Photo: Digr · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 17 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Zimbabwe: Digital & Technology
How ready is a country to use, make and trade technology?
Zimbabwe is placed 138th of 198 countries on digital & technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GovTech Maturity Index 0.452 (2025); Government AI Readiness Index 29.53 (2025).
Share
Digital & Technology
138th
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 0.452GovTech Maturity Index, 2025GTMI score (0–1)
- 29.53Government AI Readiness Index, 2025AI readiness score (0–100)
- 0.095Government Cyber Security Capacity, 2025Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
- 5.438Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports, 2024Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Zimbabwe on digital & technology — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.452
GTMI score (0–1)
Higher is better
Zimbabwe: 0.452. Across the 196 countries in this edition, values run from 0.01 (North Korea) to 0.997 (South Korea); the world median is 0.63.
- World median
- 0.63
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 0.944 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 0.469 · Mozambique 0.393 · South Africa 0.623 · Zambia 0.602
29.53
AI readiness score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 126th of 195 by Oxford Insights
Zimbabwe: 29.53. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 12.12 (Guinea-Bissau) to 88.36 (United States); the world median is 40.19.
- World median
- 40.19
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 52.76 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 37.1 · Mozambique 22.31 · South Africa 53.94 · Zambia 43.9
Key 3 of 4
Government Cyber Security Capacity
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0.095
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
Higher is better
Zimbabwe: 0.095. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from -2.66 (Liberia) to 3.715 (Estonia); the world median is 0.196.
- World median
- 0.196
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 2.223 Ethiopia
- Land neighbours
- Botswana -0.101 · Mozambique -0.566 · South Africa 0.517 · Zambia 0.391
Key 4 of 4
Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
5.438
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
Higher is better
Zimbabwe: 5.438. Across the 170 countries in this edition, values run from 0.377 (Gambia) to 87.15 (Ireland); the world median is 25.42.
- World median
- 25.42
- Best in Eastern Africa
- 66.72 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Mozambique 2.518 · South Africa 52.92 · Zambia 20.02
02Over time
Which way Zimbabwe is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government AI Readiness Index
AI readiness score (0–100) · higher is better
ZimbabweWorld median
Zimbabwe rose from 27.32 in 2020 to 29.53 in 2025; the world median went from 39.58 to 40.19.
Every year’s figures
Year Zimbabwe World median 2025 29.5 40.2 2024 32.6 43.3 2023 30.7 41.4 2022 29.3 40.3 2021 29.1 44.1 2020 27.3 39.6 Government Cyber Security Capacity
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity · higher is better
ZimbabweWorld median
Zimbabwe fell from 0.099 in 2000 to 0.095 in 2025; the world median went from -0.514 to 0.196.
Every year’s figures
Year Zimbabwe World median 2025 0.095 0.20 2024 0.095 0.11 2023 0.095 0.14 2022 0.095 0.16 2021 0.099 0.12 2020 0.099 0.12 2019 0.099 0.10 2018 0.099 -0.05 2017 0.099 -0.08 2016 0.099 -0.10 2015 0.099 -0.17 2014 0.099 -0.21 2013 0.099 -0.21 2012 0.099 -0.25 2011 0.099 -0.32 2010 0.099 -0.31 2009 0.099 -0.50 2008 0.099 -0.51 2007 0.099 -0.51 2006 0.099 -0.55 2005 0.099 -0.55 2004 0.099 -0.55 2003 0.099 -0.55 2002 0.099 -0.51 2001 0.099 -0.51 2000 0.099 -0.51 Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) · higher is better
ZimbabweWorld median
Zimbabwe fell from 20.14 in 2010 to 5.438 in 2024; the world median went from 19.88 to 25.42.
Every year’s figures
Year Zimbabwe World median 2024 5.44 25.42 2023 5.52 26.03 2022 2.92 26.04 2021 3.87 29.80 2020 22.84 29.47 2019 14.83 18.36 2018 10.84 20.09 2017 11.82 18.32 2016 19.23 18.15 2015 18.85 19.57 2014 19.17 21.00 2013 18.81 20.50 2012 18.67 19.56 2011 17.75 19.21 2010 20.14 19.88
03In context
Zimbabwe beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on digital & technology, never a place within the region.
