In our daily life, few things carry as much weight as the promise of a secure future. For millions of Zambians, that promise is kept by the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA), a public institution that stands at the intersection of work, savings, and dignity in retirement.
From teachers in rural schools to nurses, drivers, and engineers in Lusaka, NAPSA’s mission is deeply human, to collect contributions, grow them responsibly, and pay benefits when members need them most. But behind that noble purpose lies a complex, highly digital operation, one that depends on technology to keep people connected to their pensions, their records, and their peace of mind.
As digital transformation accelerated in Zambia’s public sector, NAPSA set out to bring its services closer to members through an ambitious innovation, iCare, a unified online portal that gives members real time access to their pension accounts. Through iCare, contributors can update their details, file returns, and even apply for benefits, all without visiting a branch.
For NAPSA, this wasn’t just a new product launch. It was a national milestone, a way of building trust and transparency in a system that millions rely on. But with that bold leap came an equally bold challenge: how to keep a digital pension system available, secure, and uninterrupted at a time when the country is facing power shortages which are contributing to rising energy costs.
The Challenge: Keeping the Promise Running 24/7
When NAPSA’s ICT team, led by Matthew Mvula, Manager – ICT Infrastructure, looked at the road ahead, the picture was clear. iCare and other digital platforms were running successfully, but the infrastructure behind them was under constant pressure.
“We’re not just running servers,” Matthew explains. “We’re running the systems that millions of people depend on for their livelihoods. Any downtime doesn’t just mean lost data, it means delayed benefits, frustrated members, and reputational risk.”
As Zambia faced persistent load shedding and energy supply challenges, the strain grew heavier. Backup generators that once kicked in occasionally now ran daily. Fuel bills went up. Cooling systems worked overtime to protect servers from heat during prolonged outages. Maintenance costs became unpredictable, and ICT staff found themselves spending more time firefighting than innovating.
The situation had both financial and operational implications. Every hour spent managing power or maintaining equipment was an hour not spent improving digital services. NAPSA’s leadership needed a sustainable, resilient solution, one that would allow their team to focus on pension administration, not power administration.
That’s when the idea of co locating their data centre with INFRATEL emerged.
The Smart Move: Partnering with INFRATEL
INFRATEL is Zambia’s leading provider of digital infrastructure, managing the backbone that powers connectivity, cloud, and data services across the nation. With Tier III-designed data centres in Lusaka and Kitwe, INFRATEL offers organisations like NAPSA access to enterprise grade colocation environments equipped with redundant power, high availability cooling, physical and network security, and 24/7 monitoring.
For NAPSA, the decision wasn’t just about renting space, it was about buying peace of mind.
“As management, we decided to make a smart move,” Matthew recalls. “We co-located our data centre to INFRATEL. It allowed us to shift from a reactive posture to a proactive one. We could finally trust that the infrastructure would keep running even when the power didn’t.”
The migration required careful planning. INFRATEL’s technical team worked hand-in-hand with NAPSA’s ICT engineers to design a transition that ensured no disruption to live services. Systems were mirrored, backups verified, and failover processes tested before the final cut over. The professionalism and agility of the INFRATEL team left a strong impression.
The Result: Reliability That Translates Into Trust
“Every interaction felt like partnership,” Matthew says. “INFRATEL’s engineers weren’t just hosting our equipment, they took ownership of the outcome. They understood the sensitivity of our operations and worked tirelessly to make sure we never missed a beat.”
Since relocating its infrastructure to INFRATEL’s facility, NAPSA has seen measurable improvements across cost, reliability, and user experience.
–Lower Operational Costs
The most immediate impact was financial. With stable power and cooling provided by INFRATEL, NAPSA’s diesel and maintenance costs dropped sharply. No longer having to constantly fuel generators or repair overheating systems freed up funds for other digital priorities.
“Our costs in terms of diesel and everything have gone down,” Matthew notes. “Even maintenance for gensets and cooling systems – those expenses have significantly reduced.”
–Improved Uptime and System Stability
With INFRATEL’s redundant power and high availability design, iCare and other NAPSA systems now run with minimal interruption. This improvement in uptime has had a direct effect on both staff and members.
Internal teams can rely on systems being up whenever they need them, no more waiting for servers to restart or scrambling to recover lost sessions. For members, the experience feels smoother, faster, and more dependable.
–Enhanced Productivity and Customer Satisfaction
Reliable systems mean empowered staff. Since moving to INFRATEL, NAPSA employees have been able to work more efficiently, completing service requests faster and with fewer interruptions.
“We’ve experienced increased service uptime, translating to better user experience, satisfied customer feedback, and improved productivity,” Matthew affirms.
–Focus Restored to Core Business
Perhaps the most strategic outcome has been intangible yet profound: focus. With the infrastructure running securely and predictably at INFRATEL, NAPSA’s ICT team can concentrate on innovation, service improvement, and new digital initiatives. The operational noise is gone, replaced by confidence and calm.
A Partnership Rooted in National Progress
What makes this success story especially meaningful is that both organisations share a common purpose: empowering Zambia’s digital future. INFRATEL’s data centres were built to strengthen national ICT infrastructure, providing the backbone that allows both public and private institutions to thrive in a digital economy.
By entrusting its systems to INFRATEL, NAPSA is not only improving its own operations but also supporting a broader ecosystem of national resilience. The partnership symbolises what happens when infrastructure meets impact, when technology quietly enables lives to run smoothly.
“All this is owed to the professionalism, agility, and dedication to duty by INFRATEL’s members of staff,” Matthew concludes. “We’re very grateful for the wonderful job they continue to do.”
Key Benefits at a Glance
| Outcome | Before INFRATEL | After INFRATEL |
| Power Costs | High diesel and generator usage | Significant reduction |
| Cooling & Maintenance | Unpredictable and expensive | Streamlined and managed by INFRATEL |
| System Uptime | Frequent interruptions | High availability, 24/7 reliability |
| Staff Productivity | Affected by downtime | Improved focus and efficiency |
| Member Experience | Occasional delays and complaints | Consistent access, smoother user journey |
The Human Impact: Reliability with a Heart
Behind every metric lies a human story. For NAPSA, reliability isn’t just about servers staying up, it’s about ensuring that a widow in Chipata receives her survivor’s benefit without delay, or a retiree in Ndola can check his iCare account anytime without error messages.
That sense of continuity and dignity is what makes this partnership truly meaningful. INFRATEL’s role may be behind the scenes, but its impact is felt at every touchpoint where technology meets human need.
The collaboration between NAPSA and INFRATEL demonstrates how investing in dependable digital infrastructure can directly improve citizen services, rebuild public trust, and strengthen confidence in national systems.
Looking Ahead
As NAPSA continues to evolve its digital platforms, the stability of its foundation will remain crucial. Plans for scaling iCare, introducing mobile integrations, and enhancing member analytics all depend on a secure and always available data environment.
With INFRATEL as its infrastructure partner, NAPSA is well positioned to deliver on its mission, ensuring that every contributor’s data, every transaction, and every payout is supported by one of Zambia’s most reliable colocation facilities.
“To any business facing the kind of challenges we had,” Matthew advises, “I’d strongly recommend INFRATEL for colocation services. Let the experts handle your data centre needs while you focus on your core business.”
Make the Smart Move
If your organisation is facing the same energy challenges or infrastructure costs that NAPSA once faced, it may be time to consider INFRATEL’s Colocation Services.
From government institutions and financial providers to startups and cloud service operators, INFRATEL offers scalable, secure, and energy resilient environments that let you grow without compromise.
Let the experts handle your infrastructure, so you can focus on delivering impact.