Medaille van Verdienste van de Sultan van Zanzibar

The Medal of Merit of the Sultan of Zanzibar was instituted in 1875 by the reigning ruler, Sultan Sayyid Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar. In addition to his knightly order, the Order of the Brilliant Star, the Sultan wished to have a decoration with which to honor those who were not eligible for orders of knighthood.

The medal was initially regarded as an extension of the Order of the Brilliant Star, but later became a separate decoration. The rectangular silver medal, bearing the tughra—a finely calligraphed signature of the ruler—was usually awarded to officials in the service of Zanzibar. The medal was worn on a red ribbon.