Zimbabwe and the countries it borders
Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | GovTech Maturity IndexGTMI score (0–1) | Government AI Readiness IndexAI readiness score (0–100) | Government Cyber Security CapacityOriginal latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity | Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsDigitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 South Africa | 61st | 0.623 | 53.94 | 0.517 | 52.92 |
 Zambia | 94th | 0.602 | 43.9 | 0.391 | 20.02 |
 Botswana | =109th | 0.469 | 37.1 | -0.101 | — |
| Zimbabwe | 138th | 0.452 | 29.53 | 0.095 | 5.438 |
 Mozambique | 165th | 0.393 | 22.31 | -0.566 | 2.518 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on digital & technology
The countries immediately above and below Zimbabwe in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Zimbabwe is ahead of the world, and behind
19 more statistics filed under digital & technology, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median2
Statistics on which Zimbabwe does better than the middle country measured.
Firms with Their Own WebsiteWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 62.3965.8562.39No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 65.85 · world median 62.39 · Firms with their own website (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.824 to 97.88; higher is better.
Position 77th of 181 · derived.
Firms Experiencing Internet DisruptionsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.3531.1132.35No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 31.11 · world median 32.35 · Firms that experienced internet outages or slow-downs (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.735 to 82.39; lower is better.
Position 85th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median13
Statistics on which Zimbabwe does worse than the middle country measured.
Share of Firms' Payments Made ElectronicallyWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 64.2253.3564.22No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 53.35 · world median 64.22 · Payments made electronically in a typical month, excluding payroll and payments to government (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 2.172 to 99.91; higher is better.
Government Social Media CensorshipV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.505-0.2870.505No real change since 2015
Zimbabwe: -0.287 · world median 0.505 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4.5 to +2.4); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.721 to 2.295; higher is better.
Position 113th of 176 · derived.
Made or Received a Digital PaymentWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 51.6546.751.65▼ Worsened since 2014
Zimbabwe: 46.7 · world median 51.65 · Adults who made or received a digital payment in the past year (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 12.26 to 94.91; higher is better.
Position 64th of 98 · derived.
Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.023-0.231.023▲ Improved since 2015
Zimbabwe: -0.23 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.
Position 122nd of 176 · derived.
Mobile Phone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 91.6881.6391.68No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 81.63 · world median 91.68 · Adults who own a mobile phone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 45.83 to 100; higher is better.
Position 111th of 140 · derived.
Smartphone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 78.7849.778.78No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 49.7 · world median 78.78 · Adults whose main mobile phone is a smartphone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 8.663 to 97.36; higher is better.
Position 111th of 140 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6635.2598.66▲ Improved since 2016
Zimbabwe: 35.25 · world median 98.66 · Primary schools with internet access for teaching (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Frontier Technology Readiness IndexUNCTAD · 2023 · world median 0.4850.2190.485▼ Worsened since 2013
Zimbabwe: 0.219 · world median 0.485 · Frontier Technology Readiness Index (0–1). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; higher is better.
Position 142nd of 170 · derived.
AI User Share of the Working-Age PopulationMicrosoft AI Economy Institute · 2026 · world median 15.458.915.45No real change since 2025
Zimbabwe: 8.9 · world median 15.45 · Generative-AI users (% of population aged 15–64). Microsoft AI Economy Institute, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 6.1 to 73.3; higher is better.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.5070.206▲ Improved since 2015
Zimbabwe: 0.507 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 11th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Internet Use Among AdultsWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 83.0531.6483.05No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 31.64 · world median 83.05 · Adults who used the internet in the past three months (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.06 to 99.12; higher is better.
Position 131st of 140 · derived.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.9750.020.975▼ Worsened since 2014
Zimbabwe: 0.02 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 112th of 119 · derived.
Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic)V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median -0.114-2.598-0.114▼ Worsened since 2015
Zimbabwe: -2.598 · world median -0.114 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.2); higher = less disinformation. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.392 to 2.93; higher is better.
