BongoHive Consult Hosts Innovation Edge with Zanaco

In Short

BongoHive Consult hosted The Innovation Edge: Peers Connect in partnership with Zanaco. The session brought together leaders from NAPSA, SMART Zambia Institute, and Zamtel.

What Happened: Inside The Innovation Edge Peers Connect Discussion

BongoHive Consult said it hosted an afternoon discussion focused on how established institutions can embrace innovation, overcome legacy systems, and translate technology into business and public value.

The event ran under the theme “Built to Last or Built to Launch?” It featured Muyangwa Muyangwa, Director General of the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA). It also featured Percy Chinyama, National Coordinator of the SMART Zambia Institute, and Jason Mwanza, Chief Executive Officer of Zamtel. The conversation was moderated by Lukonga Lindunda.

A key focus was the tension many large organisations face when trying to introduce new ideas, technologies, and operating models while navigating legacy systems, institutional culture, financial constraints, and resistance to change.

Why It Matters: Lessons On Implementation, Culture, And Speed

Speakers argued that innovation cannot sit only with technology teams. The discussion said transformation needs involvement across the organisation, including finance, commercial, operations, and leadership.

Percy Chinyama described challenges in public sector digital transformation. Using passport related digital services as an example, he said the innovation was ready as far back as 2022, but implementation was delayed by the need to re engineer existing processes and navigate institutional resistance.

On whether institutions should build for long term sustainability or launch quickly, Chinyama said, “We need both. Set up what is built to last and then relaunch.”

Jason Mwanza described Zamtel’s internal approach, saying employees who develop ideas are given a chance to own them, with institutional support to turn those ideas into something tangible. He said, “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,” and pointed to the Zamtel Social Media Awards as an example.