picoCTF-Africa

picoCTF-Africa is a free computer security competition for undergraduate and graduate students across the African continent, created by security and privacy experts at Carnegie Mellon University Africa.

This competition is part of picoCTF, the annual computer security competition and learning platform created by CyLab Security and Privacy Institute. Participants of picoCTF-Africa will be ranked on an African-only leaderboard within the annual picoCTF competition.

Over the course of nearly a decade, picoCTF has become the world's largest online hacking competition. The event has also grown to include several geographically-based leaderboards and programming, including Canada, Japan, and Africa.

Why join?

• Learn cybersecurity fundamentals through the picoPrimer and picoGym
• Compete on an Africa-only leaderboard
• Build your skills, earn recognition, and connect with peers across the continent
• Whether you're new to cybersecurity or looking to sharpen your skills, this picoCTF is your chance to dive in, have fun, and grow.

Each winning team must meet the general award recognition criteria and specific award recognition criteria

How to find teammates

(2-5 players per team required)

• Ask your classmates
• Ask your colleagues in the students computer society
• Re-connect with your friends in other schools
• Join our Discord channel to find teammates and get support for any registration issues
• Read our guide on how to create a team

Terms and conditions

• All team members have read and understood the rules link to competition rules
• All team members MUST meet award criteria for the team to be considered as a winner.
• picoCTF-Africa reserves the right to request participants to present any documents that verify the identity and nationality of participants.
• picoCTF-Africa reserves the right to request participants to present a notified letter from the school dean or student ID.
• All registration will be done on the picoCTF platform
• picoCTF-Africa reserves the right to determine qualification for ALL award criteria
• Any misrepresentation or provision of false information by a participant will result in the disqualification of the entire team.
• All awards are non‑cash prizes

Stay tuned via the Upanzi Network social media and join our Discord channel to find teammates and get support for any registration issues.

Africa award categories

Africa overall winner award

• Number of teams: 1
• Team award: up to $1,000 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Meets the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above

College award

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $750 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • Each team member must meet the required age criteria and be an active student enrolled in an accredited college, university, polytechnic, or institute, pursuing a certificate, diploma, or undergraduate degree (i.e., must have completed secondary school and be enrolled in a higher‑learning institution).
  • Team members may be in any year of study
  • Team members' school is registered under the Higher Education Board

College junior award

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $500 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Meets the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • Each team member must meet the required age criteria and be an active student enrolled in an accredited college, university, polytechnic, or institute, pursuing a certificate, diploma, or undergraduate degree (i.e., must have completed secondary school and be enrolled in a higher‑learning institution).
  • Team members has to be in first or second year of study ONLY
  • Team members' school is registered under the Higher Education Board

High school or secondary school award

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $750 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  •  Each team member must meet the required age criteria and be an active student enrolled in an accredited high school or secondary school (i.e., must have completed primary school and be enrolled in a secondary school).
  • Team members may be in any year of study
  • Team members' school is registered under the Secondary School Education Board (Ask your teacher if you are not sure)

Africa HS/Secondary TVET school division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $750 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • Each team member must meet the required age criteria and be an active student enrolled in an accredited High school or secondary school that is also a TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)
  • Team members may be in any year of study
  • Team members' school is registered under the Higher Education Board and the TVET board (Ask your teacher if you are not sure)

Africa women division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $500 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • Team composition is 50 percent female and 50 percent male players
• NB: One college and one high school team

Eastern Africa division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $250 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • All team members are from Eastern Africa countries
• NB: One college and one high school team

West Africa division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $250 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • All team members are from West African countries
• NB: One college and one high school team

North Africa division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $250 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • All team members are from North African countries
• NB: One college and one high school team

Central Africa division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $250 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • All team members are from Central African countries
• NB: One college and one high school team

Southern Africa division

• Number of teams: 2
• Team award: up to $250 USD
• Team size: 2-5 players
• Category terms:
  • Team members meet the picoCTF terms and conditions and general award recognition criteria above
  • All team members are from Southern Africa countries
• NB: One college and one high school team

