At the inaugural Zambia 1000 Summit, organized by Dr. Dora Siliya, a powerful sentiment echoed through the hall, “We, the young people, are ready. We don't want to be spoken about; we want to be spoken to.”
This is not a complaint, but a declaration. It is the sound of a generation, my generation, stepping forward not as a problem to be solved, but as partners in the urgent project of national building.
To be young in Zambia today is to stand at a unique crossroads, bearing the weight of legacy while gazing at a horizon of dizzying possibility. Our next frontier is not a distant land; it is the Zambia we are actively architecting from the ground up.
Being a Zambian Gen Z is to be digitally native yet culturally rooted. We are the most connected generation in our nation’s history, with the world's knowledge and conversations in our palms.
This global awareness breeds a critical, innovative, and impatient ambition. We see the benchmarks set by peers in Nairobi, Accra, and Kigali, and we ask, “Why not here?” Yet, this is tempered by a profound love for our communities, our languages, and our resilient spirit. Our challenge is the "script mismatch."
We inherited a roadmap, education, stable employment, homeownership, that feels increasingly at odds with the realities of a globalised, gig-based economy and the looming climate crisis. The anxiety is real, but so is the determination to rewrite the script.
Digital sovereignty
This brings us to our first and most critical frontier: Digital Sovereignty. We are not merely consumers of technology; we are its potential creators. Our role is to move Zambia from a digital colony to a digital architect.
The next frontier is filled with local tech solutions, AgriTech platforms that empower our farmers with real-time data, FinTech that unlocks capital for the informal entrepreneur, EdTech that democratizes quality learning.
Our native fluency with technology is a national asset. The task is to channel it into building platforms that solve uniquely Zambian problems, creating not just apps, but new industries and exportable intellectual property.
Concurrently, we are pioneering the Green Economic Frontier. We are the generation that will live longest with the consequences of today’s environmental decisions.
Therefore, we are inherently the stewards of Zambia’s natural wealth. Our vision is to transform the narrative from resource extraction to sustainable innovation.
The next frontier is in renewable energy, in sustainable mining tech, in climate-smart agriculture, and in building a circular economy.
Our call is for investment in skills and infrastructure that position Zambia not just as a source of raw materials, but as a leader in the green industrial revolution. Protecting our environment is synonymous with securing our economic future.
However, technology and ecology are underpinned by a more profound frontier: Social Architecture. We are a bridge generation. While we honour the wisdom and experience of our elders, we are actively building a more cohesive national identity.
Our networks are increasingly formed around shared purpose and passion, from tech hubs to climate activism, transcending traditional divides.
Accountability Generation
We are the "Accountability Generation," leveraging digital tools to demand transparency and integrity from both the public and private sectors.
Our next frontier is a society where dialogue is inclusive, governance is participatory, and mental well-being is recognised as essential to national productivity. We are championing a culture where ambition is nurtured, failure is a lesson, and well-being is non-negotiable.
The Zambia 1000 Summit underscored a vital truth: our energy is not a rebellious force, but an untapped national power source.
The synergy of our innovation and digital courage with the priceless experience and strategic wisdom of our elders is an unstoppable combination. This intergenerational compact is our nation's greatest strategic advantage.
Zambia’s next frontier is not a single sector or policy. It is a mindset. It is the frontier of bold collaboration, where youth are given a meaningful seat at the decision-making table.
It is the frontier of trust-based investment, where capital is deployed into the ideas and startups we are germinating. It is, ultimately, the frontier of belief, in ourselves, in our collective potential, and in our shared destiny.
We are not waiting for the future. We are coding it, advocating for it, and building it with our own hands. The question is not if Zambia’s youth are ready for the frontier. The frontier, it turns out, must be ready for us.
The author, Kennedy Chileshe, is the Executive Director of Jubilee Leaders Network in Zambia
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.
