PACHIPANDA INNOVATION CHALLENGE 5.0 LAUNCHES IN LUSAKA

​The MTN Zambia Foundation and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have officially launched the fifth edition of the Pachipanda Innovation Challenge in Lusaka under the theme “Nature Meets Innovation: Unlocking Zambia’s Green Economy.”

Announced today, the initiative gathers young innovators, government representatives, the private sector, and development partners to advance practical, technology-driven, and nature-based solutions to the nation’s pressing environmental, social, and economic obstacles.

Building upon its establishment in 2022, the 2026 challenge targets critical sectors including climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, water security, waste management, circular economy, and ecosystem monitoring, aiming to transform youth-led ideas into sustainable, commercially viable enterprises that spur job creation and national development.

​Officially opening the launch, Eng. Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technology and Science, emphasized that science, technology, and innovation are vital enablers of transformation and essential for reaching national production goals.

He noted that ambitious state targets—such as producing 10 million metric tonnes of maize, 3 million metric tonnes of soya beans, 1 million metric tonnes of wheat, and over 10,000 megawatts of power—cannot be achieved through outdated methods, but instead demand climate-smart tools, cleaner energy, and value addition.

Highlighted by the involvement of the National Technology Business Centre (NTBC), Dr. Habeenzu called for multi-sector collaboration across government, civil society, and the private sector, describing the initiative as a direct investment in skills, business incubation, and youth employment.

​Representing the MTN Foundation Chairperson, Ms. Pamela Pio, General Manager of Corporate Services at MTN, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to empowering youth to counter environmental issues like land degradation, biodiversity loss, and urbanization.

She introduced a new alumni platform designed to track, reconnect, and continuously support past participants throughout their entrepreneurial journeys.

Corroborating this focus, WWF Corporate Engagement Coordinator Mr. Pule detailed how the challenge aligns with WWF Zambia’s 2026–2030 strategic focus on building resilient communities.

Further testifying to the initiative’s real-world impact, past participant and third runner-up in the 2025 challenge shared how the mentorship, pitch training, and business support enabled her enterprise, Flame Innovations Limited, to scale, access funding, and represent Zambia internationally in South Africa.