POTRAZ

8 - The award further validates Zimbabwe’s commitment to creating a modern, secure and inclusive digital society. It demonstrates that the country’s investments in legal frameworks and institutional capacity are yielding tangible, internationally recognised results. It reinforces the idea that effective data protection is not a luxury or a bureaucratic burden, but an enabler of economic activity. It gives citizens, businesses and investors greater confidence to participate in Zimbabwe’s digital future, knowing that privacy and accountability are being taken seriously.

7 - The award is far more than a trophy for a single institution; it carries profound implications for Zimbabwe as a whole. It signals to international investors, technology companies and global partners that Zimbabwe is a safe and secure destination for digital business. A strong data protection regime is a critical component of a modern, trustworthy economy, and this award places Zimbabwe on the map alongside continental heavyweights. For ordinary Zimbabweans, this recognition means that their personal data, from financial transactions to health records, is being protected by a regulator that is recognised for its effectiveness. This trust is the bedrock upon which a thriving digital economy, e-commerce and e-government services can be built. By winning against strong competition, Zimbabwe has also established itself as a leader in data protection regulation in Africa, placing POTRAZ in a position to share best practices, influence regional policy and help shape the future of digital governance across the continent.

6 - Dr. Machengete also expressed profound gratitude to the POTRAZ Board, led by Prof. Sam Takavarasha (Jnr), for its strategic guidance, noting that its stewardship had created the enabling environment for the Authority to innovate, pursue excellence and implement a robust data protection programme whose impact is now being recognised at continental level.

5 - Commenting on the award, Dr. Machengete described the recognition as a collective achievement for the Authority and Zimbabwe as a whole. He applauded the Director responsible for Data Protection, Ms. Tsitsi Mariwo, and her team for being able to withstand his unending and seemingly unsurmountable demands for progress and excellence, adding that now there was reason to celebrate.

4 - This continental recognition is a reflection of the strategic leadership of POTRAZ Director General, Dr. Gift Kallisto Machengete, whose stewardship has transformed the Authority from being a gatekeeper to being a gateway, moving beyond a narrow regulatory role focused on oversight and control towards becoming an enabling institution that opens doors for compliance, innovation, investment and trust.

3 - The institutional recognition is particularly significant because it builds on earlier continental recognition of POTRAZ’s talent and momentum in the data protection space, reinforcing the Authority’s growing stature as a model regulator in Africa. It also reflects the dedication of the Authority’s staff and the seriousness with which Zimbabwe has approached the task of protecting personal data in an increasingly digital economy.

2 - POTRAZ emerged victorious from a highly competitive field of eight shortlisted regulatory authorities from South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Somalia and Zimbabwe. This victory is a powerful affirmation of the Authority’s proactive, comprehensive and enforcement-driven approach to implementing Zimbabwe’s data protection framework. It recognises POTRAZ’s significant achievements in building a functioning and credible data protection regime, including licensing over 2,500 data controllers, training and certifying more than 1,500 Data Protection Officers, developing over 15 implementation guidelines, issuing over 195 enforcement notices, and conducting nationwide awareness and stakeholder engagement programmes. Together, these milestones demonstrate that Zimbabwe has moved beyond merely adopting data protection law to building the institutions, skills, guidance and enforcement capacity needed to make the law work in practice.

POTRAZ WINS CONTINENTAL AWARD FOR DATA PROTECTION EXCELLENCE @Potraz_zw has been crowned the Most Outstanding Data Protection Authority at the prestigious PICCASO Awards Africa 2026, a landmark achievement that consolidates Zimbabwe’s growing reputation as a continental leader in digital governance, privacy and data protection. The award was announced at a gala ceremony held on 5 November 2026 at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, marking the second edition of the African awards following the inaugural ceremony held in Ghana in 2025.

The demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals continues to outpace supply as critical infrastructure and businesses increasingly embrace digital transformation. The POTRAZ National Capture the Flag (CTF) Competition seeks to bridge this skills gap by identifying, nurturing and developing cybersecurity talent at scale. The competition brings together students, self-taught practitioners and early-career professionals to tackle real-world technical challenges in threat analysis, ethical hacking and digital forensics. Beyond testing technical expertise, the platform provides participants with an opportunity to showcase their skills before industry leaders, cybersecurity experts and prospective employers actively seeking talent to strengthen Zimbabwe's cybersecurity ecosystem.