Affiliations

General award recognition criteria

• A team of 2 to 5 students (team player must apply individually and join a team consisting to make up a team of up-to 5 players. Head over to guide on team creation)
• Each team player must be between the ages of 13-25 years
• Each team member must meet the required age criteria and be an active student enrolled in an accredited high/secondary school, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution, college, university, polytechnic, or institute, and be pursuing a certificate, diploma, or undergraduate degree.
• Students who have completed their coursework in early 2026 and are scheduled to graduate in 2026 can play to win awards
• Participants have to be permanent residents and citizens of an African country to be eligible for the award
• Teams with both female and male participants are highly encouraged but not required except for the Women in Cybersecurity category.

What are the other rules and terms for picoCTF 2026?

• CMU may display one or more Competition leaderboards and/or scoreboards. These boards may be available to other Participants and/or the public, and may show the Team name, the country of residence and/or school identified by the Team leader, and/or the name of the School identified by the Team leader.
• While there are no limitations on the resources or tools that Participants can use, only the eligible Team Participants may solve challenges as part of the Competition. Team advisors, or anyone outside the Team, may help facilitate the Team's work, such as by helping set up tools or providing resources, but may not provide direct assistance on any problems
• Teams may not interfere with the progress of other Teams, nor with the operation of the Competition's infrastructure. More specifically, attacking the scoring server, other Teams, or machines not explicitly designated as targets is cheating. This includes both breaking into such machines, and denying others access to them or the ability to solve problems (for example, by altering a key or ping-flooding). Sharing keys or providing hints with other teams is cheating, as is being directly assisted by personnel outside the Team (using tools from the internet is OK; asking people on the internet to help solve the problem is not). We encourage Participants to solve problems in novel and creative ways using all available resources, but we do require that Participants solve the problems themselves
• You must comply with the picoCTF Terms of Use and these Competition Rules. As a reminder, the Terms of Use include, among other things, a description of prohibited conduct and limitations on liability and damages
• Answers to problems including challenge write-ups may not be publicly posted or otherwise shared with anyone outside of your Team members until after the Competition is over.
• All information provided to establish an account must be true and correct. You are responsible for keeping such information up-to-date. Failure to keep your account up-to-date may, among other things, jeopardize your eligibility for prizes.
• You are solely responsible for keeping your account names and passwords confidential. You are responsible for activity that takes place under your account (including but not limited to activity that may affect your eligibility for prizes). If you believe that your account (or an account you have created on behalf of your child or a student) has been or may be compromised, you must notify CMU by contacting other@picoCTF.org as soon as possible.
• If you register to be on a Team with other Participants, you understand that information about you may be provided to other Team Participants. In addition, you understand that your School may be informed about your participation in picoCTF and/or may be asked to verify your enrollment in order to verify your eligibility to receive prizes. To the extent your School cannot legally release such information about you without your consent and you do not provide such consent, you agree that you and/or your Team may be ineligible for certain prizes if CMU cannot verify your eligibility.
• At any time, in the sole and absolute discretion of CMU, CMU shall be entitled to disqualify a Participant and/or Team in the event of a failure to meet relevant eligibility criteria or any other violation or suspected violation of these Competition Rules and/or any Terms of Use (including but not limited to cheating). In the event of a Participant's disqualification, CMU may also notify the Participant's School.
• CMU will determine participation eligibility, declare winners (including but not limited to in the event of a tie), and award prizes in its sole and absolute discretion. You agree that such decisions are final and are not subject to review or reconsideration, and that Teams are not entitled to be informed of other Teams' results.
• Winning Teams may be asked to produce written solutions for several challenges before receiving prizes. Each Participant of a winning team will need an adviser or faculty member at the Participant's School to serve as a point of contact.
