Digital sovereignty, critical infrastructure, artificial intelligence, regional cooperation, inclusive innovation: the 2025 edition of CAF aims to chart the course for an African model of digital resilience. On June 24 and 25, Cotonou will host the fifth Cyber Africa Forum, which in just a few years has become one of the major pan‑African gatherings on cybersecurity and digital transformation. Under the theme “Resilience of Digital Ecosystems: The Necessity of Changing Paradigm,” the forum marks a strategic turning point—backed by Beninese authorities and high-level partners.
Two days of High-Level discussions, solutions, and concrete Initiatives
At a time when digital threats are on the rise and African countries are striving to secure their strategic autonomy in cyberspace, this edition of the CAF will highlight the urgent need to embed resilience as a key driver of development and sovereignty. Over 1,000 participants are expected in Cotonou, including three African ministers responsible for digital affairs, such as Ms. Aurélie Adam Soule Zoumarou, Minister of Digital and Digitization of Benin, and Mr. Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Minister of Digital Transition and Digitization of Côte d’Ivoire.
More than thirty high-level executives, a dozen startups from across the continent, and numerous experts, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), and representatives of international organizations will also be in attendance.
CAF 2025 will open on June 24 with a series of high-level exchanges, including keynotes by Smart Africa and VISA, and the launch of a much-anticipated strategic report on digital vulnerabilities by ASIN. This first day will also feature several side events hosted by Kaspersky and the National Center for Digital Investigations (CNIN), a government entity created by Benin to combat cybercrime. Highlights will include an interministerial session on cybersecurity and a roundtable on a critical issue: the protection of critical infrastructure. The day will also feature a debate on Africa’s educational systems and their readiness for digital transformation, and a strategic session on artificial intelligence, questioned as a potential driver—or divider—for African economies.
On June 25, the forum will begin with a session on digital investment and a special presentation of the “Police Secours” public safety initiative. It will then spotlight the African entrepreneurial ecosystem, with startup pitches from the Cyber Incub program and contributions from Deloitte and VISA. The afternoon will address regional cooperation, the cultural dimensions of digital, and the strategic positioning of African CIOs and CISOs (CAF CISO Session). The forum will close with key discussions on future-defining issues such as Smart City models and financing strategies for Africa’s tech champions.
The awarding of the HackerLab Prize—recognizing the cybersecurity talents of young African innovators—will be another key moment of the event.
Strategic panels and high-level speakers
The CAF panels promise to be particularly rich and impactful. The panel dedicated to reviewing a decade of digital innovation in Africa will bring together prominent African government officials such as Aurélie Adam Soulé Zoumarou, Minister of Digital Affairs of Benin; Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Minister of Digital Transition of Côte d’Ivoire; Léon Juste Ibombo, Minister of Telecommunications of the Republic of Congo; Vincent Floreani, Country Manager at the IFC; and Mohamed Dembele, Managing Partner at Cybastion.
Another major highlight will be the panel on digital investment in Africa, featuring Charles Kié, CEO of Genesis Group; Ghislaine Samaké, Managing Director of Ecobank Guinea-Bissau; Stanislas Zézé-Bayard, President of Bloomfield Investment Corporation; Uche Ofodile, CEO of MTN Benin; Marc Wabi of Adenka Consulting; and Ramatoulaye Goudiaby of Sicauris Consulting.
Other sessions will explore topics such as super apps, technological capacity in times of disruption, and female-driven innovation through the Cyber Africa Women session.
A prestigious network of partners committed to Africa’s digital future
CAF 2025 is backed by a robust and diverse network of partners, underscoring its continental scale and appeal to both major institutions and private sector players. On the public side, the Forum enjoys the active support of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Digitalization of Benin, the Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization of Côte d’Ivoire, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Cotonou, the pan-African initiative Smart Africa, the IFC (World Bank Group), and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. The “Abidjanaises in Tech” network also joins this edition to reinforce the presence of women in the tech industry.
Among private sector partners, several major international and pan-African companies are involved, including VISA, MTN, Google, Kaspersky, Schneider Electric, EDF, Dataprotect, and Cybastion. Their involvement highlights the strategic relevance of CAF as a premier platform for public-private dialogue and cooperation on the key digital challenges shaping the African continent.
Cotonou, Africa’s digital capital
The 2025 edition of the CAF also marks a strong territorial anchoring. By choosing Cotonou, the Forum aims to spotlight Benin’s exemplary progress in digitalization, data governance, and technological inclusion over the past several years. By bringing together numerous public and private decision-makers, the Cyber Africa Forum stands out as a leading platform for advancing digital transformation and strengthening cybersecurity across Africa.
With just one week to go before its opening, the eyes of the continent are now firmly set on Cotonou—where the tangible future of a resilient and ambitious digital Africa is taking shape.
