SimpliClear and TLS: Driving Zambia’s Digital Transformation at the Border
Under the leadership of the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), Zambia’s vision for a digital economy is becoming a reality, one innovation at a time. The national goal is to empower 80% of Zambians with digital access and literacy by 2030. Tools like SimpliClear are transforming how ordinary Zambians engage with public services and trade systems.
SimpliClear is a mobile app designed to digitise cross-border trade processes. It allows informal and small-scale traders to declare goods, upload documentation, and track clearance without relying on intermediaries or facing long wait times. The app was piloted at the Chirundu One-Stop Border Post in Zambia's Southern Province, where it demonstrated tangible improvements in efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.
Tools like SimpliClear are transforming how ordinary Zambians engage with public services and trade systems.
SimpliClear is part of the broader Trade Logistics System (TLS) developed under AUDA-NEPAD, which evaluates border operations using real-time indicators such as clearance times and queue lengths. Through the TLS, government agencies can identify friction points and optimise their operations, reflecting the PDU’s delivery model.
The digital ecosystem, which enables tools like SimpliClear, is expanding rapidly. Between 2022 and 2024, Zambia has seen:
Over 3,629 new communication towers, boosting mobile coverage to 95.7% of the population.
Fibre connectivity has been established in 86 districts, enhancing internet reliability and speed.
430 Government Wide Area Network (GWAN)-connected sites offering e-government services, including customs and trade facilitation tools. The deployment of free public Wi-Fi at border points and standard user facilities such as markets and bus terminals removes digital cost barriers for traders.
SimpliClear plays a crucial role in formalising informal trade, empowering traders, especially women and youth, to build traceable business records, access financial services, and be counted in national economic data.
The PDU’s mission is clear: to turn policy ambitions into tangible outcomes. By aligning cross-border innovations with infrastructure investments and governance reform, the PDU is ensuring that digital inclusion reaches the last mile, extending from rural communities to regional borders.
Zambia's digital future is no longer a distant concept; it is actively being developed at the forefront of service delivery.