Mining digital overhaul long overdue
ZAMBIA’S decision to digitalise the mining sector is a welcome development that could fundamentally change how one of the country’s most important economic sectors is administered, monitored and regulated.
The strategic engagement between the Smart Zambia Institute (SZI) and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development deserves more than ceremonial attention. It should be treated and seen as the beginning of a practical transformation of the mining sector, with technology placed at the centre of efforts to improve efficiency, transparency and service delivery.
Mining remains critical to Zambia’s economy and the manner in which the sector is managed has consequences far beyond mining companies and government offices. It affects national revenue, employment, investment, environmental management and importantly, the lives of communities living in mining areas.
This is why digitalisation must not simply mean putting existing paperwork on computers. True digital transformation should make the sector more transparent, easier to monitor and more accountable to citizens.
Government has indicated that the initiative will harness innovative technologies to improve efficiency, transparency and service delivery across the mining value chain. This is the right ambition.
For example, a properly integrated digital system could make it easier for relevant authorities to track mining licences, production, royalties, exports and other important transactions. It could also reduce unnecessary delays, minimise opportunities for human interference and provide government with better information for making policy decisions.
For mining companies, a more efficient digital system could reduce the administrative burden associated with accessing government services. Investors should be able to obtain information and complete legitimate processes through systems that are predictable, transparent and efficient.
But the greatest test of this initiative will be whether ordinary Zambians can see tangible benefits from it.
The engagement between SZI and the Ministry of Mines has rightly highlighted the potential of digital transformation to improve livelihoods and promote inclusive development in mining catchment areas. This objective must remain at the heart of the programme.
Communities hosting mining operations have legitimate expectations that the wealth generated from their natural resources should contribute to improved roads, health facilities, schools, water supply, employment and other essential services.
Digital systems can help government track commitments and monitor whether resources intended for communities are actually reaching them. They can also provide citizens with reliable information about mining activities taking place in their areas.
However, technology on its own cannot eliminate corruption, inefficiency or poor governance. A sophisticated digital platform will achieve little if the information entered into it is inaccurate, if institutions fail to act on the information available or if citizens cannot access relevant data.
Government must therefore ensure that the digitalisation programme is supported by strong institutions, clear regulations, adequate cybersecurity and properly trained personnel.
There is also a need to protect sensitive information while ensuring that information of legitimate public interest is accessible. Transparency must be balanced with appropriate data protection, but confidentiality should not become an excuse for keeping the public in the dark about the management of national resources.
Government should also ensure that the digital transformation does not leave rural mining communities behind. Many people in mining areas may have limited access to reliable internet services or digital devices. If the system is designed only for people in major cities, it could inadvertently deepen existing inequalities.
The partnership between SZI and the Ministry of Mines is therefore an opportunity to demonstrate what a truly digital Zambia can achieve.
The country should not digitalise simply because technology is fashionable. It should digitalise because technology can help government work better, reduce leakages, improve transparency and ensure that Zambia’s mineral wealth contributes more effectively to national development.
The objective must be simple to promote development of a mining sector that is more efficient for investors, more accountable to government and more beneficial to the Zambian people.
If the digitalisation agenda achieves that, then it will be a transformation worth pursuing.
