According to the International Financial Cooperation (IFC), Africa’s internet economy contributes about 180 billion USD to its overall economy by 2025 and rising to 712 billion USD by 2050.

Internet connectivity in Africa is growing exponentially but still behind in terms of ‘internet safety’, otherwise referred to as cybersecurity, cybersecurity skills training, critical infrastructure protection and individual data protection and user-friendly data protection measures.

Cybersecurity is a major concern and focus of discussion at Africa’s first Cybersecurity Summit in Lome, Togo. According to Statista, Africa has an internet penetration rate of just below 50% which means approximately half of its 1.39 billion people connect to the internet and need protecting.

Recent cyber attacks show a wide gap in cybersecurity issues affecting Africa, such as the 10% reduction in GDP in Africa in 2021, worth about 4.12 billion USD, annual cost of 147 million USD to South Africa as of June 2020 related to cybercrime.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a shift in performing daily activities and rendering of socio-economic services by moving them into the digital sphere. This reliance on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to drive society, economy and industry makes it more important than ever to secure cyberspace and build confidence among users. Hence, governments of countries and the industry are working to improve their cyber safety by making ICTs consistently safe and trustworthy for all.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in its overview of the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) shows growing commitment worldwide to tackle and reduce cybersecurity threats, but Africa’s level of commitment to cybersecurity, including response to threats, remains low compared to other continents. Dealing with cybercriminals involves costs, but it also offers opportunities. The African cybersecurity market is continuously growing and estimates suggest it has grown from 1.45 billion USD to over 2.45 billion USD between 2017 and 2020.

Each country’s development undergo assessment based on five strategic pillars of the Union’s Cybersecurity Agenda (GCA) which aggregates an overall score; Legal Measures, Technical Measures, Organisational Measures, Capacity Building and International Corporation.

The GCI showed that 64% of global countries had adopted a national cybersecurity strategy (NCS) of which fourteen are in Africa, while over 70% conducted cybersecurity awareness campaigns.

In Africa, Mauritius ranked the highest of African countries, but 17th on the global ranking, with an overall score of 96.89. Egypt and Ghana rank as the second and third highest in Africa, with overall scores of 90.58 and. 86.69 respectively. Nigeria, in fourth, has an overall score of 84.76 and Kenya, in fifth, has an overall score of 81.7.

Collaborations among African countries with top GCI performers leading the way can strengthen Africa’s action towards a cyber-safe continent and solidify its position in the international digital arena.

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