Accra Ghana//- – e-Crime Bureau, an ISO/IEC 27001-certified cybersecurity consulting firm, and the Smart Africa Secretariat, a continental digital alliance body, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday, November 2, 2026, to collaborate on expanding and supporting the development of cybersecurity in Africa.
The agreement was signed in Accra, Ghana, on the sidelines of the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) 2026.
Under the MoU, the parties will collaborate to support cybersecurity innovation and strengthen cybersecurity capacity development across Africa. The partnership comes at a time when Smart Africa is prioritising cybersecurity through a coordinated approach, reflected in initiatives such as the development of the Continental Cybersecurity Blueprint in 2023 and the establishment of the African Network of Cybersecurity Authorities (ANCA) as a consultative body on cybersecurity development across the continent.
In line with this strategic focus, the MoU identifies three core areas of collaboration: people, process and technology. On people, the partners will collaborate to build Africa’s cybersecurity workforce and skills and foster collaboration between the private sector, government and the international community.
On processes, they will work closely to strengthen governance, risk management including the protection of critical information infrastructure, and legal and policy harmonisation across the continent. On technologies, they will collaborate to develop and deploy technologies and solutions to protect Africa’s digital ecosystem.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO, Smart Africa, said: “Africa’s digital transformation can only be as strong as the systems that protect it. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that requires stronger cooperation, coordinated action and sustained investment in our people and institutions.
Through our collaboration with e-Crime Bureau, we aim to strengthen cybersecurity expertise, enhance institutional coordination and advance the protection of critical digital infrastructure across the continent. This partnership reflects our commitment to building a more secure, resilient and trusted digital future for Africa.” He ended by reaffirming Smart Africa’s commitment to working collaboratively with the Bureau to implement and realise the objectives of the MoU.
The partnership follows the Bureau’s restructuring into a global cybersecurity consulting firm, anchored by hubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The restructuring followed the Board of Directors’ approval of the firm’s Transition & Growth Strategy in 2026, which builds on the Bureau’s 15 years of experience to serve clients across a wider range of international markets, primarily in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The Europe hub, based in Como, Italy, focuses on standards, certifications, regulatory best practices, research, innovation and technology partnerships, and coordinates engagements with development partners. The Middle East hub leads business development and service delivery. The Africa hub, based in Accra, Ghana, focuses on talent and skills development to support the firm’s global market operations.
Commenting on this development, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Executive Chairman of e-Crime Bureau, indicated that “Our expansion, and our partnership with Smart Africa, mark a new era for the Bureau. With global hubs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, we serve as a bridge that connects expertise, talent, experience, insights and technology, providing our clients with the full strength of the firm, regardless of where they operate.
Together with Smart Africa and its partners, we will drive cybersecurity development across Africa, building the skills, infrastructure and resilience the region needs to thrive in a digital economy.”
This partnership brings together the work of the Smart Africa Secretariat in the area of cybersecurity and the expertise of the e-Crime Bureau in pursuit of a shared aim: to advance cybersecurity innovation and capability development across Africa.
