Blog #Zimbabwe

Similarly, in purpose context with Apple’s world wide developer conference, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), held annually in Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city, has long been a significant event in the southern African region consistently drawing attention from businesses and investors across the region and beyond. This year, the annual business showcase, one of the country’s largest trade events, is running from April 21 to April 26, 2025, under the theme “Industrialisation: Crafting an Integrated Landscape.” Dubbed the Blue Sapphire Edition, this year’s theme underscores the role of industrialisation in fostering economic transformation, investment and regional integration. It seeks to attract investors, open doors for entrepreneurs and businesses, both experienced and those new to the field. So what to expect this year?

Zimbabwe is planning a daring move to trace every mobile handset in the fight against cybercrime (allegedly). Zimbabwe’s telecommunications regulator is pushing for the creation of a nationwide database that can track and block stolen or illegal mobile phones in a move officials say will help combat rising cybercrime and protect digital financial transactions. But the big question is will it be the only reason of tracking the devices. When government tries to roll out such things we can’t help it but think of China and North Korea. Usually these always end up being misused by unlawfully tracking citizens or even censoring what is shared, effectively shutting down free speech and suppressing human rights. On the surface it would really useful in combating crime but we all know that, it will not be it’s only function. So what does this mean.

The Zimbabwean government has rolled out a simplified process for drivers to upgrade from the old blue paper licence to the new scannable plastic version, using WhatsApp as a primary communication tool. The Ministry of Transport has outlined a step-by-step guide for Zimbabwean drivers to make the switch, ensuring compliance with regional driving standards.

November 2022 saw Zimbabwe launch its very first space satellite into obit. This launch was managed by GK Launch Services as part of a commercial rideshare mission, lifting off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast. Zim plans to launch multiple satellites into orbit this year, including its third earth observation satellite, ZimSat-3, as part of ongoing efforts to harness space technology for national development. Like its predecessors, ZimSat-3 will enhance Zimbabwe’s capabilities in mineral exploration, environmental hazard monitoring, drought prediction and mapping human settlements.

In its 2025 Monetary Policy Statement (MPS), the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) underscored the importance of building cybersecurity resilience in the banking and microfinance sectors. Lately Zimbabwe’s top telecommunications company has reportedly been hit with data breaches, reports the company has rebuffed. But if 2024 taught anything was that no company was too big to fall prey to these ransomware attacks, data breaches and system hacking with major players being hit and even paying the ransom.