CyberSafe Foundation has launched a three-year cybersecurity resilience project aimed at strengthening the digital defenses of critical community institutions across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The project, dubbed Resilio Africa, is being funded by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google. Founded in October 2005, Google.org uses funding, innovation, and technical expertise to support underserved communities and address global challenges through technology-driven solutions.

The ambitious initiative will protect over 2 million people and secure more than 15 million public records in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, making it one of the most comprehensive community-focused cybersecurity efforts on the continent.

Announced on December 12, 2025, the project responds to alarming statistics showing that Africa experienced a 23 per cent increase in ransomware attacks in 2023, according to INTERPOL, with public and non-profit institutions among the hardest hit.

“At Google.org, we believe that access to secure digital systems is a cornerstone of inclusive growth. Our support for CyberSafe Foundation’s efforts reflects our shared commitment to empowering communities and protecting the institutions that serve them,” said Haviva Kohl, Senior Program Manager at Google.org.

The initiative targets 200 Critical Community Institutions (CCIs) that collect, process, and store vast amounts of sensitive personal data but often lack adequate cybersecurity resources. Many of these institutions operate on outdated systems with limited awareness of digital threats and zero security budgets.

The Cybersecurity Index reveals that more than 60 per cent of African countries fall into the “low commitment” category regarding national cybersecurity readiness, creating dangerous vulnerabilities that cybercriminals actively exploit.

The scale of the problem is stark. In Kenya alone, over 114 CCI-targeted cyberattacks were recorded in the first eight months of 2024, followed by a 201 per cent increase in cyber incidents by the first quarter of 2025.

In Nigeria, key government and healthcare systems still operate over unencrypted communication protocols, while institutions in Ghana and South Africa face similar threats but often lack the capacity to respond effectively.

“As services become more digitised, this creates a dangerous gap that cybercriminals are actively exploiting through ransomware, phishing, data breaches, and DDoS disruptions, compromising public services, exposing sensitive data, and eroding public trust,” CyberSafe Foundation stated.

Resilio Africa will provide participating institutions with free technical tools, customized security assessments, threat intelligence, and incident response frameworks. The program includes over 10,000 hours of pro bono cyber consulting to support CCI teams.

The initiative will also build human capacity by delivering tiered training for executives, IT teams, and general staff, with over 4,500 employees and decision-makers set to receive specialised instruction.

“Africa’s digital transformation cannot succeed if our communities remain vulnerable,” said Confidence Staveley, Founder and Executive Director of CyberSafe Foundation. “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.”