Zimbabwe scores 2.22 out of 4 on the Africa AI Governance Index 2026, which places it in the Developing tier and ranks it 9 of 54. Of 80 indicators, 58 carry a score. Infrastructure and Data is the strongest pillar at 3.13. Human Capital and Implementation and Impact are the joint weakest at 1.40, and the second of these is a fellow-assigned fallback value with no indicator scored. The composite sits above the Southern Africa mean of 1.49 and the Africa mean of 1.33. The evidence rests largely on the National AI Strategy launched on 14 March 2026 and on data protection law, while Regional Integration is scored on 1 indicator.
P1Strategy & Vision2.70 / 4Developing
Strategy and Vision scores 2.70, in the Developing tier, with all 10 indicators scored. Alignment with the African Union Continental AI Strategy scores 4 (S1.5). Tatenda A. Mavetera, Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, launched the Zimbabwe National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Harare (S1.1, S1.3, each score 3). Consultations took place in Harare on 28 August 2025 and in Bulawayo and Masvingo on 9 and 11 September 2025 (S1.6, score 3). The strategy provides for quarterly reviews, an annual summit and a mid-term refresh at the end of 2027 (S1.10, score 3). It introduces a National AI Innovation Fund (S1.4, score 2). The adoption date indicator scores 1 (S1.2) on a launch date of 14 March 2026.
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P2Governance & Regulation2.00 / 4Developing
Governance and Regulation scores 2.00, in the Developing tier, with all 10 indicators scored. The institutional model scores 4 (G2.6): a National AI Council, an AI Strategy Implementation Office and Technical Working Groups. AI legislation and data protection law each score 3 (G2.1, G2.2); the evidence for both cites only the National AI Strategy. The Data Protection Act (2021) applies to all controllers and processors operating in Zimbabwe, including foreign AI platforms (G2.9, score 3). The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe enforces that Act and has no explicit AI mandate (G2.3, score 2). The Malabo Convention is signed and not ratified (G2.7, score 2). The profile found no AI enforcement actions (G2.8, score 0).
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P3Infrastructure & Data3.13 / 4Established
Infrastructure and Data scores 3.13, in the Established tier, with 8 of 10 indicators scored. Submarine cable landing points (I3.3) are excluded because Zimbabwe is landlocked, and foreign AI surveillance spending (I3.9) is a context flag. Five indicators score 4. International bandwidth is 2,072,642 Mbps, or 124.60 Gbps per million people (I3.4). The Zimbabwe Centre for High Performance Computing runs GPU, compute and storage servers at the University of Zimbabwe (I3.6). The Cyber and Data Protection Act, 2021, the 2024 Regulations and the 2025 Guidelines set conditions for international data flows (I3.7, I3.8). Hyperscaler presence scores 4 (I3.5) on a list of 10 cloud providers. Total capacity is about 5.5 MW, with about 2 MW live (I3.2, score 1).
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P4Human Capital1.40 / 4Emerging
Human Capital scores 1.40, in the Emerging tier, with all 10 indicators scored. Labour transition policy scores 4 (H4.8); the evidence anchors it in the National AI Strategy and labour policy interventions. Midlands State University and Africa University are named for AI programmes (H4.3, score 2). Publications score 2 on 43.3 papers a year, or 2.61 per million people (H4.4). School computer science is at pilot stage, with no nationwide mandatory curriculum (H4.6, score 1). Shona and Ndebele have partial language technology coverage (H4.10, score 1). The number of AI researchers per capita is unknown (H4.1, score 0). No figure exists for regulator staff with AI skills, and no AI patents were filed (H4.2, H4.5, each score 0).
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P5Innovation & Ecosystem1.89 / 4Emerging
Innovation and Ecosystem scores 1.89, in the Emerging tier, with 9 of 10 indicators scored. University-industry partnerships score 4 (N5.10); the strategy calls for formal AI research partnerships, and the profile records that many universities have formed them. Private investment scores 3 (N5.2): the profile gives total funding of USD 150 million in 2026 and government grants of USD 20 million. It reports three main incubators (N5.3, score 3) and about 45 active AI-focused startups (N5.1, score 2). The National AI Regulatory Sandbox is in early rollout and not fully operational (N5.4, score 1). No standalone AI safety testing facility exists and ISO/IEC 42001 is not integrated (N5.6, N5.7, each score 0). Government AI procurement (N5.5) is not scored.
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P6Ethics & Inclusion2.10 / 4Developing
Ethics and Inclusion scores 2.10, in the Developing tier, with all 10 indicators scored. The strategy is described as inspired by Ubuntu (E6.9, score 4). Citizen redress also scores 4 (E6.4); the evidence describes a cyber and data protection function that protects citizens' data privacy. Transparency scores 3 (E6.3) on public awareness campaigns and a planned public-facing portal for AI projects. The strategy sets out a role for civil society in monitoring AI use (E6.8, score 3). It provides for independent audits of AI systems for bias, fairness and performance (E6.2, score 2). Algorithmic impact assessments are not formally required (E6.1, score 0). No dedicated AI tribunal exists (E6.5, score 0). Advisory body diversity scores 0 (E6.6).
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P7Regional Integration3.00 / 4Established
Regional Integration scores 3.00, in the Established tier, with 1 of 10 indicators scored. The pillar score rests on that single indicator. Kigali Declaration endorsement scores 3 (R7.2) on the scoring basis that Zimbabwe is a signatory of the Africa Declaration on AI of 4 April 2025; the profile's own evidence field reads 'No verified evidence found'. The other nine indicators are not scored, each with the same entry: African Union strategy alignment (R7.1), regional economic community coordination (R7.3), cross-border AI agreements (R7.4), election integrity provisions (R7.5), disinformation response (R7.6), election incidents (R7.7), platform content moderation (R7.8), Geneva Dialogue participation (R7.9) and multilateral engagement (R7.10). The file notes a general election on 23 and 24 August 2023.
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P8Implementation & Impact1.40 / 4Emerging
Implementation and Impact scores 1.40, in the Emerging tier. No indicator in this pillar is scored, and the pillar score is a fellow-assigned fallback value. The evidence field for all 10 indicators reads 'No verified evidence found'. The profile therefore offers no evidence on a disbursed AI governance budget (M8.1), health AI regulation or approved devices (M8.2, M8.3), a government AI system registry (M8.4), monitoring and evaluation reports (M8.5), sector governance in agriculture, financial services and education (M8.6, M8.7, M8.8), measurable outcomes (M8.9) or adoption of World Health Organization guidance on AI for health (M8.10). The fallback value sits above the Southern Africa pillar mean of 0.70 and the Africa pillar mean of 0.78.
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