Cybersecurity is set to be deemed a critical national concern in Africa, according to Franck Kié's assertions.
The Cyber Africa Forum (CAF), a significant continental summit dedicated to cybersecurity, digital governance, and digital transformation in Africa, is rapidly gaining prominence. Established in 2020 by Franck Kié, the founder of Ciberobs and Make Africa Safe, the forum has become one of Africa’s most influential gatherings on these issues.
Since its inception, CAF has grown in prominence and scale, now attracting thousands of participants annually, including government officials, business leaders, security experts, investors, startups, and civil society representatives from over 50 countries.
The forum, which emphasises structuring a strategic dialogue around African digital sovereignty and promoting actionable solutions to challenges in cyberspace, is now in its 5th edition. The 2025 forum, held in Cotonou, Benin, from June 24–25, marked an important milestone in both geographical reach and political recognition of the event.
The CAF aims to bring together the public, private, and institutional stakeholders involved in Africa’s digital ecosystem to collaborate on cybersecurity and digital transformation issues. The 2025 forum's theme was “Resilience of Digital Ecosystems: The Necessity of Changing Paradigm,” focusing on sovereign cybersecurity, public-private partnerships, responsible artificial intelligence, data protection, government digitization, technology for environmental sustainability, and the development of African digital talent.
The event enables high-level strategic dialogue to promote concrete solutions addressing the continent’s growing cybersecurity challenges. CAF has become a key platform for enabling collaboration and knowledge exchange essential for Africa's digital sovereignty and security.
The increasing government engagement, as evidenced by the rising attendance of officials, signifies cybersecurity's elevation to a national and continental priority. By hosting it in Benin, a country working to boost its digital economy and investor appeal, CAF also highlights emerging regional hubs of innovation and cybersecurity leadership on the continent.
As cybercrime grows at a rapid pace in Africa, with banks and telcos being easy targets for fraud and cyberattacks, the Cyber Africa Forum serves as Africa’s premier platform for advancing cybersecurity awareness, policy, and collaboration. It fosters resilience in the continent’s digital ecosystem and positions cybersecurity as a cornerstone of national and regional development strategies.
In addition, staff awareness is crucial in preventing cyberattacks, and institutions need to invest in internal cybersecurity culture. The Moonshot event by our website will take place in Lagos on October 15-16, featuring top African founders, creatives, and tech leaders. Early bird tickets are available with a 20% discount.
- Startups in the fintech sector are increasingly showcasing their innovation at the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF), further elevating the event's status as a hub for digital transformation in Africa.
- The Cyber Africa Forum's emphasis on cybersecurity, a critical component of Africa's digital transformation, is especially relevant in the wake of the rapid growth of mobile technology and its associated risks.
- As the Cyber Africa Forum underscores, the development of responsible artificial intelligence and Data Protection are key to maintaining cybersecurity, a crucial part of Africa's digital transformation.
- The Cyber Africa Forum's 2025 theme, "Resilience of Digital Ecosystems: The Necessity of Changing Paradigm," highlights the importance of technology for environmental sustainability in the ongoing digital transformation of Africa.
