Digital Development in Africa: Russia Launches Cybersecurity Training Program in Zimbabwe

Russia, together with the Cyberus Foundation and the government of Zimbabwe, is launching a national cybersecurity education program for African youth. The initiative will train students in the fundamentals of cybersecurity, ethical hacking, digital forensics, and the use of AI tools. Practical components will include participation in CTF tournaments and cyber exercises.

Strengthening International Standing

The program is being developed by the Russian company CyberEd, a cybersecurity education center offering more than 20 training programs for both beginners and experienced professionals. Courses cover penetration testing, corporate infrastructure protection, secure development, and cyber threat analysis.

It is expected that the program will reach more than 10,000 people within its first year, including participants from the Southern African Development Community. This marks the first step toward establishing a national cybersecurity monitoring center and an assessment system for protecting critical IT infrastructure, where graduates will become key specialists. The initiative is particularly relevant given that African organizations are frequently targeted by DDoS attacks, with government and financial institutions being the most affected.

For Russia’s IT industry, this move will enhance its global reputation, showcase the export of educational technologies, and foster the growth of companies like CyberEd. For Zimbabwe, the project will lay the foundation for its own cybersecurity infrastructure and strengthen youth competencies — vital for young and growing economies. The program will also support digital sovereignty and advance international cooperation in the ICT sector.

International Training Experience

This program serves as an example of Russian solutions entering the international market. Future plans could include expanding to other African nations or the Middle East, as well as establishing model training centers. For Russia, this is an opportunity to strengthen its educational export capabilities, raise the profile of Russian cyber expertise, and gather experience in international cybersecurity training that can later be applied domestically.

The problem of low cybersecurity readiness in Africa is so severe that it has been ranked as the number one risk factor in the financial sector for the second year in a row. Almost every executive at a major African financial institution views cybercrime as an equally dangerous threat as political and social instability, as well as challenging macroeconomic conditions. Hackers in Africa use the same classic attack methods — malware, social engineering, and vulnerability exploitation — with DDoS attacks being particularly popular. Internet outages can be one reason for the shortage of cybersecurity professionals in Africa, who are critically needed to effectively combat cyber threats. Another challenge is the lack of legislation and international cooperation in fighting hackers. Regular training of local experts will help the region reach a new level of security… Supporting regional and international efforts against hackers will enable local governments to ensure higher levels of protection

Ekaterina Semykina

Analyst at Positive Technologies

In the long term, there is potential for localizing training centers, creating regional hubs — possibly under the Vision 2030 initiative — and jointly developing educational and monitoring facilities while fostering research cooperation. The project carries strategic importance for at least two regions: Russia’s IT sector and Africa’s digital development.

Growing Role of Digital Education

Domestic AI programs are being implemented in various sectors, including healthcare. In 2025, Sechenov University developed a new educational program on telemedicine technologies and remote health monitoring. The curriculum includes modules covering the basics of telemedicine, its legal, economic, and clinical aspects, as well as organizational considerations. It also contains modules on remote health monitoring. Training is free under the Priority 2030 program.

National security and government-led initiatives are also in the spotlight. Recently, the Russian Ministry of Education announced the integration of the Sferum platform into the national messenger. The Ministry, together with VK, is working to integrate Sferum into the national MAX messenger by the start of the new academic year. The new platform will include Sferum’s core functions alongside new, relevant educational services. This integration, approved by a Russian government decree on July 12, 2025, aims in part to enhance information security across Russia’s digital space.

These developments underscore the growing importance of digital education, AI, medtech, and cybersecurity, as well as the rising demand for export-ready, effective, and secure educational formats.

Strategic Value

Russia’s initiative in international educational cooperation is a significant step toward strengthening digital sovereignty and building an IT education ecosystem. The Zimbabwe program holds both educational and strategic value, involving the training of skilled personnel, the creation of monitoring infrastructure, and the establishment of a national cybersecurity industry.

In the near term, a monitoring center and cybersecurity infrastructure assessment system could be launched. In the medium term (2–5 years), the program may be scaled up, with the creation of regional training hubs and the expansion of participation to hundreds of thousands. The creation of joint research platforms is also realistic. In the long term, this could strengthen educational exports, establish an international network of specialists, and promote Russian software and cybersecurity services on the global market