By Raphael NKOLWOUDOU AFANE, PhD in Law & Legal Ops Officer
Africa is winning the battle of digital transformation, but it risks losing the one for cybersecurity. With a rapidly growing mobile penetration rate, financial innovation revolutionizing banking services, and a dynamic fintech ecosystem, the continent is skipping technological stages at a frantic pace. However, this dazzling success is severely compromised by a silent and omnipresent threat: cybercrime. The recent report Check Point 2025 African Perspectives on Cyber Security delivers a stark assessment: African organizations face an average of more than 3,000 attacks per week, with peaks exceeding 4,200 in Nigeria. Ethiopia, on the other hand, is ranked among the most targeted countries in the world. These numbers do not reflect a mere IT nuisance, but a systemic vulnerability that directly threatens digital sovereignty, economic stability, and investor confidence.
Facing this threat, it is no longer about simple technical adjustments: a deep legal and institutional reform is needed.
1. A Digital Landscape Under Pressure: an Alarming State of Affairs
According to the Check Point 2025 Report, the frequency and intensity of cyberattacks in Africa are no longer anecdotal; they form a permanent risk landscape.
- A Prime Target: The average number of over 3,000 attacks per week per organization places the continent well above global averages. Countries like Nigeria, an economic hub, and Ethiopia, a key geopolitical player, are particularly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. These attacks target all sectors: public administrations, financial institutions, critical infrastructures (energy, water), and businesses of all sizes.
- Direct Economic Consequences: Beyond ransom payments, cyberattacks result in colossal productivity losses, business interruptions, theft of sensitive data, and erosion of client trust. For booming economies, this digital insecurity represents a major obstacle to investment and competitiveness.
- A Threat to Sovereignty: Attacks against government institutions are not just a matter of IT security. They compromise states’ ability to protect their citizens’ data, ensure the continuity of public services, and pursue independent policies. Digital sovereignty, a new geopolitical issue, is directly at stake.
2. Roots of Vulnerability: Beyond Technical Deficits, Legal Framework Flaws
If the threat is so acute, it is because it stems from structural flaws that go beyond the mere lack of security tools.
A Blatant Legislative Deficit: Many African countries lack robust legal frameworks for data protection and cybersecurity. Furthermore, each African state has disparate laws on cybersecurity and data protection, creating exploitable gray areas for cybercriminals.
It is also worth noting that existing laws are often outdated, not covering the realities of cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), or transnational crime. This lack of a clear framework leaves organizations in legal uncertainty and hinders effective prosecution of cybercriminals.
Fragmentation of Efforts at the Continental Level: The African Union adopted the Malabo Convention (2014), but its ratification and implementation remain limited. The Malabo Convention is stuck in a vicious circle: its lack of effectiveness hinders the creation of a secure digital ecosystem, and the challenges to achieving this effectiveness are precisely the same as those that make cybersecurity so vulnerable in Africa: lack of resources, fragmentation of efforts, and legitimate concerns about the balance between security and freedoms. Bringing it into force will require strong political leadership, inclusive dialogue with civil society and the private sector, and significant technical and financial support for the least developed countries.
A Critical Shortage of Skills: The continent suffers from a massive shortage of cybersecurity talents. Specialized training is scarce, and qualified experts are often lured by opportunities abroad or the private sector, leaving administrations and SMEs helpless.
Weak Accountability of Companies: Critical operators (banks, energy, telecoms) are not always subject to strict cybersecurity obligations. In a context of rapid digitization, awareness among end users – whether employees, citizens, or business leaders – has not kept pace. The human factor often remains the weakest link in the security chain.
3. Towards Comprehensive Reform: the Need for a Cybersecurity New Deal
Facing this multidimensional crisis, piecemeal solutions will not suffice. A complete overhaul of the approach is necessary, centered around three pillars.
- Pillar 1: Strengthening Legal Arsenal and Regional Cooperation.
It is imperative that states adopt and modernize their laws on cybersecurity and data protection, drawing inspiration from frameworks like the GDPR while adapting them to local contexts. At the same time, enhanced judicial and police cooperation at the continental level, under the auspices of the African Union, is crucial to track down cybercriminals operating across borders.
- Pillar 2: Strengthening Institutions and Governance.
The establishment of strong National Cybersecurity Authorities (NCAs) with sufficient human and financial resources is a priority. These agencies must have a clear mandate: define the national strategy, coordinate incident response, and serve as a point of contact for citizens and businesses. Regional resource pooling, through the creation of shared monitoring centers, could offer significant economies of scale.
- Pillar 3: Investing in Human Capital and Innovation.
Africa must launch a comprehensive training plan to develop its own cybersecurity talents. This involves integrating specialized modules into university curricula, creating recognized certifications, and supporting bootcamp and continuous training initiatives. Local innovation should also be encouraged by funding African startups specialized in cybersecurity, understanding the specific challenges of the field.
Conclusion: Time for Strategic Choices
The cybersecurity battle in Africa is not a secondary war. It is an essential corollary of digital success. The alarming figures of the Check Point 2025 African Perspectives on Cyber Security report should serve as a catalyst for collective awareness. Governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society must join forces. By making cybersecurity a strategic priority and promptly engaging in the necessary legal and institutional reforms, Africa can not only protect itself but also turn this constraint into an opportunity. Building a trusted digital ecosystem is no longer an option; it is the essential condition to guarantee its sovereignty, secure its economic growth, and assert its role in the global digital landscape. The time is no longer for patches but for foundation building.
The Check Point 2025 African Perspectives on Cyber Security report is a clear warning: Africa has become a prime target for global cybercriminals. Without a strong and coordinated legal response, attacks risk undermining digital growth and compromising investor confidence.
Cybersecurity should no longer be seen as a cost but as a pillar of African economic and digital sovereignty. Legislators now have a historic responsibility: to protect the continent against the next major invisible crisis.
