Vulnerability still high despite more investment in Africa cybersecurity

Across Africa, organisations are increasing their investments in infrastructure and systems to curb cybersecurity breaches, with available data showing that in 2024/25, the continent invested an estimated $15.3 billion in cybersecurity.

More recently, Kenya for instance, unveiled a new Sh468 million ($3.6 million) 36-month Kenya Cyber Resilience (KCR) Project backed by the European Union, designed to strengthen the country’s cyber resilience.

These rising investments are taking place against the backdrop of an attendant and relentless growth in cyber threats, attacks and losses. The ITU Global Cybersecurity Index recorded a 22-point average score increase for African countries between 2021 and 2024, halving the gap with the global average, reflecting a continent building capacity at pace.

Banks have built security operations centres. Telecoms have invested in threat monitoring. Regulators have introduced increasingly demanding requirements. Businesses run penetration tests, buy cyber insurance and invest in business continuity.

Artificial intelligence is now accelerating this investment further, letting security teams analyse threats and automate response at unprecedented speed.

More organisations have more cybersecurity technology, specialists and dashboards than at any point in their history. Yet a simple question remains difficult for many executives and boards to answer: why are they still vulnerable?

The answer lies in the depth and breadth of technology integration used to deliver the entire customer value and experience, in both the public and private sectors. And how the leaders are approaching the management of the entire cybersecurity problem.

The reality is that technology is inseparable from creating and delivering value to customers and the general public. For instance, a bank cannot serve customers when digital channels fail. A retailer depends on digital payments.