The Cyber Africa Forum (CAF), Africa's flagship event dedicated to digital acceleration and cybersecurity, will hold its sixth edition on November 16-17, 2026, at the Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa in Benin. Organized with the support of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Innovation, the Forum will bring together more than 1,500 participants, including the region's most senior public authorities, business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and international experts, around the theme "Building Tomorrow's Digital Trust".
A landmark edition as artificial intelligence (AI) reshuffles the global digital order
In only five editions, the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF) has grown into a premier platform bringing together senior decision-makers in digital, cybersecurity and innovation from Africa, North America, Europe and Asia.
The 2026 edition arrives at a turning point. Africa now counts nearly 500 million internet users, and its digital economy could be worth $712 billion by 2050, yet the continent remains among the world's most vulnerable to cybercrime, having lost close to $3 billion to it between 2019 and 2025, according to INTERPOL. Meanwhile, the rise of AI and intensifying technology rivalries are redrawing the world's economic, industrial and geopolitical map.
To help the continent build resilience against cyber threats and speed up its digital development, this sixth edition takes as its theme "Building Tomorrow's Digital Trust" . Behind it lies a simple conviction: without trust, there is no investment, no innovation, no secure digital adoption, and no competitive edge for African economies.
What's new in 2026
This year, the Forum steps up its ambitions with three initiatives:
- A College of Experts, drawing on leading voices from academia, business, government and international organizations to sharpen the Forum's strategic thinking.
- Tech 4 Creatives : a spotlight on African creatives already putting AI and emerging technologies to work in fashion, music, sports and the arts, driven by the belief that the next tech champions could just as easily come from the creative industries.
- The HackerLab, run in partnership with Benin's Agence des Systèmes d'Information et du Numérique (ASIN), a two-day hackathon pitting Africa's brightest young talents against real-world cybersecurity and cybercrime challenges.
Franck KIÉ, Commissioner General of the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF), commented: "Coming back to Benin for a second year running says everything about our confidence in this country. The caliber of decision-makers expected, the ambition of our program and the new initiatives we will unveil this year all point to an edition that will be even more impactful than the previous one."
A program focused on the continent's priorities
Across two days of conferences, panels, pitch sessions, ministerial roundtables, business matchmaking and exclusive formats, participants will tackle the issues that will define the next decade of Africa's digital transformation, including:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic sovereignty
- Geopolitics and cyber diplomacy
- Disinformation and digital trust
- Data protection and digital governance
- Connected healthcare
- Satellite infrastructure
- Digital identity
- Pan-African interoperability in support of the AfCFTA
- Financing Africa's digital economy
A number of African ministers, heads of major national digital agencies, senior figures from international organizations and leading technology companies have already confirmed they will attend. The full speaker lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks.
About the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF)
Partner Benin of Ciberobs Consulting, the Cyber Africa Forum (CAF) is an annual gathering devoted to Africa's digital, cybersecurity and AI agenda. It connects public officials, business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and international experts to deepen public-private partnerships, spur innovation and open up business opportunities.
In five editions, the CAF has drawn more than 6,000 participants, over 100 partners and sponsors, and delegates from more than 50 countries spanning Africa, Europe, North America and Asia, along with over 500 business meetings.
The Cyber Africa Forum (CAF) is organized by Kaydan Groupe.
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