Dear Minister of ICT,

We, the undersigned citizens of Zimbabwe, respectfully bring to your attention the urgent matter of mobile data affordability in our nation.

At present, the cost of internet access in Zimbabwe remains one of the highest in the region. While the global average for 1GB of data is less than US$2, Zimbabweans often pay more than double or even triple that amount. For a country striving toward Vision 2030, this disparity undermines our digital competitiveness and restricts opportunities for millions of citizens.

The reality is stark: high data costs are not just an economic issue but a social one. Students cannot consistently access online learning platforms, entrepreneurs struggle to run digital businesses, and ordinary citizens are excluded from basic services that the rest of the world takes for granted, such as telemedicine, e-commerce, and e-governance.

Minister, affordable internet is not a luxury — it is a human right and a driver of development. Yet, when access to such a critical public good is left entirely to private companies, citizens are often at the mercy of inconsistent policies. We have witnessed situations where providers publicly commit to affordability, only to reverse course through sudden tariff hikes, promotions that quietly expire, or opaque “bundling” that disadvantages the very people they claim to serve. Such flip-flopping breeds public mistrust and deepens the digital divide.

Countries across Africa, including Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, have taken steps to reduce data costs through policy reforms, competition stimulation, and infrastructure sharing. Zimbabwe must not be left behind.

We respectfully call upon your office to:

1. Review existing data tariff structures to ensure fairness and affordability for citizens.
2. Promote competition among service providers to prevent monopolistic pricing.
3. Incentivize infrastructure sharing to reduce operational costs for providers, which can translate into lower prices for users.
4. Ensure transparency in data pricing so that consumers can make informed choices.
5. Align ICT policies with Vision 2030 by making affordable internet central to economic growth and social inclusion strategies.

We believe that with your leadership, Zimbabwe can unlock the full potential of digital inclusion, empowering every citizen to learn, work, innovate, and thrive.

We urge you to act decisively to ensure that data becomes affordable and accessible for all Zimbabweans.

Paul Brezhnev Banda