US-based technology firm Cybastion has launched the Cisco Cybersecurity Centre in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to strengthen cybersecurity readiness and advance cyber defence capabilities across West and Central Africa.
According to Cybastion, the facility, inaugurated on Thursday, houses a Security Operations Centre (SOC) to monitor digital systems for potential threats, as well as a Security Incident Response Team to investigate and respond to cyber incidents.
The centre will also serve as a regional hub for cybersecurity training and the protection of critical infrastructure.
The initiative builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in October 2025 between Cybastion, Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Women, Family and Children, and Cisco.
The agreement aims to use cybersecurity certification training to support workforce development and economic growth.
It also expands on the Africa DigiEmpower programme, supported by the THEYA Foundation, which aims to equip 200,000 learners in Côte d’Ivoire with cybersecurity, networking and artificial intelligence skills by 2030 through the Cisco Networking Academy.
Djibril Ouattara, minister of digital transition and technological innovation, said the initiative would strengthen national capabilities and reinforce Côte d’Ivoire’s position in the regional cybersecurity ecosystem.
ITWeb Africa previously reported that West Africa faces systemic cybersecurity vulnerabilities as expanding connectivity intersects with high youth unemployment, informal economies and regional criminal mobility.
These factors have contributed to increasingly sophisticated attacks, including business email compromise, cryptocurrency fraud and corporate impersonation targeting victims globally.
“This centre strengthens both our resilience against cyber threats and our ability to develop specialised skills. It also advances our ambition to position Côte d’Ivoire as a cybersecurity centre of expertise serving West and Central Africa,” Ouattara said.
Dr Thierry Wandji, president and CEO of Cybastion, said African countries needed locally based cyber defence capabilities as they digitised their operations and moved towards AI-powered economies.
“As African countries rapidly digitise their operations and move towards an AI-powered digital economy, they need cyber defence capability close to them, staffed by teams who understand their operating environment,” he said.
“With support from the Ivorian government and incorporating Cisco technology, Cybastion is bringing cyber defence and incident response capabilities to Côte d’Ivoire and the region, alongside a structured pathway into careers in the profession.”
Nassénéba Touré, minister of women, family and children, said: “Training women and young people in cybersecurity means strengthening their empowerment and their contribution to our country’s digital transformation.”
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