By Caroline Washaya-Moyo
Thirty years after selling its first 500 SIM cards, NetOne has transformed from a conventional mobile telecommunications provider into a digitally driven company offering connectivity, digital payment platforms and emerging artificial intelligence solutions across key sectors of the economy.
NetOne Brand Communications Manager Curtis Takawira said the company’s participation at the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo was part of its broader drive to support the digital transformation of Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
Takawira said NetOne had maintained a relationship with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) over the years and was increasingly providing technological solutions designed to improve connectivity and facilitate tourism operations.
“From the first 500 SIM cards that we sold, which were just basically to phone, now we’ve transposed into a more digitally sound and digitally complete network provider,” he said.
He said the company had moved beyond traditional voice services to provide internet connectivity, digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies.
In the tourism sector, Takawira said NetOne was working with ZTA on several initiatives, including improving connectivity at national parks and tourism sites.
“We’ve got a lot of projects that we’re doing with ZTA, mainly selling out connectivity at all the parks, connectivity at all our national sites, as well as setting up payment platforms through our OneMoney platform,” he said.
The payment platform, he said, could facilitate entry into tourism sites, fund disbursements and prepayments for entry tickets, creating a more seamless digital experience for visitors and tourism operators.
Takawira said NetOne was therefore seeking to provide an integrated digital solution to support tourism development.
“We’re just providing a complete solution for everything that ZTA, for example, wants to do in their tourism space, but empowered by the solutions that we provide as NetOne,” he said.
AI enters tourism space
With artificial intelligence increasingly becoming a major component of Zimbabwe’s digital transformation agenda, Takawira said NetOne was also developing AI solutions for different economic sectors.
He said the company was responding to calls for Zimbabweans and businesses to embrace AI by developing applications for industries including mining, agriculture and tourism.
“As a corporate, we’re embracing AI, and what we’re doing is providing solutions to all of our industries, including tourism,” he said.
The move comes as Zimbabwe seeks to harness innovation and technology to improve productivity, competitiveness and service delivery in line with the country’s broader economic development agenda.
Taking connectivity to rural communities
Takawira said NetOne was also committed to expanding its footprint into rural and remote communities, although some areas still required further investment.
He cited Gonarezhou National Park as an example of an area where network connectivity remained a challenge.
“I was in Gonarezhou, where our international buyers are also visiting, but the network there is very bad,” he said.
He said such areas were being considered as part of the company’s ongoing network improvement programme.
“NetOne is a people-driven network provider. What we’ve tried to do is be in as many remote and rural areas as we can possibly, and be working with a theme of not leaving no one behind,” Takawira said.
He said feedback from communities and tourism stakeholders would help the company identify areas requiring network expansion and improvement.
Affordable connectivity for students
As education becomes increasingly dependent on internet connectivity and digital resources, Takawira said NetOne was offering a range of affordable data products designed to cater for different sections of society.
He said the company had a variety of bundles available at different price points, including products that could cater for students and other low-income users.
He added that NetOne was also working on targeted solutions for the education sector as the company continued to innovate.
The company’s bundles combine voice, data and SMS services, providing users with affordable options for communication and online activities.
Staying connected beyond Zimbabwe
Takawira also confirmed that NetOne customers can use their lines outside Zimbabwe through international roaming services.
He said the company had roaming arrangements covering a growing number of countries, allowing subscribers to make calls, access data and remain connected while travelling abroad.
The company’s participation at Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo therefore comes at a time when technology is increasingly becoming central to the tourism value chain.
From digital payments and connectivity at tourism destinations to AI-driven solutions and improved access to information, telecommunications companies such as NetOne are becoming important partners in Zimbabwe’s efforts to modernise tourism.
Takawira said the company’s 30-year journey had been defined by continuous innovation, from its early days of basic mobile communication to its current focus on a digitally connected Zimbabwe.
