generative Artificial intelligence."
Brighton Musonza, an independent ICT specialist, argues that some of the funds would go towards legislation and the development of artificial intelligence in Zimbabwe.
Ncube stated that the government will construct an e-government platform to improve access to official information and services, hence enhancing transparency and efficiency in public service delivery.
According to Ncube, the Public Service Commission is critical to the effective and efficient delivery of public services through civil service recruitment and development.
The minister has budgeted around $330 billion to fund government initiatives aimed at ICT infrastructure, specifically the Human Resources Information Management System, Pension and Payroll Systems, bus procurement for the service, and other important infrastructure projects.
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