Cyber Security & Infrastructure Forum

Our Programmes Connect. Collaborate. Create Impact. The Strategic Domains Council governments, organisations, institutions, professionals and development partners to engage with us across multiple pathways. Together we can strengthen governance, build capacity and deliver sustainable solutions for Africa’s strategic future Cyber Security & Infrastructure Forum Addressing Emergent Digital Threats, Resilience Strategies, and Critical Asset Protection Across Continental Infrastructure NetworksAs African nations rapidly digitize financial systems, power grids, telecommunications networks, healthcare databases, and government services, the attack surface for malicious cyber activity has expanded exponentially. Modern critical national infrastructure is increasingly dependent on interconnected digital architectures, exposing essential services to sophisticated threats such as ransomware incursions, state-sponsored cyber espionage, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) campaigns, and operational technology sabotage. Securing these vital assets requires moving beyond isolated perimeter defense to establish coordinated regional security mechanisms, robust statutory frameworks, and real-time threat intelligence sharing across borders.The Cyber Security & Critical Infrastructure Forum serves as a strategic continental platform bringing together directors of national cybersecurity agencies, military cyber commands, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), telecommunication executives, financial technology regulators, and international defense strategists. The forum focuses on building sovereign digital resilience, operationalizing regional incident response protocols, and instituting multi-stakeholder governance frameworks capable of protecting Africa’s digital backbone against emerging threats.Key Deliberation PillarsCritical National Infrastructure (CNI) Protection Industrial Control Systems & SCADA Security: Securing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, operational technology (OT), and industrial management systems across power plants, water distribution networks, oil pipelines, and transport corridors. Zero-Trust Framework Deployment: Implementing zero-trust architectural models, continuous identity verification, and strict network micro-segmentation across national data repositories and digital public infrastructure. Cyber Resilience & Fail-Safe Recovery: Formulating comprehensive business continuity plans, automated backup protocols, and emergency recovery operational systems to ensure service continuity during major cyber incursions or system compromises. Cross-Border Threat Intelligence Sharing Interconnected CERT & CSIRT Networks: Linking national and sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) across African sub-regions to enable synchronized threat mitigation. Real-Time Threat Exchange Platforms: Establishing automated, secure information-sharing protocols to exchange indicators of compromise (IoCs), emerging vector analyses, and zero-day vulnerability reports across borders without delay. Joint Cyber Defense Exercises: Organizing multi-national cyber warfare simulations and collaborative incident response drills to refine operational coordination during large-scale continental cyber events. Cyber Diplomacy & Legislative Frameworks Legal Alignment & Legislation: Harmonizing national cybercrime legislation, data protection mandates, and privacy enforcement mechanisms in alignment with the Malabo Convention and global legal benchmarks. Sovereign Digital Governance & Norms: Formulating unified African policies for international cyber diplomacy, advocating for responsible state behavior in cyberspace, and establishing defensive sovereignty over digital infrastructure. Workforce Development & Talent Retention: Investing in specialized cyber skills academies, institutional training initiatives, and professional certification pathways to address the critical shortage of cybersecurity expertise across the continent.