SMART Zambia Institute National Coordinator Percy Chinyama has observed that more affordable internet is particularly crucial for developing nations, including Zambia.

‎Mr Chinyama added that the future of the internet remains unpredictable due to its exponential growth, adding that no individual can definitively know what the internet will look like in the coming years because the technology is expanding at a rapid pace.

‎He said this during an interview with Ms Molly Meng, a Hong Kong-based journalist, on the sidelines of the ongoing World Internet Conference (2026) in Hong Kong, adding that current trends indicate a decline in internet costs, a development he linked to concurrent advancements in technology.

‎Mr Chinyama described the internet as a transformative tool capable of uplifting individuals from poverty to prosperity.

‎Mr Chinyama is among the delegates attending the two-day World Internet Conference (WIC) in Hong Kong, which is running on April 13 and 14, 2026.

‎The summit is being held under the theme “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future, Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace,” bringing together over 1,000 delegates from Asia, the Pacific Region, and Africa.