Online Reporter
Michael Tome
Business Reporter
THE Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZim) has intensified efforts to modernise capital markets oversight through a new innovation-driven collaboration with local universities.
From 1 to 2 December 2025, the regulator hosted the prototype demonstration phase of its inaugural Universities’ Competition for the Development of Capital Market Regulatory ICT Systems in Harare, where tertiary institution teams showcased digital solutions designed to strengthen market supervision.
The initiative, which aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) push for a knowledge-driven and technology-enabled economy, seeks to cultivate home-grown expertise capable of addressing complex regulatory challenges in the financial sector.
SECZim said six institutions registered for the programme following detailed requirements workshops.
Four institutions, including the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Midlands State University (MSU), Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), successfully submitted working prototypes.
The submissions focused on Prudential and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Risk-Based Supervision (RBS) systems, which are designed to automate the processing and analysis of large volumes of market data.
SECZim Investor Education and Public Relations Manager, Ms Farai Mpofu, said such tools would allow regulators to identify risks earlier, enhance market integrity, and improve the detection and prevention of financial crime.
“The competition addresses a critical need for advanced technological tools to enable real-time, effective supervision of capital market intermediaries.
“The requirements for the prototypes were meticulously defined by SECZim to solve specific regulatory challenges, moving the Commission towards a more proactive, risk-based supervisory approach,” said Ms Mpofu.
A panel comprising experts from SECZim and the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services assessed the live demonstrations.
The judges evaluated entries based on innovation, functionality, scalability, usability, and overall potential to strengthen capital market regulation.
They are expected to finalise their assessments within two weeks, after which winning teams will be announced.
SECZim said the competition responds to a critical need for advanced technological capabilities to support real-time, risk-based supervision of capital market intermediaries.
Through the integration of academia into its innovation pipeline, the Commission aims to accelerate the development of systems tailored to Zimbabwe’s regulatory environment.
Winning universities will receive prize money and may be contracted by the Commission to develop the prototypes into fully operational systems—an opportunity that could see academic innovation transitioning into national regulatory infrastructure.
The Commission lauded the participating institutions for demonstrating strong technical capacity and creativity, describing the competition as a milestone in fostering collaboration between regulators and the higher education ecosystem.
SECZim, a statutory body established under the Securities and Exchange Act [Chapter 24:25], oversees more than 200 capital markets intermediaries and collective investment schemes.
