Dar es Salaam — FOUR students from the University of Dodoma (UDOM) have emerged winners of the 2026 Cyber Champions Competition, a national online safety contest coordinated by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
The annual competition brings together university students to test their skills in protecting digital systems, while providing a platform to sharpen cybersecurity expertise required for employment and self-employment in the rapidly growing digital economy.
This year's champions walked away with laptop computers, professional training scholarships and examination vouchers from the EC-Council, a global body that certifies cybersecurity professionals.
Speaking during the Safer Internet Day commemorations held at UDOM, TCRA Director General, Dr Jabiri Bakari, said the sixth edition of the competition attracted 1,226 participants from 29 public and private universities.
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The contestants went through several stages of cybersecurity challenges before the winners were determined.
Since its launch in 2020, the competition has attracted a total of 4,285 participants, including 3,705 male students (86.47 per cent) and 580 female students (13.53 per cent).
In the male category, Boniphace Ibrahim emerged the winner, followed by Martin George in second place and Erick Sanga in third. Herdorce Mwalongo was the top and only female winner this year.
Dr Bakari said the competition supports national efforts to strengthen the digital economy and safeguard information systems.
He emphasised that safe and responsible internet use is a shared responsibility involving the government, private institutions, learning institutions, students, security agencies, service providers and the public at large. "
We all know the internet has no borders for those who intend to misuse it for personal gain. This includes fraud, data breaches and unauthorised access to technology systems. There is a need for heightened awareness and responsible decisionmaking, as underscored by today's theme," he said.
