About Africa Regional Collective Action Against Ransomware (ARCAAR)
This initiative aims to mobilize and coordinate efforts across the African region, enabling meaningful contributions to the global fight against ransomware. Nigeria seeks to support regional resilience by coordinating a structured regional response capability aligned with the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) objectives.
GOAL:
The goal is to position African countries at the forefront of the fight against ransomware through coordinated regional action that strengthens threat intelligence sharing, joint response capabilities, and collective situational awareness of the ransomware threat landscape across the continent. This initiative aligns with the global Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) by contributing regional threat insights, strengthening cross-border collaboration, and enabling African countries to actively support global efforts to disrupt ransomware operations, enhance resilience, and promote coordinated international response mechanisms.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
- Develop a regional ransomware threat outlook for Africa.
- Improve operational response readiness through regional drills and simulation exercises.
- Establish a regional 24/7 ransomware support capability.
- Build an Africa-wide ransomware information sharing mechanism that is fully aligned to the CRI.
- Define a regional operational capability framework for national CERTs and response agencies.
Theme: Africa CRI Threat Outlook Conference from 28-30 July 2026
Who should attend
Ministers, heads of national cybersecurity agencies, principal regulators of critical infrastructure, operators of critical national systems, civil society representatives, and selected industry leaders. Invitation-only at the ministerial track, application-based at the delegate track.
Format
A three-day programme combining plenaries, closed working sessions, and quiet bilateral time. Plenaries are recorded and published; working sessions follow the Chatham House Rule.
Outcomes
A joint declaration, a shared attribution playbook, and a multi-year capacity-building roadmap — each adopted by participating states at the closing plenary.
