Zimbabwe's ICT Ministry Champions Digital Defence with Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

This award is a pivotal part of the 2nd Edition of the national awards, an event that has transitioned from being privately-led to a premier government-endorsed platform. The ceremony, to be held at the Rainbow Towers in Harare, serves as a cornerstone of the Zimbabwe National Policy for ICT (2022-2027), which commits to fostering innovation and excellence across the sector.

Understanding the Award's Significance

The Cybersecurity Initiative of the Year award is designed to honour an organization or institution that has demonstrated outstanding achievements in improving cybersecurity resilience and awareness. More than just a technical accolade, it highlights initiatives that proactively address emerging digital threats, promote national best practices, and work to instill a widespread culture of digital safety among citizens and businesses.

The establishment of this category by the Ministry underscores the government's recognition of cybersecurity as a critical pillar for a thriving digital economy. As Zimbabwe advances its digital transformation agenda, protecting critical infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive data, and ensuring public trust in digital platforms have become matters of national priority.

Judging Criteria: The Anatomy of Excellence

To ensure a rigorous and transparent selection process, nominees will be evaluated by a panel of seven expert adjudicators based on three core criteria. These standards are designed to identify initiatives that are not only innovative but also deliver tangible and far-reaching benefits.

• Innovation & Technological Advancement: This criterion assesses the novelty and sophistication of the initiative. Judges will look for the use of cutting-edge technologies, creative strategies, or unique methodologies in addressing cybersecurity challenges. This could range from developing advanced threat detection systems to implementing novel public awareness campaigns.

• Impact on the Cybersecurity Ecosystem: The evaluation moves beyond the nominee's own organization to consider the initiative's broader influence. A winning entry must demonstrate a positive and measurable effect on the wider Zimbabwean cybersecurity landscape, such as contributing to policy development, fostering collaboration between public and private sectors, or providing tools and knowledge that benefit other entities.

• Effectiveness in Cyber Threat Mitigation: This is the practical measure of success. Nominees must provide evidence of their initiative's effectiveness in preventing, detecting, or responding to cyber threats. This can be demonstrated through metrics like reduced security incidents, faster threat response times, or a documented increase in security posture for its target audience.

Call for Submissions and Participation

The submission period for the ICT Excellence Awards is currently active, running from October 1 to October 31, 2025. Organizations and institutions that have launched impactful cybersecurity projects are encouraged to submit their entries through the official awards portal: zimictawards.org.zw.

The platform also allows the public to nominate deserving initiatives and, subsequently, to vote for the winners, making it a truly national celebration of technological achievement. Following the close of submissions, the expert judging period will take place from November 1 to November 6, 2025, culminating in the awards ceremony on November 7. This award represents a landmark opportunity to recognize the architects of Zimbabwe's secure digital future.