• CMU reserves the right to verify the identity and eligibility of all Participants and Teams at any time. Without limiting the general nature of the prior sentence, prior to (and as a condition of) awarding any prizes, you agree that CMU in its sole and absolute discretion may require additional paperwork to be executed by the relevant Participants. This information could include, among other things, written verification of parental consent (if applicable), verification of information needed to confirm eligibility or compliance with these Competition Rules and/or the Terms of Use, and information needed to facilitate the provision of prizes, and all paperwork requested by CMU to enable it to comply with all applicable state, federal and local tax reporting (which may require the provision of social security numbers or other personal information as needed). All paperwork must be returned within seven (7) days of the date provided by CMU (or such other date specified by CMU).
• All prizes are non-cash and will be net of any taxes that CMU is required by law to withhold. To the extent permitted by law, all taxes imposed on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winners. If a potential winner fails to provide such documentation within the timeframe required or fails to comply with such laws, the prize may be forfeited and CMU may, in its discretion, select an alternate potential winner.
• In its sole discretion, Carnegie Mellon University Africa may extend an invitation to an awards ceremony at its Rwanda location. All students below the age of 18 years must be accompanied by their chaperones.
• For all non-cash prizes awarded to a Team involving more than one Participant, each Participant shall be awarded an equal share of such prize.
• Any prizes awarded are non-transferable, and any non-cash prizes are not exchangeable for cash. CMU's ability to offer any and all prizes is subject to applicable laws and regulations.
• Competition problems or other content on the picoCTF site remains the property of CMU (and/or its content providers). CMU and its relevant content providers reserve any and all of their respective rights in such materials. You are authorized to access and use such materials solely with respect to registration for and/or participation in picoCTF 2026 by you (or on behalf of your child or a student, where applicable). You may not use the picoCTF 2026 site or any materials on it (including but not limited to the Competition problems) for any unauthorized purpose.
• The Competition is subject to all disclaimers, limitations on liability and damages set forth in the Terms of Use, as supplemented by these Competition Rules. Without limiting the general nature of the foregoing, you understand and agree that picoCTF 2026 is offered on an AS-IS, WHERE-IS basis without warranties of any kind, and that any and all implied warranties or duties regarding it are hereby disclaimed (including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement). CMU can discontinue the Competition at any time in its sole discretion. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, Carnegie Mellon University, its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, affiliates, licensors, content providers, contractors (including but not limited to Third Party Providers) and sponsors (collectively, picoCTF Parties) shall not be liable for any damages, losses or claims resulting from any person's participation (or attempted participation) in the Competition. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, neither CMU nor picoCTF Parties are responsible for technical problems or technical malfunction or other occurrences which may affect the operation of the Competition (including but not limited: to hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless or Internet connectivity or other online communication problems; failure of any e-mail transmissions to be sent to or received; lost, late, delayed or intercepted e-mail transmissions; inaccessibility of the picoCTF 2026 web site or any third party service providers in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestions on the Internet or the picoCTF 2026 site; and/or inaccessibility or unavailability of an email account used in connection with picoCTF 2026). To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, you hereby release CMU and the PicoCTF Parties from any and all claims, damages or liabilities arising from or relating to participation in picoCTF 2026.
• To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless CMU and picoCTF Parties from and against any and all claims, suits, actions, losses, expenses, damages, penalties, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees resulting from any actual or alleged violation of these Competition Rules by you and/or your participation in the Competition.
• These Competition Rules shall be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law. If any portion of this these Competition Rules is determined by any court or governmental agency of competent jurisdiction to violate applicable law or otherwise not to conform to requirements of law, then the rest of these Competition Rules will remain in effect and the parties will substitute a suitable and equitable provision for the invalid/unenforceable provision in order to carry out the original intent and purpose of the original Competition Rules.
• The picoCTF 2026 site or materials may link to and/or refer to third party websites and/or services. CMU does not control or endorse such sites. You are responsible for determining the suitability of those sites or services.
• You may not assign, delegate or transfer any of your rights or obligations under these Competition Rules. Any attempted assignment, delegation or transfer shall be void.
• These Competition Rules and the Terms of Use and your picoCTF 2026 registration represent your entire agreement with CMU with respect to picoCTF 2026.