Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Pan-African cybersecurity forum addressing cyber sovereignty, regional cooperation and indigenous solution development
- Targets CISOs, policymakers, government officials and cybersecurity professionals across telecom, finance, government and technology sectors
- Covers capacity building, CERT coordination, digital identity, cloud infrastructure and AI ethics
- Features workshops, conference sessions, hacking competition (Cyberlympics) and exhibition floor
About the Forum
The Africa Cyber Defense Forum (ACDF) 2026 convenes under the theme “Africa’s Cyber Sovereignty: From Vision to Action in a Fragmented World.” The event brings together government officials, industry leaders, technologists and policymakers to address cybersecurity challenges specific to the African continent. The programme includes workshops, a main conference, a gala dinner, a golf event and the Cyberlympics hacking competition.
Core Topics and Challenges
Sessions focus on cybersecurity capacity building and local talent development, with particular attention to reducing reliance on foreign cybersecurity solutions. The forum examines regional cooperation mechanisms, including linking Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) across African nations to improve threat intelligence sharing. Additional topics include investment in cloud infrastructure, digital identity systems and data centre ecosystems, alongside policy frameworks for digital sovereignty and ethical considerations in AI adoption.
Who Should Attend
The forum is designed for CISOs, CIOs, CTOs and IT security executives, as well as policymakers and government officials responsible for national cybersecurity strategy. Cybersecurity researchers, startups, investors and technology vendors will find opportunities through the exhibition floor and startup hub. Students and emerging talent can participate in the Cyberlympics competition and talent programmes. Attendees typically represent telecom, finance, government, academia and technology sectors.
Supporting Organisations
Sponsors and partners include SOC Radar, Enovise, The Shadowserver Foundation, FIRST, Threatseal, DAAKYI, the National Cyber Security Authority (Rwanda), ATU and AFRALTI.