• Kenya recorded about 2.54 billion cyber threat incidents in a single quarter of 2025
• Nigerian organisations faced around 4,700 attempted attacks per week, indicating high risk exposure
• Resilio Africa to support 200 institutions with tailored cybersecurity plans targeting hospitals, schools, media outlets, helplines and police services

A new Pan-African cybersecurity initiative, Resilio Africa, was officially launched in Lagos, Nigeria on 10 February 2025. Backed by Google and the CyberSafe Foundation, the programme aims to bolster digital defences for critical community institutions in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, addressing growing vulnerabilities that threaten both public services and economic activity. In its initial phase, Resilio Africa will provide 200 institutions — including hospitals, schools, media outlets, crisis helplines and police services — with tools, skills and guidance to strengthen internal controls and improve data protection.

The scale of cyber risk confronting African institutions is stark. According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, the country recorded about 2.54 billion cyber threat incidents between January and March 2025, a more than 200 percent increase from the previous quarter, encompassing malware, vulnerabilities and other exploit types targeting networks and critical systems. In Nigeria, where comprehensive national data remain limited, cybersecurity firm Check Point Research reported that organisations faced an average of approximately 4,700 attempted attacks per week in early 2026, while other monitoring sources logged millions of blocked intrusion incidents across segments of 2025.

A practical, institution-specific approach

Officials behind the initiative say it is structured around practical, tailored improvements rather than generic solutions. The programme begins with a comprehensive security health check for each participating organisation, followed by a 6-to-12-month enhancement plan focused on internal controls, incident response capabilities, data protection practices and secure system configuration.

At the Lagos launch, Confidence Staveley, Executive Director of the CyberSafe Foundation, emphasised both the threat landscape and the investment gap that undermines organisational readiness. "This work is free to the organisations we serve, but it is not free to deliver," she said, underscoring the need for sustainable funding to expand coverage beyond the initial 200 institutions and into underserved Francophone African nations. She also clarified that Resilio Africa will not collect or own user data from participating organisations, with its focus strictly on strengthening defensive capacity and resilience.

Success Tawo, Program Lead at the CyberSafe Foundation and Project Manager of Resilio Africa, described the mission as collaborative. "Resilio Africa is a project dear to my heart, and soon, it will be dear to yours. This mission is not about building an island alone, but about building together," she said. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, she added that small and mid-sized institutions are naturally vulnerable given limited teams, budgets and tools. "Our goal is ambitious — to protect over two million Nigerians and more than 50 million records. We start with Nigeria and Kenya, and we scale together."

Participating organisations are expected to gain access to threat intelligence updates, emergency incident support and digital resilience training. Organisers hope the initial phase will demonstrate measurable improvements in security practices and attract additional funding to expand coverage across the continent.

Cynthia Ebot Takang