Solar Power Push: Zambia signed contracts for 2MW solar plants in 156 constituencies under the Presidential Constituency Energy Initiative, totaling 312MW with battery storage and grid tie-ins via ZESCO. Renewables Deal: Navitas Planet secured a USD 20m EPC contract for a 54MW utility-scale solar project in Serenje Province, aiming for commissioning in 7–8 months. Digital Skills: Smart Zambia Institute recruited UNZA graduates and is training them with the Institute of Health Management to drive local digital transformation. School Connectivity: Airtel Africa plans to connect 5,000 schools across Africa by 2027; in Zambia, St. Monica’s Girls’ School is among those already connected. Insurtech in Zambia: FastClaims launched operations in Zambia, using an AI-enabled mobile claims flow to speed motor insurance settlements. Media Streaming: eMedia and RunnTV launched Openview Stream, a free ad-supported FAST streaming platform rolling out in Zambia and six other countries. Agritech Intelligence: Treefera launched Agricultural Risk Intelligence and Agricultural Credit Risk Intelligence for field-level, near real-time climate and crop stress insights. Public Spending Smarter: SADC officials met in Johannesburg for training on cost-benefit analysis to help governments prioritize high-impact spending. Procurement Awards: CIPS Southern Africa named finalists for its 2026 Excellence in Procurement & Supply Awards, highlighting digital transformation and sustainability. Transport Tech & Finance: Yango Zambia partnered with Micro Finance Zambia to help partner couriers move from renting to owning delivery motorcycles. Health Research: CIDRZ and Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital launched a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate a new cholera vaccine candidate, PanChol.