Zambia Prioritizes Cybersecurity with ‘Cyberthon’ Initiative Amid Digital Transformation Push

The Zambian Government is accelerating digital transformation across sectors and responding to the need for a country’s robust cybersecurity landscape to address high – profile cyberattacks in order to address and curb growing vulnerability to digital threats says Technology and Science Minister Hon Felix Mutati.

In his key note address at the launch of the Absa hackathon cybersecurity – initiative dubbed ‘Cyberthon’, Mr. Mutati said there was a need to collaborate and prioritize cybersecurity measures; of proactive fraud detection and monitoring, and fraud awareness training that will help economic transformation through an enabling environment of a digital secured cyberspace.

Applauding the bank’s innovation, Hon. Mutati encouraged the financial entity (Absa) and stakeholders to address the existing deficit of digital skills, digital literacy, and digital awareness initiatives.

He said cyberthon will contribute and serve as a platform for developing innovative solutions to tackle cybersecurity challenges and threats such as phishing among other fraudulent activities.

We have deficit of digital skills, digital literacy, and digital awareness, that is what we need to address.

Hon Felix Mutati, Technology and Science Minister, Zambia

He said government has partnered with Google to build a center of excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI), to be launched this year (2024), that will not only respond to cyber but also achieve the digital economic transformation.

Hon. Mutati urged the bank and partners to proactively build capacity in AI – technical – knowhow that will help anticipate and take action on cyber – threats amidst emerging technologies.

The Minister encouraged Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) to establish inventive systems to foster flexible – citizen – participation in awareness programs within communities using indigenous dialects that will effectively create understanding in simpler technological approaches and assist them to be cautious, literate, and skillful. He disclosed that the cyber challenges also exist on the government digital space due to digital incapability hence collective hands to define solutions.

Mr. Mutati said, in its presented 2022 assessment, ZICTA revealed the potential threats to the banking sector that stood at 2.3 billion Dollars, a colossal sum that would add value to economy interventions hence such initiatives (cybethon) will cushion and contribute and guarantee use and management of cyber infrastructure appropriately.

ZICTA, you have to come up with ingenious ways of how you can foster citizen participation and awareness to a level where we slow down on digital challenges.

We have challenges in government, probably more challenges in the cyber space than any other sector because of the level of digital incompetence and capabilities.

Hon Felix Mutati, Technology and Science Minister, Zambia

Minister Mutati said the government is refining the data protection Act to a data management Act that will attract and provide protection of investments for economic transformation and precision decisions through cost – efficient activities.

And Absa managing director Mizinga Melu said the cyberthon is an initiative that will assist in raising awareness to define solutions in view of potential risks hence the need to share information across industry.

She said earlier the bank commenced the digital space on a path that over time has progressed to comprehensively enhanced with the digital expertise operations and currently fostering digital space and create understanding.

Ms Melu also urged end users to engage the bank before any suspicious digital transaction and remain cautious of swift and fraudulent activities from perpetrators.

Meanwhile, representing ZICTA acting director general, Nawa Samatebele said the authority’s ambition is to build a safe and resilient digital ecosystem hence committed to implementing policies that enhance digital securities and support the aspiration of the National Development Plan.