02 Oct Securing Africa’s future

The GSMA predicts that by 2030, Africa will have 438 million mobile internet users, a cohort of savvy, digital natives, ready to work and do business online.

An average of 2,960 cyberattacks is the baseline number an organisation in Africa is subjected to every week.

Not only is Africa suffering thousands of cyberattacks, but it is also the region with the highest weekly average on earth (1,636 attacks per week).

Cyberattacks are now part and parcel of the business landscape, and Africa is a major target.

Given the sheer scale of the problem, cybersecurity is a fundamental requirement for any business, NGO or government entity trying to operate on the continent.

What makes Africa particularly vulnerable is the continent’s lack of infrastructure and resources due to budget limitations; a lack of awareness of the truly critical nature of the problem; legislative and policy lethargy; and a continuing shortage of trained cybersecurity professionals.

Another vulnerability is the continent’s youthful population. While an enormous asset, having a young population also comes with risks. Already, 70% of Africa’s population is under 30, according to the United Nations and that youth component is only going to grow.

Young people often lack financial resources and become accustomed to compromising their cybersecurity in order to access connectivity – whether through sharing devices, connecting to wi-fi in public places, or using unencrypted connections.

Another risk is that the youth-focused education sector has become the industry suffering the most cyberattacks. This is partly due to the rise in online education since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Frikkie Jonker, the Broadcasting Cybersecurity Anti-Piracy Director at Irdeto (MultiChoice Group subsidiary company) commented that Africa’s Police and court systems are also making steady advances in combating content piracy.

There have been updates to cybercrime legislation in Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, and a total of 107 arrests have been made across Africa this year.