Mawano Kambeu: From Mailroom to Leading Zambia’s E-Commerce Revolution

usaka — Mawano Kambeu, founder of Dot Com Zambia, has shared the remarkable story behind building Zambia’s first locally-owned tech company, a journey that began far from the world of technology.

Born and raised in Kitwe, Kambeu completed his secondary education locally before moving to the United States, where he started his career in a mailroom for a large organization. Through dedication, he advanced into roles in customer service, operations, sales, and ultimately became head of investment marketing and strategy.

In 2006, Kambeu returned to Zambia with a vision to address a growing gap: Zambians wanted access to products available online abroad, but payment solutions were limited, with Visa cards rarely issued and PayPal unavailable. Seeing this opportunity, he founded Dot Com Zambia, initially facilitating online purchases for Zambians and providing access to goods unavailable locally.

The company’s beginnings were humble. Kambeu’s first order was worth just USD 4,000, and as a student, he wondered how he would manage it. Fortunately, the customer paid in advance, enabling him to fulfill the order. By 2012, Kambeu had grown Dot Com Zambia to USD 1 million in revenue, demonstrating early proof of concept and market demand.

Over the years, the company expanded significantly. With the influx of foreign direct investment (FDI), new shopping malls, and incoming companies, Dot Com Zambia evolved into a full-fledged shipping and logistics facilitator, handling orders for a growing number of businesses in the country. Today, the company generates USD 20 million in annual revenue, a remarkable growth story that underscores the impact of entrepreneurial vision and market timing.

Starting a tech company in Zambia was not without challenges. Kambeu had no formal tech background, and sourcing developers required reaching out to talent in India. Despite skepticism, he remained committed, eventually building a skilled team that could execute his vision for e-commerce and digital facilitation.

Reflecting on his journey, Kambeu said: “People thought I couldn’t do it because I wasn’t a tech person. But I had a vision for Zambia and knew what was needed. Persistence, learning, and building the right team made it possible.”

Dot Com Zambia now stands as a pioneering e-commerce and logistics solution in Zambia, bridging international markets and local demand, and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs to turn ideas into scalable, impactful businesses.