CHOMBA MUSIKA
Lusaka
IZYANE InvoSolutions (Z) Ltd, a Zambian-owned technology firm, has filed a formal Notice of Arbitration against INFITX Technologies Inc, a United States (US) registered company, over a US$500,000 digital initiative contract.
The globally recognised software company is being taken to arbitration over what iZyane describes as persistent and material breaches of contract.
The alleged breaches are in connection with a regional digital financial inclusion initiative under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Council’s Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) programme.
“The dispute, submitted to the COMESA Court of Justice, centres around a sub-contract worth over US$500,000, under which iZyane was engaged to provide technical integration and implementation services for the Digital Retail Payment Platform being developed for use across several COMESA member states,” a statement reads.
iZyane contends that while it fulfilled all agreed deliverables under the initial scope, INFITX made unilateral and undocumented changes to that scope, leading to unjustified reduction of more than 50 percent.
According to sources in COMESA and a notice, INFITX is alleged to have failed to adhere to the formal Change Request process outlined in the contract.
It is also claimed that the company requested substantial scope alterations to reduce the works due to iZyane.
The DFI Programme, supported by the Gates Foundation, aims to provide low-cost, interoperable digital payments infrastructure across COMESA to empower micro, small and medium enterprises.
“Internal observers say the dispute highlights the fragility of contractual integrity inmulti-stakeholder, donor funded programmes, where smaller implementers may be disproportionately exposed to risk when project governance fails or transparency is eroded,” the statement reads.
The COMESA Court of Justice acknowledged receipt of the Notice of Dispute on July 23, 2025, followed by the formal Notice of Arbitration submitted on July 31, 2025.
The arbitration is being administered in accordance with the COMESA Court of Justice (Arbitration) Rules 2021, and the Lusaka Arbitration Centre Rules.
iZyane is seeking full payment for services rendered, legal costs, and completion of outstanding scope of works to get its entitled 30 percent allocated to it from the original terms of reference.
The firm maintains its openness to an amicable resolution but underscores the need for accountability and restitution
