Cybersecurity in Africa: Rankings and Insights from the 2024 Global Index

As digital transformation continues to reshape economies worldwide, Africa finds itself in a pivotal position.

The continent’s growing adoption of digital technologies across industries has unlocked great opportunities for growth and development.

Yet, this digital revolution has also brought with it heightened risks and exposure, chief among them being cybercrime and breaches, underscoring the pressing need for robust cybersecurity measures to be put in place to protect investments and the welfare of the people.

The continent’s digital ecosystem is projected to reach an estimated value of $712 billion by 2050 but on the other side of this growth is an increased exposure to sophisticated cybersecurity attacks.

Against this backdrop, the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024, released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), serves as a critical benchmark for assessing how prepared nations are to defend against cyber threats and attacks.

The GCI sheds light on Africa’s cybersecurity progress, highlighting standout performances while revealing areas where improvements are still needed.

In this report, we examine the continent’s position, showcasing leading nations, identifying gaps, and offering a comprehensive look at the continent’s growing cybersecurity landscape.

Overview of the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024

The GCI 2024 builds on previous editions, offering a more granular assessment of global cybersecurity efforts.

This iteration introduces a refined five-tier system, allowing for a more detailed understanding of each country’s cybersecurity commitments.

Rather than evaluating countries on a broad scale, the GCI now divides cybersecurity performance into five distinct pillars:

• Legal frameworks
• Technical capabilities
• Organizational measures
• Capacity development
• International cooperation

This structure provides a nuanced view of national preparedness, allowing for a clearer picture of where nations excel and where gaps remain.

New Five-Tier System

A significant innovation in the GCI 2024 is its five-tier system, which categorises countries based on the maturity of their cybersecurity strategies.

• Tier 1 (Role-Modelling): Countries demonstrating comprehensive, high-level commitments across all five pillars of cybersecurity.

• Tier 2 (Advancing): Countries making substantial progress but with room to strengthen specific areas.

• Tier 3 (Establishing): Countries expanding their digital services but yet to fully integrate cybersecurity measures

• Tier 4 (Evolving): Countries in the early phases of establishing meaningful cybersecurity commitments.

• Tier 5 (Building): Countries at the foundational stages of cybersecurity development.

Global Trends and Improvements

The GCI 2024 highlights significant progress in global cybersecurity efforts since the 2021 index:

• 132 countries have implemented National Cybersecurity Strategies, a notable increase from 107 in 2021.

• 46 countries have reached Tier 1, showcasing robust commitments across all pillars of cybersecurity.

• Legal frameworks remain the most developed pillar worldwide, with 177 countries having at least one regulation covering data protection, privacy, or breach notification.

• 139 countries now have active Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRTs), up from 109 in 2021.

However, persistent challenges remain particularly the “cybercapacity gap,” which reflects widespread shortages in skills, staffing, equipment, and funding across many regions. This underscores the need for continued investment and strategic focus.

Africa’s Performance in GCI 2024

Africa has made substantial strides in cybersecurity since the 2021 index, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for stronger digital security measures.

Distribution Across Tiers

African nations are represented across all tiers of the GCI 2024:

1. Tier 1 (Role-Modelling): 7 countries
2. Tier 2 (Advancing): 4 countries
3. Tier 3 (Establishing) and Tier 4 (Evolving): 39 countries
4. Tier 5 (Building): 4 countries

Top Performing African Countries

Tier 1 Countries (Role Models)

Seven African nations have achieved the prestigious Tier 1 status, showcasing exemplary commitment to cybersecurity and serving as benchmarks to the global community.

1. Mauritius (Score: 100.00)
2. Egypt (Score: 100.00)
3. Ghana (Score: 99.27)
4. Tanzania (Score: 99.26)
5. Kenya (Score: 98.59)
6. Rwanda (Score: 98.08)
7. Morocco (Score: 97.50)

Tier 2 Countries (Advancing)

Four African countries have been placed in Tier 2, reflecting significant progress in their cybersecurity infrastructure, though there are still areas to refine.

