Welcome to your course on Online Fraud Management in the Digital Age!
Cybercrime cost the global economy over USD 8 trillion in 2023, and Africa is no exception: mobile money fraud, phishing campaigns, and ransomware attacks are rising sharply as digital adoption accelerates across the continent. This course equips policymakers, regulators, and public sector leaders with the practical knowledge to detect, prevent, and respond to online fraud in their own contexts.
Across four focused modules you will explore the landscape of online fraud - its techniques, consequences, and warning signs - then move into cybersecurity and data protection practices, structured risk assessment and management, and the detection technologies, education strategies, and legal frameworks that complete a comprehensive fraud response. The course closes with a wrap-up scenario that asks you to design a national fraud prevention action plan.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify the main categories of online fraud, social engineering tactics, and malware threats relevant to the African digital context.
- Apply cybersecurity best practices - strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, encryption, and secure communication - to reduce exposure to fraud.
- Analyse and implement a five-step fraud risk assessment and management process within a public institution or financial organisation.
- Evaluate detection technologies, education and awareness strategies, and the legal and regulatory frameworks required for an effective national fraud response.
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for government officials, regulators, ministry ICT staff, financial sector supervisors, and public sector managers across Africa. It is especially relevant for individuals who are:
- Responsible for cybersecurity policy, consumer protection, or digital financial services oversight.
- Developing national or institutional fraud prevention frameworks and response protocols.
- Seeking to align fraud management practices with continental instruments such as the Malabo Convention and national data protection legislation.
Bienvenue dans votre cours sur la gestion de la fraude en ligne à l'ère numérique !
La cybercriminalité a coûté à l'économie mondiale plus de 8 000 milliards USD en 2023, et l'Afrique ne fait pas exception : la fraude sur la monnaie mobile, les campagnes de hameçonnage et les attaques par rançongiciel progressent rapidement à mesure que l'adoption numérique s'accélère sur le continent. Ce cours outille les décideurs, les régulateurs et les responsables du secteur public avec les connaissances pratiques pour détecter, prévenir et répondre à la fraude en ligne dans leur propre contexte.
À travers quatre modules ciblés, vous explorerez le paysage de la fraude en ligne - ses techniques, ses conséquences et ses signaux d'alerte - puis vous aborderez les pratiques de cybersécurité et de protection des données, l'évaluation et la gestion structurées des risques, et les technologies de détection, stratégies d'éducation et cadres juridiques qui complètent une réponse globale à la fraude.
Résultats d'apprentissage
À la fin de ce cours, vous serez capable de :
- Identifier les principales catégories de fraude en ligne, les tactiques d'ingénierie sociale et les menaces de logiciels malveillants pertinentes dans le contexte numérique africain.
- Appliquer les meilleures pratiques de cybersécurité - mots de passe forts, authentification multifactorielle, chiffrement et communication sécurisée - pour réduire l'exposition à la fraude.
- Analyser et mettre en oeuvre un processus d'évaluation et de gestion des risques de fraude en cinq étapes au sein d'une institution publique ou d'une organisation financière.
- Évaluer les technologies de détection, les stratégies d'éducation et de sensibilisation, et les cadres juridiques et réglementaires nécessaires à une réponse nationale efficace contre la fraude.
À qui s'adresse ce cours ?
Ce cours est conçu pour les agents gouvernementaux, les régulateurs, le personnel TIC des ministères, les superviseurs du secteur financier et les gestionnaires du secteur public à travers l'Afrique. Il est particulièrement pertinent pour les personnes qui sont :
- Responsables de la politique de cybersécurité, de la protection des consommateurs ou de la supervision des services financiers numériques.
- En train de développer des cadres nationaux ou institutionnels de prévention de la fraude et des protocoles de réponse.
- Cherchant à aligner les pratiques de gestion de la fraude avec les instruments continentaux tels que la Convention de Malabo et la législation nationale sur la protection des données.
Bem-vindo(a) ao seu curso sobre Gestão da Fraude Online na Era Digital!
