How can established institutions embrace innovation, overcome legacy systems and translate technology into meaningful business and public value? These questions shaped an engaging conversation at the latest edition of The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect, hosted by BongoHive Consult in partnership with ZANACO.
BongoHive brought together leaders from some of Zambia’s key institutions for an afternoon of candid conversations on innovation, institutional transformation and the changing relationship between technology, business and public service delivery.
Held under the theme Built to Last or Built to Launch?, the discussion featured Muyangwa Muyangwa, Director General of the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA); Percy Chinyama, National Coordinator of the SMART Zambia Institute; and Jason Mwanza, Chief Executive Officer of Zamtel. The conversation was moderated by Lukonga Lindunda.
The session explored a fundamental challenge facing established organisations: how to introduce new ideas, technologies and operating models while navigating legacy systems, institutional cultures, financial constraints and resistance to change.
Beyond technology: Innovation is an institutional responsibility
One of the central messages from the discussion was that innovation cannot be confined to technology departments. While technology is an important enabler, meaningful transformation requires participation across an entire organisation, including finance, commercial, operations and leadership teams.
The conversation highlighted how organisational structures and established ways of working can sometimes become barriers to innovation, even when solutions are readily available.
Drawing on his experience in public sector digital transformation, Percy Chinyama reflected on the challenges of introducing new systems within institutions that have operated in particular ways for many years.
Using the development of passport-related digital services as an example, he explained that although the innovation had been ready as far back as 2022, implementation was delayed by the need to re-engineer existing processes and navigate institutional resistance.
His contribution underscored the reality that innovation is not simply about developing a functional solution. It also requires institutional readiness, stakeholder alignment and the willingness to rethink existing processes.
On the question of whether institutions should prioritise building systems for long-term sustainability or launching solutions quickly, Chinyama offered a perspective that brought the two approaches together:
“We need both. Set up what is built to last and then relaunch.”
The point was clear: institutions need sustainable foundations, but they must also remain agile enough to adapt, improve and introduce new solutions in response to changing needs.
Creating an organisational culture that encourages innovation
Beyond systems and infrastructure, the discussion examined the importance of creating an environment where employees feel empowered to identify problems, propose solutions and take ownership of new ideas.
Jason Mwanza shared Zamtel’s approach to encouraging innovation from within the organisation, explaining that employees who develop ideas are given the opportunity to own them, with institutional support to move those ideas from concept to implementation.
“When somebody comes up with an idea, we let them own it, and the institution is to support them to make sure that it becomes something people can touch,” Mwanza explained.
He illustrated this approach through the Zamtel Social Media Awards, an initiative developed to encourage more positive conversations about the telecommunications company online. Rather than simply responding to negative sentiment, the organisation created an opportunity for people to engage with the brand through positive content and recognition.
The initiative demonstrated how innovation does not always require complex technology or significant infrastructure investment. Sometimes, it begins with identifying a challenge and finding a different way of approaching it.
The discussion also raised an important organisational question: how do institutions incentivise innovation when employees are already working towards established performance targets and key performance indicators?
The panellists highlighted the importance of recognising initiative, creating room for experimentation and ensuring that employees are supported to contribute beyond their immediate job descriptions.
Connecting technology to financial and commercial value
A particularly important dimension of the conversation was the relationship between innovation and financial sustainability.
Muyangwa Muyangwa brought a financial and business perspective to the discussion, challenging organisations to rethink the tendency to begin innovation conversations with technology rather than the value they intend to create.
“We don’t start from the tech side. We start from the financial side, and then find the tech that delivers it at low cost, has the highest uptake, penetration is good, and easy to use,” he said.
His contribution reinforced the importance of ensuring that technology investments are guided by clear business objectives, affordability, accessibility and the potential to deliver measurable value.
Using NAPSA as an example, he explained that institutions must continually rethink how they serve their customers and create products that respond to people’s evolving needs.
He noted that growing an institution such as NAPSA requires moving beyond traditional service delivery models and actively developing products that attract and retain contributors.
The discussion touched on the importance of making pension services more accessible and relevant, including the introduction of pension-backed financial products and opportunities for contributing members to access advances.
