Ghana Hosts 4th ECOWAS Regional Hackathon to Boost West Africa’s Cybersecurity
It focuses on building practical solutions to address rising cyber threats, including ransomware, online fraud, and attacks on critical infrastructure across the sub-region.
Ghana is currently hosting the 4th ECOWAS Regional Hackathon in Accra, bringing together young cybersecurity professionals from across West Africa for a 48-hour innovation challenge aimed at strengthening the region’s cyber resilience.
The event is organized by the ECOWAS Commission in partnership with the Cyber Security Authority. It focuses on building practical solutions to address rising cyber threats, including ransomware, online fraud, and attacks on critical infrastructure across the sub-region.
Speaking at the opening, Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, urged participants to treat their projects as real-world solutions with potential for deployment. He highlighted that many impactful African tech solutions have originated from hackathons, emphasizing the importance of urgency, creativity, and problem-solving.
The Deputy Director-General (Technical Operations) of the Cyber Security Authority, Stephen Cudjoe-Seshie, stressed the human element of cybersecurity, noting that skilled and ethical professionals remain central to anticipating and responding to threats effectively.
Also speaking, Ms. Folake Olagunju from the digital economy sector noted progress in the competition’s evolution, pointing out that this year’s challenges were developed locally by an Accra-based firm, 00SEC—an indicator of growing indigenous cybersecurity expertise in the region.
The hackathon reflects ECOWAS’ broader push to deepen regional collaboration and strengthen digital security capacity as West Africa’s digital economy continues to expand.