O cibercrime custou à economia global mais de 8 biliões USD em 2023, e África não é excepção: a fraude em dinheiro móvel, campanhas de phishing e ataques de ransomware estão a aumentar rapidamente à medida que a adopção digital se acelera no continente. Este curso dota os decisores políticos, reguladores e líderes do sector público com os conhecimentos práticos para detectar, prevenir e responder à fraude online nos seus próprios contextos.
Ao longo de quatro módulos focados, irá explorar o panorama da fraude online - as suas técnicas, consequências e sinais de aviso - e depois avançar para as práticas de cibersegurança e protecção de dados, a avaliação e gestão estruturada de riscos, e as tecnologias de detecção, estratégias de educação e quadros legais que completam uma resposta abrangente à fraude.
Resultados de Aprendizagem
Ao final deste curso, você será capaz de:
- Identificar as principais categorias de fraude online, tácticas de engenharia social e ameaças de malware relevantes para o contexto digital africano.
- Aplicar as melhores práticas de cibersegurança - palavras-passe fortes, autenticação multifactor, encriptação e comunicação segura - para reduzir a exposição à fraude.
- Analisar e implementar um processo de avaliação e gestão do risco de fraude em cinco etapas numa instituição pública ou organização financeira.
- Avaliar as tecnologias de detecção, as estratégias de educação e sensibilização, e os quadros jurídicos e regulatórios necessários para uma resposta nacional eficaz à fraude.
Para quem é este curso?
Este curso é destinado a funcionários governamentais, reguladores, pessoal TIC de ministérios, supervisores do sector financeiro e gestores do sector público em toda a África. É especialmente relevante para indivíduos que estão:
- Responsáveis pela política de cibersegurança, protecção do consumidor ou supervisão de serviços financeiros digitais.
- A desenvolver quadros nacionais ou institucionais de prevenção da fraude e protocolos de resposta.
- A procurar alinhar as práticas de gestão da fraude com instrumentos continentais como a Convenção de Malabo e a legislação nacional de protecção de dados.
Welcome to your course on Continental Cybersecurity: Implementation, Management and Capacity Development!
This course dives deeper into how to put cybersecurity into practice across Africa, moving from policy and principle to implementation, day-to-day management, and the capacity a country needs to sustain it. It is essential for African policymakers and professionals responsible for operationalising cybersecurity in a context of rapid digitalization and escalating threats.
The curriculum begins with the Zero Trust Network model (never trust, always verify; assume breach; least-privileged access) and how to achieve it through firewall, VPN, IDPS, cryptography and cloud-networking practices. You will then learn to manage incidents and disasters using CERTs, CSIRTs and SOCs, contingency planning, incident response and recovery, and business continuity and crisis management. The course then turns to securing Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), and closes with cybersecurity capacity development and the protection of children online.
By mastering these concepts, you will be equipped to implement, manage and sustain a resilient cybersecurity programme tailored to your own national context.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply Zero Trust Network principles, never trust always verify, assume breach, and least-privileged access, to strengthen an organisation's security posture.
- Design incident response, contingency, disaster recovery and business continuity plans appropriate to your national context.
- Evaluate strategies to identify, classify, protect and manage Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).
- Recommend policies for cybersecurity capacity development, including workforce training and gender inclusion, and for protecting children online.
Who is this course for?
This course is specifically designed for policymakers, public servants, regulators, and cybersecurity professionals across African nations. It is highly beneficial for individuals who are:
- Responsible for implementing or managing national cybersecurity strategy, operations, or legislation.
- Leading or advising on incident response, Critical Information Infrastructure protection, or capacity-development programmes.
- Seeking to align national frameworks with continental instruments such as the Malabo Convention and the AU Cybersecurity Strategy.
Bienvenue dans votre cours portant sur la Cybersécurité Continentale : Mise en Œuvre, Gestion et Développement des Capacités !
Ce cours approfondit la manière de mettre la cybersécurité en pratique à travers l'Afrique, en passant de la politique et des principes à la mise en œuvre, à la gestion quotidienne et à la capacité dont un pays a besoin pour la pérenniser. Il est essentiel pour les décideurs politiques et les professionnels africains chargés de rendre la cybersécurité opérationnelle dans un contexte de numérisation rapide et de menaces croissantes.
