Africa is taking another major step toward building a safer digital future as the presidents of Nigeria and South Africa have thrown their support behind a new cybersecurity initiative designed to protect businesses, governments and citizens from growing cyber threats.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed their commitment to improving cyber resilience during the unveiling of Mastercard’s Africa Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. The new centre aims to strengthen cybersecurity across the continent, encourage collaboration between countries and institutions, and protect Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.
Speaking at the launch, President Ramaphosa described the initiative as an important milestone in creating a secure and trusted digital environment. He noted that while digital technology continues to transform lives and businesses, it must also be safe and reliable for everyone.
According to him, Mastercard has been a long-standing partner in South Africa’s digital development, and the new Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence will help bring together experts from different sectors to address cyber threats that no single government or organisation can tackle alone.
President Tinubu also welcomed the initiative, saying cybersecurity is essential to Nigeria’s digital transformation plans. He stressed that secure digital systems are necessary to promote economic growth, financial inclusion and public trust as more Nigerians embrace digital services.
Mastercard explained that the centre will use its global cybersecurity knowledge and advanced intelligence tools to help protect one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. The company believes that trust is the foundation of digital progress and that stronger cybersecurity will encourage more people and businesses to participate in the digital economy.
Mastercard Chief Executive Officer, Michael Miebach, said Africa has enormous digital potential but warned that this growth can only continue if people feel confident that their information and transactions are secure. He said stronger cooperation between governments, businesses and technology companies will improve Africa’s ability to respond to cyber threats.
The company revealed that South Africa is currently the most targeted country in Africa for cyberattacks, accounting for about 29 percent of ransomware incidents and 40 percent of phishing attacks across the continent. Nigeria is also among the countries heavily affected by ransomware attacks and illegal activities linked to the dark web.
The Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence will begin operations through a phased rollout starting in 2026. South Africa and Nigeria will be the first countries to benefit before the programme expands to other African nations.
Operating as a pan-African hub, the centre will provide organisations with better access to information on emerging cyber threats. During its first year, Mastercard plans to carry out cybersecurity risk assessments involving up to 50 organisations while also providing an Africa-focused cyber threat intelligence platform.
The initiative will also encourage closer cooperation among Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), business executives and cybersecurity professionals through information sharing, joint training exercises and coordinated responses to cyber incidents.
Mastercard said the centre will focus on three major areas. The first is providing threat intelligence and strategic insights to help organisations identify and understand new cyber risks. The second is encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among security professionals and business leaders. The third focuses on improving readiness by helping organisations monitor risks, strengthen their security systems and prepare for future cyberattacks.
The company added that it has invested more than $12.6 billion in cybersecurity innovation since 2018 and has supported the development of over 20 cybersecurity startups worldwide. Mastercard said the new African initiative reflects its commitment to building a secure, inclusive and sustainable digital economy by working closely with governments, financial institutions, businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises across the continent.
