Data governance: Building trust in a complex digital world

By Lorreta Songola – CEO Liquid Intelligent Technologies Zimbabwe

When a business decides to move to the cloud, one of the most important considerations is maintaining the safety, privacy of company and customer data.

Data breaches can originate from various sources including but not limited to malicious activity, cyberattacks, IT failures, or simple human error. That is why companies need to be prepared for any eventuality when it comes to data governance and compliance, which entails careful planning and expert support.

A Shared Responsibility

Simply put, data governance is about keeping data (at rest and in motion) safe and fit for purpose. This includes who can access it, how long it is kept, and when it is destroyed. Compliance involves meeting the legal obligations associated with that data.

Fortunately, for companies embracing digital transformation, there is an increasing focus on legislation and regulations aimed at data protection and governance. Companies that successfully navigate this transition are those that understand that managing risk and protecting data are no longer the sole responsibility of the IT team but of the entire organization. Risk needs to be managed across people, processes, and technology – and this calls for a collaborative approach.

Data Governance: Ensuring Compliance and Trust

Cyberattacks in Africa are on the rise, and Zimbabwe’s regulators are tightening their oversight, notably through the Cyber and Data Protection Act [Chapter 12:07]. Add to this industry-specific regulations for organisations like banks, telecoms, and healthcare providers, among others, and the message is clear: compliance in the cloud is about demonstrating that trust can be measured and proven, every single day.

This trust stems from knowing that data is protected, from identity management to data classification. The easiest way to safeguard sensitive information underpinning cloud-based transactions is by partnering with a technology provider like Liquid Intelligent Technologies, which takes on some of the load in a shared responsibility model.

These specialist providers understand that while policies look neat on paper, reality is messier. They also know that organisations that get it right build governance into their operations. This means taking simple actions, such as setting a baseline for controls and monitoring continuously, extending their scrutiny to providers as well as themselves, training every person in the organisation to identify risks, and even being intentional about where their data resides.

While this is where artificial intelligence (AI) support definitely comes into play, through classification, threat intelligence, and stronger access controls, these tools only work when owned by people and grounded in established processes.

Practical first steps for Zimbabwean businesses

A structured approach helps. If a mining company, for example, links its governance metrics to health and safety objectives, making progress visible to both the board and regulators, that is a lot harder to ignore than a 40-page compliance report.

Some of the immediate actions that a technology partner like Liquid can help Zimbabwe’s businesses with include:

• Mapping Cyber and Data Protection Act obligations and overlaps with industry rules like GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA, for example.
• Compiling an inventory and classifying sensitive data, both in the cloud and on-premises.
• Using ISO-certified providers.
• Identifying and acting on any red flags immediately.
• Defining clear action plans in the event of any breach.
• Regular internal audits, vendor testing, and employee training.

Ideally, these are part of a holistic suite of tailored technology solutions – including connectivity, cloud, cyber security, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) -enabled processes – across the business, ensuring a seamless and secure digital transformation journey.

By proactively investing in solutions that address potential risks, Zimbabwean companies are also investing in trust and maintaining the confidence of customers, regulators, and even their own boards. And in a digital world, trust is paramount.