Le programme commence par le modèle de réseau Zero Trust (ne jamais faire confiance, toujours vérifier ; supposer la compromission ; accès au moindre privilège) et la façon de le réaliser par des pratiques de pare-feu, VPN, IDPS, cryptographie et réseau cloud. Vous apprendrez ensuite à gérer les incidents et les catastrophes à l'aide des CERT, CSIRT et SOC, de la planification de contingence, de la réponse et de la reprise après incident, et de la continuité d'activité et de la gestion de crise. Le cours aborde ensuite la sécurisation des infrastructures d'information critiques (CII), et se termine par le développement des capacités en cybersécurité et la protection des enfants en ligne.
En maîtrisant ces concepts, vous serez équipé(e) pour mettre en œuvre, gérer et pérenniser un programme de cybersécurité résilient adapté à votre propre contexte national.
Résultats d'apprentissage
À l'issue de ce cours, vous serez capable de :
- Appliquer les principes du réseau Zero Trust, ne jamais faire confiance et toujours vérifier, supposer la compromission, et l'accès au moindre privilège, pour renforcer la posture de sécurité d'une organisation.
- Concevoir des plans de réponse aux incidents, de contingence, de reprise après sinistre et de continuité d'activité adaptés à votre contexte national.
- Évaluer les stratégies pour identifier, classifier, protéger et gérer les infrastructures d'information critiques (CII).
- Recommander des politiques de développement des capacités en cybersécurité, y compris la formation de la main-d'œuvre et l'inclusion de genre, et de protection des enfants en ligne.
À qui s'adresse ce cours ?
Ce cours est spécifiquement conçu pour les décideurs politiques, les fonctionnaires, les régulateurs et les professionnels de la cybersécurité à travers les nations africaines. Il est très bénéfique pour les individus qui sont :
- Responsables de la mise en œuvre ou de la gestion de la stratégie, des opérations ou de la législation nationales de cybersécurité.
- Dirigent ou conseillent sur la réponse aux incidents, la protection des infrastructures d'information critiques ou les programmes de développement des capacités.
- Cherchant à aligner les cadres nationaux sur des instruments continentaux comme la Convention de Malabo et la Stratégie de cybersécurité de l'UA.
Bem-vindo ao seu curso sobre a Cibersegurança Continental: Implementação, Gestão e Desenvolvimento de Capacidades!
Este curso aprofunda a forma de pôr a cibersegurança em prática por toda a África, passando da política e dos princípios para a implementação, a gestão do dia a dia e a capacidade de que um país precisa para a sustentar. É essencial para decisores políticos e profissionais africanos responsáveis por operacionalizar a cibersegurança num contexto de rápida digitalização e de ameaças crescentes.
O currículo começa com o modelo de rede Zero Trust (nunca confiar, verificar sempre; assumir a violação; acesso de menor privilégio) e como o alcançar através de práticas de firewall, VPN, IDPS, criptografia e redes na nuvem. Em seguida, aprenderá a gerir incidentes e catástrofes usando CERTs, CSIRTs e SOCs, planeamento de contingência, resposta e recuperação de incidentes, e continuidade de negócio e gestão de crise. O curso aborda depois a proteção da Infraestrutura de Informação Crítica (CII), e encerra com o desenvolvimento de capacidades em cibersegurança e a proteção das crianças online.
Ao dominar estes conceitos, estará apto(a) a implementar, gerir e sustentar um programa de cibersegurança resiliente adaptado ao seu próprio contexto nacional.
Resultados de Aprendizagem
Após a conclusão bem-sucedida deste curso, você será capaz de:
- Aplicar os princípios da rede Zero Trust, nunca confiar e verificar sempre, assumir a violação, e o acesso de menor privilégio, para reforçar a postura de segurança de uma organização.
- Conceber planos de resposta a incidentes, contingência, recuperação de desastres e continuidade de negócio adequados ao seu contexto nacional.
