27 Mar Africa strengthens Rwandan cybersecurity amid threats

A new pan-African cybersecurity initiative has been launched in Rwanda as efforts intensify to strengthen the continent’s resilience against a growing wave of cyber threats.

The International Cybersecurity Community for Africa (ICCA), revealed in Kigali on 20 March 2026, aims to bring together experts, governments and organisations to tackle rising risks through collaboration, training and innovation. The organisation describes itself as a community-driven platform focused on building cyber resilience across all 54 African countries.

The launch comes against a backdrop of increasing cyberattacks, with African organisations reportedly facing an average of 1,848 incidents per week. At the same time, there is a significant shortage of skilled professionals, with fewer than 300,000 cybersecurity specialists across the continent compared with millions of unfilled roles globally.

ICCA has set an ambitious target to help train one million cybersecurity professionals by 2030. It also plans to introduce certification programmes and develop an African Cyber Resilience Index to measure how well countries are prepared to deal with cyber threats.

In its early phase, the initiative is focusing on building a collaborative platform for knowledge-sharing and capacity development. The organisation aims to expand its presence to around 15 countries by 2027, with Rwanda expected to remain a central hub.

At the launch, Marie Grace Niwemukiza of Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation highlighted the government’s support for the project, underlining its importance to national and regional digital security.

ICCA also introduced two practical tools designed to improve readiness. The Umurinzi Cyber Threat Intelligence system monitors the dark web for compromised credentials and alerts affected organisations, while a capture-the-flag training platform simulates cyberattacks to help develop technical skills in controlled environments.

The organisation is currently supported by a small team and a network of industry experts mentoring hundreds of students in Rwanda and internationally. As cyber threats continue to evolve, initiatives such as ICCA are expected to play an increasingly important role in building skills and strengthening defences across the continent.