Position 167th of 176 · derived.
No better end4
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · 2026 · world median 141,454147,579141,454Moved since 2020
Zimbabwe: 147,579 · world median 141,454 · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 142 to 77,284,974.
GitHub DevelopersGitHub · 2026 · world median 84,67084,67084,670Moved since 2020
Zimbabwe: 84,670 · world median 84,670 · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 110 to 32,410,529.
GitHub Git PushesGitHub · 2025 · world median 148,71493,302148,714Moved since 2020
Zimbabwe: 93,302 · world median 148,714 · Git pushes during the quarter. GitHub, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,967 to 40,768,192.
Anthropic AI Usage IndexAnthropic · 2026 · world median 0.960.20.96No earlier reading
Zimbabwe: 0.2 · world median 0.96 · Claude usage index (1 = in proportion to working-age population). Anthropic, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 6.4.
No current reading for Zimbabwe
ICT Services Exports (last 2023) and Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes (last 2015). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Digital & Technology among Zimbabwe’s 16 topics
Digital & Technology is Zimbabwe’s 4th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Gender & Equality86th of 1834/4 keys
- Energy89th of 1653/3 keys
- Work & Labour102nd of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technology138th of 1984/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability130th of 1864/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 126th of 1774/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience144th of 1934/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation143rd of 1764/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital161st of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions162nd of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties167th of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing181st of 2004/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade168th of 1772/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 176th of 1843/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 190th of 1984/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality155th of 1592/3 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on digital & technology
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Zimbabwe can most readily be measured against.
=1
EstoniaNorthern Europe
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, greyscale
=1
South KoreaEastern Asia
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
3rd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Mauritius20th4/4 keysThis page
Zimbabwe138th4/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Zimbabwe on digital & technology: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Zimbabwe rank on digital & technology?
Zimbabwe is placed 138th of 198 countries on Digital & Technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GovTech Maturity Index, Government AI Readiness Index, Government Cyber Security Capacity and Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GovTech Maturity Index figure for Zimbabwe?
0.452 in 2025 (gTMI score (0–1)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.63.
What is the latest Government AI Readiness Index figure for Zimbabwe?
29.53 in 2025 (aI readiness score (0–100)), according to Oxford Insights. The world median in the same edition was 40.19.
How does Zimbabwe compare with South Africa on digital & technology?
South Africa is placed 61st of 198, and Zimbabwe 138th. GovTech Maturity Index: South Africa 0.623, Zimbabwe 0.452; Government AI Readiness Index: South Africa 53.94, Zimbabwe 29.53; Government Cyber Security Capacity: South Africa 0.517, Zimbabwe 0.095; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports: South Africa 52.92, Zimbabwe 5.438.
How have Zimbabwe’s digital & technology figures changed?
Government AI Readiness Index rose from 27.32 in 2020 to 29.53 in 2025; Government Cyber Security Capacity fell from 0.099 in 2000 to 0.095 in 2025; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports fell from 20.14 in 2010 to 5.438 in 2024.
Which digital & technology statistics are missing for Zimbabwe?
No current reading is published for Zimbabwe on ICT Services Exports and Share of Graduates from ICT Programmes. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Broadband and mobile subscriptions, connection speeds and the cost of getting online are absent, for the licence reason above; internet use and phone ownership, from the World Bank’s own household survey, and firms’ websites and internet disruptions, from its Enterprise Surveys, are published here as context. The ICT share of goods exports votes under Mobility & Trade. Digital public services and data-protection law are not held yet. Research and development spending is filed under Education & Knowledge, and what an economy knows how to make is under Economy & Innovation.
How the Digital & Technology standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The digital & technology method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- GovTech Maturity Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Government AI Readiness Index — Oxford Insights, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Cyber Security Capacity — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 19 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Zimbabwe’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Zimbabwe (banner) — Digr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Estonia — Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Zimbabwe: Digital & Technology — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/zimbabwe/digital