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What happened at the competition?
Ethio Telecom held the competition at the Sheraton Addis in Addis Ababa on 3 November 2026 (Tikimt 24, 2019 E.C.). TechAfrica News reported that nine university and college students took part, testing their practical cybersecurity skills, problem-solving and teamwork. The event was part of the company's sixth annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month, under the theme "Secure by Habit".
The half-day event included a three-hour practical challenge, technical presentations, a panel discussion and an open feedback session. According to TechAfrica News, the company designed it to find emerging cybersecurity talent and to strengthen links between universities and the technology industry.
As Ethio telecom continuously enhances and fortifies the security of its services across all environments and tech domains, we recognize that technology alone is not enough.
Which students does this affect?
The prizes went to students from three institutions. Tikvah University reported on 5 November 2026 (Tikimt 26, 2019 E.C.) that AASTU students took first place, and both reports give the same placings: ACT second with 600,000 birr, and ASTU third with 400,000 birr.
The reports name only the top three teams and do not list prizes for the others. Students at universities and colleges who are interested in cybersecurity will find this result most relevant.
What are the dates, and what has not been announced?
| Event or report | Date in both calendars |
|---|---|
| Competition held | Tikimt 24, 2019 E.C. (3 November 2026) |
| TechAfrica News report | Tikimt 25, 2019 E.C. (4 November 2026) |
| Tikvah University report | Tikimt 26, 2019 E.C. (5 November 2026) |
The reports do not say when the prizes were or will be handed over, and they do not give a date for a second competition.
What should you do next?
- Follow Ethio Telecom's own channels for any announcement of a second competition. The reports give no date.
- Watch for the seventh National Cybersecurity Month, which Ethio Telecom sponsors as title sponsor and the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) leads. The reports do not give its dates.
- Ask your university's computing or IT department whether it takes part in cybersecurity challenges of this kind. The reports do not say whether any are planned for students at your institution.
How does the competition fit the company's cybersecurity programme?
Ethio Telecom said the competition formed part of its broader cybersecurity awareness activities during October, and that it is title sponsor of Ethiopia's seventh National Cybersecurity Month, led by INSA. Through its Secure by Habit initiative, the company says it aims to turn awareness into practical skills, identify talent and build partnerships between industry and academia.
According to TechAfrica News, the programme also supports the Digital Ethiopia 2030 agenda by encouraging local cybersecurity expertise. Jemal Mohammed, Director of Cybersecurity Operations at Ethio telecom, said the competition demonstrated the potential of the country's emerging cybersecurity talent.
Sources
Every figure and date above comes from one of these. Open them; a story about your child's school is worth checking.
- 1Ethio Telecom Awards ETB 1.8 Million to Winners of Inaugural Cybersecurity Competition - TechAfrica NewsTechAfrica News, 4 November 2026 (ጥቅምት 25 ቀን 2019 ዓ.ም.)
- 2የአዲስ አበባ ሳይንስና ቴክኖሎጂ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ተማሪዎች ኢትዮ ቴሌኮም ለመጀመሪያ ጊዜ ያዘጋጀው የሳይበር ደኅንነት ውድድር 2026 አሸናፊ ሆነዋል፡፡Tikvah University, 5 November 2026 (ጥቅምት 26 ቀን 2019 ዓ.ም.)