The broader lesson was that innovation must be driven by an understanding of customer needs and the value an institution seeks to deliver. Technology then becomes an enabler of that objective rather than an end in itself.
Zamtel’s transformation: Rethinking infrastructure investment
Mwanza also shared insights into Zamtel’s telecommunications infrastructure expansion, illustrating how innovation can help organisations overcome significant financial and operational constraints.
He explained that when the company’s transformation journey began, its 4G population coverage stood at approximately 32 per cent. Expanding coverage required substantial capital investment, presenting a challenge in an environment where financial resources were limited.
Rather than treating the financial constraint as the end of the conversation, the organisation explored alternative approaches to infrastructure development, including partnerships with vendors through revenue-sharing arrangements.
Mwanza reported that Zamtel had increased its 4G population coverage from 32 per cent to 65 per cent over three years, while adding approximately 1,400 4G sites. He also outlined plans to deploy a further 600 sites.
The example demonstrated the importance of collaboration between technical, commercial and finance teams in developing solutions that are both technically feasible and financially sustainable.
Reflecting on the relationship between these functions, Mwanza offered a pointed observation:
“There is nothing that we do for technical reasons, everything we do is for commercial reasons.”
He challenged technical professionals to develop a stronger understanding of finance and commercial objectives, noting that the responsibility for translating business needs into practical solutions rests across organisational functions.
Reaching beyond traditional institutional boundaries
Another important theme was the need for institutions to rethink their traditional roles and operating models.
For NAPSA, this means exploring new ways of delivering value to contributors and expanding the relevance of its services. Muyangwa emphasised that institutional growth requires engaging with people beyond the organisation’s existing structures and developing products that respond to their needs.
The conversation also explored NAPSA’s housing investment approach. Muyangwa explained the importance of recognising institutional mandates and working with specialised public institutions where appropriate, rather than duplicating responsibilities.
His contribution highlighted a broader principle of institutional innovation: organisations must understand where they can create the greatest value, where partnerships are more effective and when existing approaches need to be reconsidered.
Audience engagement: Taking innovation beyond the boardroom
The discussion extended beyond the panel, with participants raising questions around technology adoption, the relationship between technical and financial teams, telecommunications infrastructure and the practical challenges of implementing innovation within organisations.
One participant sought guidance on how technical professionals could better understand business language and translate financial objectives into technical solutions.
Another raised questions about how organisations without the authority to enforce new policies could encourage the adoption of innovative platforms and processes.
These questions brought the conversation back to one of its central themes: successful innovation requires more than introducing a new product or system. It depends on people understanding its value, trusting the solution and being willing to adopt new ways of working.
The exchange also demonstrated the value of bringing together professionals from different sectors and disciplines to share experiences, challenge assumptions and learn from one another.
Building a more innovative Zambia through collaboration
The latest edition of The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect reinforced the importance of creating spaces where institutional leaders and professionals can have honest conversations about the opportunities and challenges of innovation.
From navigating legacy systems and encouraging employee-led innovation to aligning technology with financial objectives and rethinking traditional service delivery, the discussion offered practical insights into what it takes to build institutions that are responsive, resilient and future-ready.
In his closing remarks, moderator Lukonga Lindunda encouraged participants to carry the conversations and lessons into their respective organisations, emphasising the importance of collaboration across institutions.
At BongoHive, we recognise that building a more innovative Zambia requires more than technology and new ideas. It requires leadership, collaboration, institutional openness and the willingness to challenge conventional approaches.
Through The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect, BongoHive Consult continues to create opportunities for leaders, innovators and professionals to exchange experiences, explore emerging ideas and identify practical approaches to driving transformation.
Because ultimately, the question is not whether institutions should be built to last or built to launch. It is how they can do both, creating sustainable foundations while remaining agile enough to innovate and evolve.
About The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect
The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect is a BongoHive Consult platform that brings together business leaders, institutional decision-makers and professionals to exchange insights, share experiences and explore practical approaches to innovation, organisational transformation and business growth.
Hosted in partnership with ZANACO, the platform seeks to strengthen collaboration and encourage conversations that contribute to a more innovative and competitive Zambia.
