The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration, particularly as the two Authorities explore innovative technologies to strengthen their regulatory mandate.
This was during a courtesy call on the CAA Director General, Captain Derrick Luembe, by the ZICTA Director General, Eng. Collins Mbulo, on 7 August 2025. Eng. Mbulo acknowledged the Civil Aviation Authority’s strategic importance and the critical role it plays in complementing ZICTA’s mandate, particularly in areas where regulatory functions intersect.
Eng. Mbulo highlighted the progressive collaboration between ZICTA and the Civil Aviation Authority, particularly in the areas of aeronautical spectrum management and infrastructure deployment. He acknowledged the timely and consistent support received from the Civil Aviation Authority, especially in the approval processes for communication towers and related infrastructure.
The Director General highlighted a proposed initiative by the ICT & Digitalisation Technical Working Group of the Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) to establish a comprehensive, transparent and efficient Single Window System for telecommunications infrastructure approvals in Zambia. Stakeholders in this initiative will include ZICTA, the CAA, ZEMA, RDA and the local authorities.
He expressed optimism for further engagements aimed at fostering a mutually beneficial regulatory environment and applauded the CAA for maintaining a commendable safety record, which remains a critical pillar for the sector’s credibility and sustainability.
The Civil Aviation Authority Director General, Captain Derrick Luembe, pointed out a growing global threat of cybersecurity, which he said compromises aircraft navigation systems, and called for coordinated national efforts to secure aviation communication infrastructure.
He stressed the risks posed by uncoordinated communication tower installations and welcomed the creation of a Single Window Licensing System to streamline approvals across government institutions.
Captain Luembe announced that the CAA was realigning a number of regulatory issues to develop a more robust regulatory framework tailored to enhance service for various stakeholders. He pledged to continue working closely with ZICTA in areas of aeronautical spectrum management, infrastructure deployment and the approval processes for communication towers and related infrastructure, among others.
