As Africa's digital transformation accelerates, cybersecurity has become a critical concern. Essential services, from critical infrastructure and public administration to financial and healthcare systems, face increasingly sophisticated threats. In response, African governments are forging partnerships to bolster their digital sovereignty and drive innovation.

Cybastion, a U.S.-based technology firm, has emerged as a key player in this space, recently securing major agreements with countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Liberia.

In this interview, Ecofin Agency speaks with Dr. Thierry Wandji, Cybastion's CEO, to discuss the company’s recent activities and delve into the core principles of a successful digital transformation. He also shares his insights on how African nations are adapting to the evolving landscape of cyber threats

Ecofin Agency (EA): From a private-sector perspective, what are the key pillars of a successful digital transformation?

Thierry Wandji (TW): Digital transformation is a powerful engine for economic competitiveness, job creation, and resilience. A secure, inclusive, and innovative digital ecosystem is the foundation for sustainable and equitable growth across the African continent. I believe that a successful digital transformation rests on four essential pillars: digital solutions, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and skills development. These are the very foundations of our Digital Fast Track program, an accelerated roadmap for boosting Africa's digital transformation.

A secure, inclusive, and innovative digital ecosystem is the foundation for sustainable and equitable growth across the African continent.

EA: A growing number of African governments are implementing digital transformation strategies and partnering with foreign companies like yours. What are the most important ingredients for a sustainable and effective public-private partnership in this field?

TW: Establishing strong public-private partnerships is essential for a country to achieve its digital ambitions. At Cybastion, we collaborate with African states to build national digital ecosystems that blend international expertise with local expertise.

We start by aligning with a country’s national digital transformation strategy. Our approach combines a comprehensive digital development strategy for Africa with local implementation by national teams. In other words, Cybastion designs digital ecosystems that can be maintained and expanded locally.

We bring advanced technologies from U.S. companies and continuously monitor market trends to identify advanced solutions that meet our clients' needs. A core component of our Digital Fast Track Program is a sovereign data center, which creates a robust digital infrastructure capable of supporting a range of innovative e-services. This improves the quality of public services, boosts citizen satisfaction, and unlocks new economic opportunities.

Governments and stakeholders are now prioritizing the protection of their digital infrastructure and implementing long-term cybersecurity strategies.

EA: You recently signed an agreement with Cisco to train young people and women in Côte d’Ivoire by 2030, and a similar program is expected in Gabon. What is the status of these initiatives, and what concrete impact do you expect?

TW: The African continent is undergoing rapid digital transformation, but most countries face a shortage of local talent with the digital skills needed to support and accelerate this sector.

To address this demand, Cybastion and Cisco, in partnership with African governments, launched Africa DigiEmpower, an ambitious training program for hundreds of thousands of young people and women across Africa.

The program was officially launched in Côte d’Ivoire last December to train 200,000 young people and women by 2030. Since the first cohort in March, more than 10,000 people have already been trained. We are now expanding Africa DigiEmpower to Gabon, Burkina Faso, Benin, Angola, and other countries where we operate.

With Africa DigiEmpower, we are creating pathways to careers in the technology sector and helping to shape the continent's digital future. More broadly, all of our services and solutions deployed in Africa are designed to expand digital access and protect critical infrastructure.

EA: Earlier, you mentioned cybersecurity as a pillar of successful digital transformation. Since you began operating on the continent, what changes have you observed in how African stakeholders are approaching cybersecurity?

TW: While several African countries are entering the digital era, most are still vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches, and other digital threats. These increasingly frequent attacks threaten essential systems such as healthcare, finance, and public administration.

That's why I've said that cybersecurity is an essential foundation for any digital growth. However, governments and stakeholders are now prioritizing the protection of their digital infrastructure and implementing long-term cybersecurity strategies.

We're also seeing a better understanding of the need for local solutions and capacity building. Several states are now investing in the creation of national cybersecurity agencies, adopting legislative frameworks, and partnering with companies like Cybastion to deploy solutions tailored to critical infrastructure. Thanks to our solutions, African governments can now anticipate, prevent, detect, and respond to potential threats, which allows them to strengthen their cyber resilience.

Interview in French by Louis-Nino Kansoun,

Adapted in English by Mouka Mezonlin