CYBER CRIME & CYBER SECURITY TRENDS IN AFRICA 5 FOREWORD November 2016 Africa is growing quickly in terms of population, the economy, and global influence. Today, Africa is home to 1.21 billion people (up from just 800 million in 2000), with a median age of just 19.5 years, the youngest population in the world.1 With this prominence of youth comes a diverse population that is looking for productive employment, social engagement, free expression, and increased global connectivity. Technology adoption continues to rise in Africa, with mobile smart device ownership growing exponentially, social media use increasing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming a reality. Even the most conservative metrics show that Africa is poised to make great gains and help fuel global growth into the future. With this growing prosperity and digitization however comes new risks and vulnerabilities that could undermine progress. In order for Africa to realize its full potential and to reap the full dividend from the development of the digital economy, the most important driver today for innovation, competiveness and growth, policymakers will need to implement effective policies and awareness initiatives to stem the rising tide of cyber threats. These same policymakers, technicians, and other experts have long noted the lack of detailed and reliable threat information regarding cyber crime threats in the region. Such information is invaluable in assessing and managing cyber risks by providing governments a more complete and nuanced understanding of how criminals and other actors are targeting and exploiting cyber-related vulnerabilities in African Countries. As such, the African Union Commission (AUC) , and Symantec are pleased to partner together in developing this report, Cyber Crime & Cyber Security Trends in Africa to help provide insight into the African cyber eco-system as well as provide specific cyber threat information. This opportunity for the AUC and Symantec to partner came about through the extraordinary efforts of the Global Forum for Cyber Expertise (GFCE), a global platform for countries, international organizations and private companies to exchange best practices and expertise on cyber capacity 1 http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/africa-population/ building. The aim is to identify successful policies, practices and ideas and multiply these on a global level. Together with partners from NGOs, the tech community and academia, GFCE members develop practical initiatives to build cyber capacity. In addition to the AUC and Symantec this report represents a multi-stakeholder effort, with support from the United States Department of State and contributions from the Organization of American States and the Council of Europe. The report also provides a truly comprehensive landscape of cyber security in Africa with information submitted by 32 countries in Africa. Together, the information provides one of the clearest pictures to date of where the African continent stands with regard to cyber security. We acknowledge that this is only a snapshot in time and that the cyber security landscape is evolving quickly. Our hope is that this report will serve as a baseline for which to identify areas in need of improvement and also to recognize many of the great strides African governments have made on cyber security in recent years. Above all, we hope that this information will be of assistance in guiding and strengthening all of our efforts going forward, particularly as we pursue future multi-stakeholder engagements to help build a safe, secure and stable digital world. Sincerely, Moctar Yedaly Head of Information Society Division African Union Commission Sincerely, Bill Wright Director, Government Affairs Symantec