2026 POTRAZ Annual Powerwalk, Half Marathon and Cybersecurity Awareness Month Commemorations. Held under the theme “Run, Connect, Protect,” this key corporate wellness and public awareness initiative brought together government leadership, sister regulators, sectoral players, data protection officers and financial institutions in a collective celebration of fitness, wellness and digital safety. The event underscored the importance of healthy lifestyles while raising awareness of cybersecurity and the need to safeguard personal information in an increasingly connected world.

More than 1,100 participants came together today at POTRAZ Headquarters for the 2026 POTRAZ Annual Powerwalk, Half Marathon and Cybersecurity Awareness Month Commemorations.

Day 2 of the POTRAZ - NUST ICT Research Symposium attracted 203 delegates highlighting the growing interest in ICT research in Zimbabwe. The symposium was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Dingumuzi Phuti. In the Minister's address, emphasis was placed on the critical role of research in driving national development, industrial transformation and the achievement of Zimbabwe’s digital economy aspirations. A key highlight of day 2 was the presentation of more than 30 research papers and prototype demonstrations across the symposium’s thematic tracks of cyber and data protection, emerging technologies and research-driven proofs-of-concept. The presentations covered areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain, digital health, smart agriculture, digital forensics and other emerging technologies. The programme also featured a masterclass on Artificial Intelligence for research and industry and panel discussions on harnessing emerging technologies and translating research into impact. The strong participation and quality of research showcased the growing contribution of academia, industry, and government to evidence-based policymaking and technology-driven solutions for national development.

Day 1 of the POTRAZ-NUST ICT Research Symposium drew 196 participants, bringing together researchers, policymakers, industry experts, academics and government representatives to explore critical research outputs in emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber and data protection and research-driven proof-of-concept solutions. The conference was officially opened by Prof. S. Nleya, representing the Vice Chancelor of NUST, who emphasized the importance of research and collaboration in addressing national development challenges and advancing the digital economy. Dr. G.K. Machengete, Director General of POTRAZ, gave a keynote address who highlighted the critical role of evidence-based policy, research and emerging technologies in shaping a resilient and inclusive digital future. A key takeaway from the day was the shared commitment among researchers, industry and academia to strengthen collaboration and leverage research-driven solutions to accelerate Zimbabwe's digital and socio-economic transformation. With strong participation and rich technical discussions, the conference successfully fostered knowledge exchange and highlighted the growing maturity of Zimbabwe's ICT research ecosystem.

In terms of notable accolades for 2025, @Potraz_zw DG (right) was named 2nd Best Performing Public Sector CEO (Regulatory) at the Presidential Performance Awards. The DG was also named CEO of the year (Regulatory) by the CEO Africa Roundtable. The DG further received a Certificate of Recognition for Transformative Leadership by the Institute of Strategic Thinking. POTRAZ was awarded the Supply Chain Transformation Leader Award by the Institute of Supply Chain Management and was named among the top 4 Outstanding Data Protection Authorities in Africa. POTRAZ also received awards of Excellence in ICT Inclusion for Persons with Disability and Excellence in Cybersecurity Initiatives.

The Authority scored 92% on its compliance rating for the 2025 year compared to 83% scored in the previous survey, says the Company Secretary, Mrs Dangwa.

Presenting the 2025 Compliance Report, Company Secretary Mrs Dangwa says the Authority continued to align its operations to the compliance requirements enshrined in all applicable national pieces of legislation and no regulatory fines were levied on the Authority

@Potraz_zw Director Finance, Mr Chiripanhura says the Authority achieved a clean audit opinion for 2025, demonstrating its continued dedication to fiscal responsibility and good governance. The Universal Services Fund (USF) which is managed by POTRAZ also received a clean audit opinion demonstrating prudent utilisation of funds toward the intended meaningful connectivity, ICT access and ICT use projects.

In terms of innovation, in 2025 funding grants were issued to 19 innovators for innovation development and commercialisation, while 73 innovators received Business Management training. A total of 40 University Students benefited from the POTRAZ STEM Scholarship Program