By Desire Tshuma
Harare – Zimbabwe’s push toward Vision 2030 and the goals of National Development Strategy 2 is finding a key driver in NetOne Cellular. The state-owned operator is reshaping itself from a traditional telecom company into a technology firm focused on artificial intelligence, rural access, and youth skills.
Speaking at the 3rd Zimbabwe Annual Telecommunications Conference and Exhibition in 2026, NetOne Group CEO Eng. Raphael Mushanawani said the company is already using AI to manage its networks more efficiently. By deploying optimisation tools that predict congestion and adjust resources in real time, NetOne says it is moving away from reactive maintenance toward autonomous, data-driven operations.
Mushanawani argued that NetOne’s mandate now goes beyond voice and data. “Our responsibility extends beyond providing communication services. We are building the digital foundations upon which Zimbabwe’s future economy will operate,” he said.
He added that the company intends to position Zimbabwe not only as a consumer of global AI, but as a contributor. Evidence of that shift is visible in NetOne’s rollout of Wi-Fi hotspots in tourism areas and its investment in infrastructure that can support AI applications in agriculture and tourism.
The timing aligns with the government’s launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2026 to 2030. The framework is built around talent development, digital infrastructure, and adoption across sectors. NetOne says it is using that roadmap to guide its own investments.
Much of the company’s focus remains on closing the digital divide in rural Zimbabwe, where more than 60 percent of the population lives. NetOne now operates 46.14 percent of the country’s rural base stations.
The operator has paired that expansion with programmes aimed at schools and local economies. Under its Digital Schools Connect initiative, rural institutions are receiving ICT laboratories equipped with high-speed internet and e-learning tools.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi commissioned one such lab at Shanagiso Secondary School, describing it as “a gateway to knowledge, to innovation, and to the future.” In Beitbridge, NetOne linked an anti-drug marathon to the handover of a solar-powered ICT lab at a refurbished school.
NetOne is also extending financial access through OneMoney, its mobile money platform. By growing its agent network and remittance partnerships in rural areas, the company is targeting the unbanked and underbanked. The aim is to keep cash circulating within local economies.
To address skills, NetOne has partnered with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training. Together they are rolling out digital empowerment programmes at vocational training centres. The plan includes integrating National Youth Service graduates as agents for digital and financial inclusion in their communities.
“Our objective is to ensure that young people are not only connected, but financially empowered to transact, trade and build sustainable livelihoods,” Mushanawani said at the partnership signing. He called it a step toward translating policy into action.
NetOne’s activities also touch on other national priorities. The company has deployed IoT-enabled sensors to support wetland protection and is using digital platforms to provide drug abuse counselling.
“Technology must serve humanity, not replace it. It must uplift, not isolate,” Mushanawani said.
As Zimbabwe enters the AI era, NetOne is positioning itself as a strategic partner in that transition. Its focus is on smarter networks, broader financial inclusion, and practical skills for young people. The aim, Mushanawani said, is to connect Zimbabwe to opportunities beyond basic communication.