- Avaliar estratégias para identificar, classificar, proteger e gerir a Infraestrutura de Informação Crítica (CII).
- Recomendar políticas de desenvolvimento de capacidades em cibersegurança, incluindo a formação da força de trabalho e a inclusão de género, e de proteção das crianças online.
Para quem é este curso?
Este curso destina-se especificamente a decisores políticos, funcionários públicos, reguladores e profissionais de cibersegurança em todas as nações africanas. É altamente benéfico para indivíduos que são:
- Responsáveis pela implementação ou gestão da estratégia, das operações ou da legislação nacionais de cibersegurança.
- Lideram ou aconselham sobre resposta a incidentes, proteção de Infraestrutura de Informação Crítica ou programas de desenvolvimento de capacidades.
- Procuram alinhar os quadros nacionais com instrumentos continentais como a Convenção de Malabo e a Estratégia de Cibersegurança da UA.
Over 800 million Africans access the internet exclusively through a mobile device. This course covers the foundations of mobile privacy law, security controls, emerging risks from IoT and AI, and the regulatory frameworks shaping Africa's digital future. Four modules, trilingual, GSMA-aligned.
About the Programme
SmartGirlLead empowers the next generation of African young women entrepreneurs, aged 21 to 28, with advanced digital and entrepreneurial skills. Through scholarships, selected participants will undertake an intensive 3-month programme and receive specialised training and certification in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and Data Analytics. The programme is designed to enhance employability by equipping young women with industry-relevant skills aligned with the demands of the evolving digital economy.
Eligibility Criteria
- African young woman aged 21–28
- Interest in Cybersecurity, AWS Cloud Computing, AI, or Data Analytics
- Resident of one of the eligible countries: Chad, Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Malawi, or South Africa
Pre-Enrollment Process
- Fill in the application form
- Upload your CV
- Upload a motivation letter
- Submit your application
Applications will be reviewed and only successful candidates will be notified.
On behalf of Smart Africa and in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the World Economic Forum, we are pleased to announce an upcoming peer learning and exchange workshop taking place during Geneva Cyber Week.
Theme: Cyber Solidarity in Action – Building Trust, Resilience, and Global Partnerships
Date: 4–6 May 2026 (held alongside Geneva Cyber Week)
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
This high-level session is designed for members of the African Network of Cybersecurity Authorities and key partners to strengthen cooperation, enhance cyber resilience, and advance Africa’s voice in global cybersecurity governance.
The workshop will focus on peer learning, capacity building, and strategic cooperation to address evolving cyber threats across the continent. Discussions and practical sessions will cover the continental threat landscape, regional coordination mechanisms, policy alignment, the establishment of a federated CERT model, cyber talent development, and cyber diplomacy.
Convened as part of the SADA WARDIP capacity building framework, this workshop aims to foster cross-border coordination and harmonised cybersecurity standards to support a secure and resilient African Single Digital Market. It will also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange between African cybersecurity leaders and global partners attending Geneva Cyber Week.
Participants will include heads of cybersecurity authorities from 27 ANCA member states, representatives from Regional Economic Communities, intergovernmental organisations, and international partners.
On behalf of the Smart Africa Secretariat, we are pleased to invite you to our webinar series on digital identity systems.
Theme: Cybersecurity and Financial Viability of Digital Identity Systems: Tools and Good Practices for Governments
This is a two-session webinar designed to strengthen understanding and practical capacity around cybersecurity and financial sustainability in digital identity systems, drawing on practical tools, benchmark frameworks, and country experience sharing.
Date: 13 May 2026
Session 1: Cybersecurity Benchmark for Digital Identity Systems Webinar
🕥 10:30–12:00 GMT (Abidjan) / 12:30–14:00 CAT (SA)
Session 2: Viabilité Financière des Systèmes d’Identité Numérique
🕑 14:00–15:30 GMT (Abidjan) / 16:00–17:30 CAT (SA)
Venue: Online
The sessions will introduce practical tools and frameworks, highlight key risks and sustainability considerations, and provide an opportunity for peer exchange among stakeholders involved in digital identity ecosystems.