Mr. Sikalola is a visionary technologist, educator, and the driving force behind the Zambia ICT Academy. With over 5 years of experience in software architecture and educational reform, he has dedicated his life to bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical industry skills in Zambia and beyond.
From humble beginnings to digital leadership.
Born and raised in the heart of Zambia, Mr. Sikalola's curiosity was evident from a young age. While other children played soccer, he was often found dismantling old radios and toys to understand how they worked. During his primary education, he developed a sharp aptitude for mathematics, often solving problems meant for grades ahead of him. This early analytical thinking laid the bedrock for his future in logic and programming.
It was in Secondary School where the spark turned into a flame. Mr. Sikalola encountered his first computer—a bulky desktop with a monochrome monitor. While his peers were intimidated, he was fascinated. He wrote his first line of code in BASIC, creating a simple calculator program. Despite limited resources, he spent hours in the library reading about the global rise of the internet, determining then that he would not just be a consumer of technology, but a creator.
Mr. Sikalola pursued his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with distinction. However, university life revealed a critical flaw in the system: the curriculum was heavy on theory but light on practice. To bridge this, he founded a student coding club, teaching his peers practical skills in Java and Web Development. He graduated top of his class, not just with a degree, but with a portfolio of working applications that solved real campus problems.
After working as a Senior Systems Architect for major financial institutions in Lusaka, Mr. Sikalola realized that the industry was starving for talent, while graduates were starving for jobs. He resigned from his corporate position to establish the Zambia ICT Academy (ZITA). His goal was simple: create an institution where students don't just memorize textbooks, but build real software, configure real networks, and solve real problems.
Mr. Sikalola's strategic vision for the next decade of technology in Zambia.
Ensuring that coding becomes a fundamental skill taught alongside reading and writing in all Zambian schools.
Positioning Zambia as a tech hub where international companies come to hire remote developers and engineers.
Establishing incubation centers in Ndola to turn student ideas into viable tech startups.