Mastercard Launches Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to Strengthen Digital Resilience
Mastercard Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence has officially launched as a pan-African initiative aimed at strengthening cyber resilience, improving collaboration and protecting the trust that underpins Africa’s fast-growing digital economy. The announcement was made during Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach’s visit to Nigeria, underscoring the company’s long-term commitment to supporting secure digital transformation across the continent.
The new centre will help governments, financial institutions and businesses anticipate cyber threats, improve preparedness and strengthen their ability to respond to increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Mastercard Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Expands Cyber Collaboration
The Mastercard Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence builds on the company’s global cybersecurity expertise and extends advanced intelligence and best practices to African markets.
Furthermore, the initiative follows recent discussions between Mastercard and the Nigerian Government in Abuja, where both parties committed to strengthening cybersecurity across Africa.
Commenting on the development, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said secure digital systems are essential to Nigeria’s economic future.
“As Nigeria deepens its digital transformation, secure and trusted systems will be critical to inclusion and growth. We welcome collaborations that strengthen our digital economy and build resilience for the future.”
Mastercard Targets Rising Cyber Threats Across Africa
As digital adoption accelerates, cyber threats continue to increase across the continent. Consequently, Mastercard believes stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors has become essential.
The new centre will bring together financial institutions, public agencies and private businesses to share threat intelligence, improve cyber preparedness and strengthen collective defence against emerging risks.
According to Mastercard, no single organisation can effectively tackle today’s cyber threats alone. Instead, stronger partnerships will help organisations identify risks earlier and respond more effectively.
Cybersecurity Supports Africa’s Digital Economy
Africa’s digital economy is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, making cybersecurity a critical enabler of sustainable economic growth.
At the same time, cybercrime continues to rise across the continent, causing significant financial losses every year. Mastercard noted that only about 35% of cyber incidents are officially reported, while Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most affected markets for ransomware attacks and dark web-related cyber threats.
These trends highlight the growing need for stronger cyber resilience as digital financial services, e-commerce and online public services continue to expand.
Mastercard Sees Cybersecurity as the Foundation of Digital Trust
Speaking at the launch, Mastercard Chief Executive Officer Michael Miebach described cybersecurity as the foundation of Africa’s digital future.
“Africa is dynamic, fast-growing, and ready to scale its digital future. That won’t happen without trust. People don’t use what they don’t trust. That makes cybersecurity foundational to driving economic resilience and growth across the continent.”
He added that greater collaboration between governments, financial institutions and businesses will strengthen collective defence while supporting a more secure, inclusive and resilient digital economy.
Initiative Supports Inclusive Digital Growth
Beyond addressing cyber threats, the Mastercard Africa Cybersecurity Center of Excellence forms part of the company’s broader strategy to strengthen trust in Africa’s digital ecosystem.
By working closely with governments, banks, enterprises and small businesses, Mastercard aims to reinforce the digital infrastructure needed to support innovation, financial inclusion and long-term economic development across the continent.
