POTRAZ 3rd National Data Privacy Symposium 2026 to Anchor Zimbabwe’s Digital Trust

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has officially announced that the 3rd National Data Privacy Symposium will take place in April from the 27th to the 30th. This positions the nation as the central hub for data governance in Southern Africa.

Building on the success of the 2025 event in Victoria Falls which focused on bridging the gap between policy and practice the 2026 edition arrives at a pivotal moment. This year’s theme, “Securing the Digital Frontier: Harmonizing Regional Standards for a Data-Driven Future,” reflects Zimbabwe’s new mandate from SADC to lead regional capacity building for Data Protection Officers (DPOs).

The upcoming April symposium follows a year of aggressive regulatory milestones. Since the March 2025 compliance deadline, POTRAZ has successfully registered over 830 data controllers, standardized the DPO certification program, which is now being exported as a model to neighboring SADC states.

They have also established sector-specific guidelines for government agencies and private enterprises.

Industry experts and policy makers will gather to tackle the next wave of digital challenges.

1. Expected high-priority tracks include:
2. The AI Mandate: Finalizing ethical guidelines for Artificial Intelligence and automated processing under the Cyber and Data Protection Act.
3. Cross-Border Data Flows: Simplifying the legal hurdles for trade and research within the SADC region.
4. Digital Trust in FinTech: Strengthening protections for mobile money and online banking sectors where 77% of Zimbabweans previously reported concerns over unsolicited data use.

POTRAZ has also indicated attendees should expect to get data protection masterclasses on key implementation issues.

Participants are expected to depart from the venue, with enhanced competencies and a comprehensive understanding of data privacy issues.