Mauritius, Egypt and Tanzania took the top three spots among African countries in the Global Cybersecurity Index from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The countries scored 96.89, 95.48, and 90.58 points, respectively.
The index is based on a comprehensive questionnaire consisting of 82 questions out of the 20 indicators on Member States' cybersecurity commitments in five main pillars (each pillar is weighted with 20 points):
legal measures, i.e. evaluation of the legislation on cybercrime and cybersecurity;
technical measures, i.e. evaluation of the implementation of technical capabilities by national and industry-specific organizations;
organizational measures, i.e. evaluation of the cybersecurity measures and institutions of a country;
capacity development measures, i.e. evaluation of awareness programs, training, education, and incentives to enhance cybersecurity capabilities;
cooperation measures, i.e. evaluation of collaborations among organizations, businesses, and nations.
After the questionnaires were returned, they were validated twice by two separate validators who assigned points to the answers. Then, using special calculations that took into account the weight of each indicator, a score was created, with a maximum of 100 points.
It is noteworthy that if we consider only mainland sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania has become a leading nation in cybersecurity.
Nkundwe Mwasaga, the country's Director-General of the Information and Communication Technology Commission (ICTC), credited the accomplishment to the ICTC's work in creating cutting-edge technological programs and activities, the local media reported.
"We are dedicated to offering opportunities for youth to create diverse ICT programmes, advancing our technology landscape, and positioning Tanzania as a digital front-runner," he stated, as cited by the media.
Furthermore, the government, through the ICTC, is progressing with plans to set up eight ICT centers nationwide to promote digital economic growth, according to the report. The purpose of these centers is to cultivate ICT skills and broaden chances for youth innovation, said Mwasaga, encouraging stakeholders to work together to create the centers as they help nurture diverse talents and protect technological innovations.
The official also elaborated on the concerns regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on employment. Mwasaga reportedly noted that AI boosts productivity and offers chances for skills development. As such, an AI center will be established to train 500 ICT professionals to improve ICT capabilities in the country.
Tanzania is striving to make sure that the younger generation is more IT literate. Last year, for instance, three Tanzanian students developed a website and mobile application called Chuolink that offers a range of services to meet the needs of students at different stages of their educational journey.
The app has received a lot of positive feedback and attention from its users and partners. Chuolink aims to expand its reach to more than 300 universities worldwide, including those in Russia and the United States.