Zimbabwe CBRN Defence Market Size and Forecast by Threat Type, Equipment, End User, and Platform: 2019-2033

Zimbabwe CBRN Defence Industry Outlook

The Zimbabwe CBRN defence market is undergoing a strategic transformation, underpinned by the country’s growing alignment with global nuclear non-proliferation frameworks. The formal accession to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) and the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) highlights Zimbabwe’s intent to modernize its nuclear and radiological security governance.

This evolution was underscored by a Parliamentary Session on Nuclear and Radiological Security in Harare, supported by Global Affairs Canada and key international bodies like the IAEA and UNODC. The Zimbabwe CBRN defence industry is now taking deliberate steps to integrate these frameworks into domestic law, which is a foundational move for attracting foreign collaboration and technology transfer.

These engagements signify Zimbabwe’s transition from a reactive to a proactive nuclear-security posture, aligning with international compliance and deterrence standards. This not only enhances its strategic credibility but also encourages future investments and partnerships in CBRN surveillance, containment, and decontamination systems. Moreover, Zimbabwe’s growing involvement signals new opportunities for international contractors and regional think tanks to invest in this emerging CBRN defence sector.

Driving Factors: Political Will, Nuclear Convention Ratification, and Regional Threat Vectors

The Zimbabwe CBRN defence sector is gaining traction due to a combination of geopolitical pressure, regional security concerns, and governmental proactivity. The formal ratification of ICSANT and A/CPPNM catalyses the country’s capacity-building efforts, with emphasis on legislative modernization and institutional readiness. Political will is also growing stronger, evidenced by collaborative policymaking sessions and support from parliamentarians engaged through global entities such as Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA).

Regional instability—such as increased trafficking risks of radioactive material through Southern Africa—compounds the urgency for a robust CBRN framework. Additionally, climate-induced hazards are heightening the chances of accidental radiological exposure, prompting health, defence, and emergency response stakeholders to push for resilient detection and response systems.

Donor-backed knowledge transfers, primarily from Global Affairs Canada and multilateral workshops with UN agencies, are instrumental in shaping local CBRN capabilities. As Zimbabwe formalizes its compliance commitments, procurement for nuclear threat detection tools, training in decontamination logistics, and investment in mobile surveillance units are becoming central to the CBRN defence procurement roadmap.

End User Adoption Trends: Civil-Military Integration Accelerates Capability Maturity

Zimbabwe’s CBRN defence market is witnessing increasing adoption across multi-tiered end users, including the military, national police, radiation authorities, and civil protection units. As policy integration moves forward, defence entities are being trained to respond to biological, nuclear, and radiological threats with updated playbooks that reflect international standards. In particular, the military’s role has shifted from mere enforcement to also include technical surveillance and incident assessment.

Meanwhile, the Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe (RPAZ) is emerging as a central node in civilian uptake, expanding its mandate from licensing to threat response. Training programs co-led by IAEA experts are enabling smoother integration between laboratory technicians, first responders, and border-control officials—enabling faster detection of nuclear/radiological anomalies.

The Harare parliamentary session in 2024 signalled cross-sectoral endorsement of new policies. These shifts are encouraging ministries and provincial emergency services to integrate CBRN protocols in daily readiness routines. For example, planned tabletop exercises involving the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Civil Protection Department point to enhanced end-user preparedness. This uptake trend is expected to mature further as budget allocations and donor-driven pilots increase over the next two years.

Government Bodies and Competitive Landscape: Building Local Strength through Global Support

The Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, in tandem with RPAZ, is driving the evolution of the Zimbabwe CBRN defence market. Their collaborative engagements with the IAEA and UNODC position them as national anchors for external investment and technical partnerships. On the domestic front, small but agile firms are developing expertise in lab testing kits, field training modules, and protective gear.

International players—particularly European and Canadian CBRN solution providers—are exploring partnerships aligned with Zimbabwe’s national compliance roadmap. Regionally, South African integrators with border-security experience are entering dialogues to support mobile threat-detection systems and training exercises.

Globally, major CBRN defence leaders such as FLIR Systems, Bruker, and Argon Electronics may find long-term opportunities in Zimbabwe through modular technology deployment. These include deployable biosurveillance units and ruggedized handheld radiation detectors, which align with Zimbabwe’s infrastructural realities. Success in this sector will depend on forming consortia with local R&D institutions and ensuring solutions meet localized cost-to-operational efficiency ratios.

Author: Surender K (Vertical Head – Aerospace & Defence)

*Research Methodology: This report is based on DataCube’s proprietary 3-stage forecasting model, combining primary research, secondary data triangulation, and expert validation. [Learn more]

Zimbabwe CBRN Defence Market Segmentation