Ethiopia is preparing to host a significant international conference on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence next week, aimed at bolstering Africa’s cyber resilience and promoting secure AI adoption amid rapid digital growth. The event, scheduled for June 24-25, is organized by the Ethiopian Cybersecurity Association and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Berhane Beyene, president of the Ethiopian Cybersecurity Association, emphasized that the conference will focus on enhancing Africa’s cyber resilience, protecting data sovereignty, and encouraging secure AI practices. Attendees will include representatives from government institutions, regulatory bodies, banks, telecommunications providers, utilities, universities, national security agencies, ICT ministries, AI researchers, and critical infrastructure operators. The conference comes at a time when African nations are facing an increasing number of cyber threats, with organizations experiencing over 3,000 cyberattacks per organization per week, the highest globally. In Ethiopia alone, 27,773 cyberattacks were recorded against national digital infrastructure in the first half of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, a significant increase from fewer than 100 attacks annually two decades ago. Authorities caution that traditional security models are inadequate as organizations adopt cloud and AI technologies. Africa’s rapid digital transformation is outpacing its legal and governance frameworks, making the continent susceptible to cross-border cybercrime. Data sovereignty is a growing concern, with African leaders advocating for keeping the continent’s data under African control. The African Union’s Peace and Security Council addressed AI governance for the first time in April 2026, and the Pan-African Parliament plans to develop a model law on cybersecurity and AI. Ethiopia is at the forefront of these efforts, having completed its Digital Transformation Strategy 2025 and launched Digital Ethiopia 2030. A new cybersecurity law was ratified on June 9, governing critical infrastructure sectors such as telecommunications, energy, finance, and transport. The legislation establishes a cybersecurity fund and a licensing framework for private security providers, and Ethiopian authorities have adopted a “Security by Design” approach, integrating cybersecurity considerations with technological implementation.
Is Ethiopia set to lead Africa’s fight against cyber threats and AI challenges?
