Resilio Africa, a new three-year project by the CyberSafe Foundation, has secured funding from Google.org to significantly strengthen cybersecurity across four key African nations.
The ambitious initiative aims to bolster the digital defenses of 200 Critical Community Institutions (CCIs), ultimately protecting over 2 million people and securing more than 15 million public records across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.
Resilio Africa was established to tackle the growing risks of cyberattacks targeting institutions and communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
A brief by the CyberSafe Foundation highlights the urgent challenge: critical community infrastructure is increasingly targeted by cyberattacks but often lacks adequate resources. These institutions, which collect and store vast amounts of sensitive personal data, typically operate on outdated systems with limited cybersecurity budgets and low awareness of digital threats.
“At Google.org, we believe that access to secure digital systems is a cornerstone of inclusive growth,” said Haviva Kohl, Senior Program Manager, Google.org. “Our support for CyberSafe Foundation’s CCI cybersecurity efforts reflect our shared commitment to empowering communities and protecting the institutions that serve them. Resilio Africa will help ensure that essential community organizations can operate safely and confidently in an increasingly digital world.”
A Plan for Scalable Resilience
The Resilio Africa project will strengthen CCIs through a comprehensive intervention package, including:
- Free Technical Tools and Assessments: Providing essential resources to identify and fix vulnerabilities.
- Customized Playbooks and Incident Response Frameworks: Equipping institutions to manage and recover from attacks.
- Capacity Building: Delivering tiered training to over 4,500 employees and decision-makers, including executives, IT teams, and general staff.
- Pro Bono Consulting: Offering over 10,000 hours of expert support to CCI teams.
The Need is Urgent
The vulnerability of the region is well-documented:
- According to INTERPOL, Africa saw a 23% increase in ransomware attacks in 2023, with public and nonprofit institutions being among the most impacted.
- Data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s Global Cybersecurity Index shows that over 60% of African countries fall into the “low commitment” category for national cybersecurity readiness.
- In Kenya alone, over 114 CCI-targeted cyberattacks were recorded in the first eight months of 2024, followed by a 201% increase in cyber incidents by Q1 2025.
“Africa’s digital transformation cannot succeed if our communities remain vulnerable. With Google.org’s support, we are scaling a proven model of capacity-building that will help critical institutions become resilient, safeguard the people they serve, and preserve trust in digital public systems,” said Confidence Staveley, Founder and Executive Director of CyberSafe Foundation.
CCIs eligible to participate in the initiative can complete an online interest form guided by instructions on the website: www.resilio.cybersafefoundation.org.