By Standard Charted Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Sonny Zulu, has reaffirmed the organization’s long-term commitment to driving digital inclusion and supporting women innovators.
Speaking during the WiT Cohort Five graduation and awards ceremony in Lusaka on Friday, he said the bank had invested K18 million over the past five years to strengthen women’s participation in technology and digital entrepreneurship through its flagship Women in Tech (WiT) programme.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with BongoHive, is celebrating five years of empowering women-led startups with digital skills training, innovation mentorship, and seed funding to accelerate tech-driven business growth.
“Over the past five years, we have invested K18 million in the WiT programme, training 58 women entrepreneurs and awarding US$10,000 each to 21 businesses,” Zulu said.
“These numbers represent more than just financial investment—they represent innovation in action, dreams realised, and communities transformed. Standard Chartered remains committed to creating digital pathways for women to thrive in business and technology.”
Officiating at the event, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Elias Mubanga, commended the bank for its leadership in advancing women’s digital entrepreneurship and bridging the technology gap.
He emphasised that equipping entrepreneurs with digital literacy and business management skills before funding was key to creating sustainable, technology-driven enterprises.
“I commend Standard Chartered for taking the lead in empowering women-owned SMEs and encouraging the adoption of technology in business,” Mubanga said.
“In today’s digital economy, technology is no longer optional—it is essential. When we invest in women, we invest in innovation and national prosperity. I urge other corporates to follow this example.”
BongoHive co-founder, Lukonga Lindunda, highlighted that the WiT programme’s success lies in its holistic approach, combining mentorship, technical training, and access to innovation ecosystems.
“The strength of the WiT programme lies not only in the funding but in the digital ecosystem it has built—linking women entrepreneurs to mentorship, technology tools, and business development support,” Lindunda said.
“We’ve seen startups evolve from ideas on paper to scalable tech enterprises employing dozens of Zambians. That’s what true digital transformation looks like,” he said.
Since its inception, the WiT programme has become one of Zambia’s leading women-focused innovation accelerators, helping bridge the gender gap in technology and entrepreneurship while positioning women as key players in the country’s digital economy.
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