1. Zambia (Score: 92.59)
2. Benin (Score: 91.54)
3. Togo (Score: 88.80)
4. South Africa (Score: 86.25)

Other Notable Performances

While not in the top tiers, several other African countries have shown commendable progress:

• Nigeria (Tier 3, Score: 82.40): Ranked 13th in Africa, Nigeria has solid legal and technical frameworks in place, though it needs to strengthen capacity building and international cooperation.
• Uganda (Score: 82.94) and Tunisia (Score: 82.00) have also made considerable improvements since the previous index.

Areas of Strength

African countries have demonstrated particular strengths in several key areas:

• Legal Measures: Many nations have implemented comprehensive cybersecurity legislation to safeguard their digital infrastructures.

• Technical Capabilities: The establishment of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and cybercrime reporting systems has significantly enhanced the region’s technical response to cyber threats.

• Organizational Structures: Many African countries have developed national cybersecurity strategies and established dedicated cybersecurity authorities to oversee and coordinate efforts.

Areas for Improvement

Despite the progress, there are areas where many African countries need to focus on, including but not limited to:

• Capacity Development.

• Continental and International Cooperation

• Resource Allocation

For Africa to maintain and improve its cybersecurity posture, continued investment in both capacity development and infrastructure is crucial.

This entails expanding efforts like the establishment of national and regional Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and strengthening the continent’s overall threat intelligence capabilities.

Furthermore, implementing robust cybersecurity technologies across critical sectors will be key to protecting Africa’s growing digital infrastructure.

Professor Bourdillon Omijeh, Director of the Centre for Information and Telecommunications Engineering (CITE) at the University of Port Harcourt and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Professorial Chair on ICT and Telecommunications, highlighted the need for human capacity development in an interview with Web Security Lab.

“Human capacity development is critical,” he stressed. “We are blessed with a lot of talent, especially among the youth. What we need is to focus on building this talent to strengthen our cybersecurity posture.”

Additionally, strengthening pan-African cybersecurity cooperation will be vital.

Discussions about establishing an African Cybersecurity Union or a similar organisation have gained momentum among experts.

“It would be one of the best things to happen to us in Africa,” Professor Omijeh said, noting that “organisations are losing a lot of money to cyberattacks. This union would help us present a unified front against cyber threats, enabling African countries to share resources, expertise, and intelligence to combat cyberattacks.”

As cyber threats become increasingly transnational, a dedicated regional or continental cybersecurity body would help in developing comprehensive and standardised cybercrime legislation across Africa.

Such an initiative would harmonise legal and regulatory frameworks, enhancing cooperation and information sharing among law enforcement agencies, and streamlining the investigation and prosecution of cross-border cybercrimes.

The harmonisation of laws and regulations would not only align African countries with international cybersecurity standards but also offer greater protection for digital rights and privacy.

Additionally, it would simplify compliance for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions, making it easier for them to navigate the complexities of the digital economy while ensuring robust security measures are in place.

However, alongside these efforts, collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as academia, will be indispensable in addressing Africa’s cybersecurity challenges.

Professor Omijeh, believes that “most of the solutions we need to develop should be Triple Helix-based.”

He emphasises that “there should be a synergy between the public and private sectors, alongside academia, government, and industry. Together, they can create innovative solutions.”

Without this collaboration, he warns, it will be difficult to fully tackle the multifaceted nature of cybercrime.

Omijeh further stresses the importance of funding in driving these initiatives forward.“Developing solutions and raising manpower to combat cyber threats requires resources. This is why the marriage between the public and private sectors is so essential. Without proper funding and collaboration, progress will remain limited.”

He points out that this partnership is not just about finances but about shared expertise and responsibilities. “We need defined problems, cases, and solutions. And to do this effectively, collaboration is a must.”

The progress highlighted in the GCI 2024 provides a solid foundation to build on, but sustained effort, investment, and innovation will be essential to securing Africa’s digital future.

Through collective action and collaboration, Africa has the potential to build a resilient, secure, and thriving digital ecosystem