The World Economic Forum (WEF), has painted a sobering picture of Sub-Sahara Africa’s cyber readiness at a time when artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitical fragmentation and supply chain vulnerabilities are intensifying digital risk.
The glaring cyber risk gap in the region, was revealed in the WEF and Accenture Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 – Regional Analysis: Sub-Saharan Africa, published in February 2026.
While organizations across sub-Saharan Africa are rapidly adopting AI-enabled security tools, the report shows that the region lags significantly behind global averages in resilience, skills capacity and confidence in national response systems.
According to the report, “Cybersecurity risk in 2026 is accelerating, fuelled by advances in AI, deepening geopolitical fragmentation and the complexity of supply chains.” For sub-Saharan Africa, those global pressures are colliding with structural weaknesses.
AI Adoption Surges, But Risk Controls Lag
The report reveals that 76% of organizations in sub-Saharan Africa have already implemented AI-enabled tools to fulfil their cybersecurity objectives, closely mirroring the global average of 77%.
However, enthusiasm for AI adoption is accompanied by mounting risk concerns:
- 87% of organizations believe AI and machine learning will have the greatest impact on cybersecurity in the next 12 months.
- 82% report that AI-related risks have increased.
- 45% cite data leaks linked to generative AI as their most pressing cybersecurity issue, compared to 34% globally.
- Crucially, 45% of organizations lack formal processes to assess the security of AI tools before deployment, far higher than the global average of 29%.
The report notes that despite rapid AI uptake, “62% of organizations cite insufficient skills as a key hurdle, while 56% point to insufficient funds as a major barrier to embracing AI for cybersecurity.” This signals a widening gap between technological ambition and governance maturity.
Cyber Resilience at Its Lowest Across Regions
Sub-Saharan Africa records the lowest cyber resilience levels globally, according to the Outlook:
- Only 8% of organizations rate their cyber resilience as exceeding requirements, compared to 19% globally.
- 32% assess their resilience as insufficient, nearly double the global average of 17%.
- Just 37% express confidence in their country’s ability to respond to a major cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure, while 39% explicitly state they are not confident.
Preparedness challenges are compounded by the region’s exposure to cyber-enabled fraud and phishing. The report states that 84% of respondents reported an increase in cyber-enabled fraud and phishing attacks in the past year, significantly above the global average of 77%.
In ranking top cyber risks, organizations in sub-Saharan Africa identified:
- Cyber-enabled fraud and phishing
- AI vulnerabilities
- Exploitation of software vulnerabilities
The findings underscore a region under digital siege but without proportionate defensive depth.
Geopolitical Volatility Reshaping Security Strategy
Geopolitical fragmentation is no longer an abstract risk. The Outlook shows that 71% of organizations in sub-Saharan Africa have adjusted their cybersecurity strategy due to geopolitical volatility, higher than the global average of 66%.
Furthermore, 61% have incorporated geopolitically motivated cyberattacks into risk mitigation plans. The report also identifies three primary supply chain-related cyber risks in the region:
- External factors such as geopolitical and regulatory uncertainty
- Inheritance risk stemming from third-party software and hardware
- Concentration risk due to heavy reliance on critical suppliers
To mitigate supply chain exposure, 55% of organizations assess supplier security maturity, while 45% share threat intelligence within their ecosystem. However, only 37% map their ecosystem in detail to understand exposure pathways, and just 29% involve security teams in procurement processes.
These gaps suggest systemic exposure to cascading digital disruptions.
The Skills Deficit Threatens Structural Stability
Perhaps the most critical vulnerability identified in the report is the cybersecurity workforce gap. 63% of organizations in sub-Saharan Africa report lacking the workforce skills required to meet current cybersecurity objectives, giving the region the second-widest cybersecurity skills gap globally, behind Latin America and the Caribbean. Only 37% say they currently have the people and skills they need.
The most critical missing roles are:
- Threat intelligence analysts
- DevSecOps engineers
- Identity and access management specialists
Without these competencies, AI tools alone cannot compensate for structural security weaknesses.
A Regional Warning Signal
The World Economic Forum cautions that findings from sub-Saharan Africa should be interpreted carefully due to lower respondent volumes compared to other regions. However, the directional trend is unmistakable. The region is embracing AI-driven security but remains disproportionately exposed to fraud, phishing, AI vulnerabilities and supply chain concentration risks.
Unless investment in skills, funding and governance frameworks accelerates, sub-Saharan Africa risks becoming a soft target in an increasingly weaponized digital economy.
, has painted a sobering picture of Sub-Sahara Africa’s cyber readiness at a time when artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitical fragmentation and supply chain vulnerabilities are intensifying digital risk.){kind=link}