Cybersecurity has risen to become a national concern as threats are taken now more seriously. Africa has been among the fastest growing regions in terms of cybercrime activities to the extent that the continent is considered as a source of significant cyberattacks targeting the rest of the world.
According to the British consulting firm Ovum, a billion people in Africa will have Internet access by 2022. Analyzing the trend of cybercrimes across countries back in 2013, analysts have suggested 10–15% Internet penetration as the threshold level for the generation of significant hacking activities. Today, internet penetration rates in many African economies have already reached this level. Bulent Teksoz of Symantec Middle East noted, “Cybercrime is shifting towards the emerging economies. This is where the cyber criminals believe the low-hanging fruit is”. Unsurprisingly, many African economies have become important sources as well as victims of cyber-threats.
Attacks range from simple email scams to large-scale theft of customer data using malware, ransom attacks and disinformation or fake news. These can have wide-ranging effects, including financial losses, reputational damage, and disruption of business and government operations. Moreover, Africa is witnessing the emergence of cyber criminal gangs…
