- Cybersecurity governance
- Combating cybercrime
- Data protection
- Electronic transactions
For government institutions, this is a call to align legal, operational, and technical systems.
For private sector actors, this is a trigger for compliance, engagement, and potential risk exposure across jurisdictions.
Key Facts
- Status: The Convention has entered into force. Countries are moving quickly toward operationalisation. Others are in various stages of ratification.
- Scope: Applies to data controllers, subcontractors, and third parties.
- Legal Impact: Where national legislation is weak or fragmented, the Convention may fill legal gaps—raising the bar for compliance.
Top Risks for Non-Compliance
- Missed timelines tied to national Gazette notices or ratification dates
- Exposure to criminal liability under new cybercrime provisions
- Failure to align with government cybersecurity taskforces and strategies
- Lack of internal preparedness due to slow decision-making or siloed systems
- Damage to reputation and trust with regulators, governments, and donors
Readiness Essentials
AfricaTechNexus recommends a 3-phase readiness response:
Phase 1: Regulatory Scanning
- Study Gazette notifications and taskforce structures
- Compare Malabo provisions with existing national law
- Map institutional roles and points of engagement
Phase 2: Internal Mobilisation
- Establish cross-functional compliance taskforce
- Appoint executive lead for engagement and government liaison
- Update internal policies and assess third-party risk (e.g. external IT providers)
Phase 3: Strategic Government Engagement
- Engage focal ministries early (ICT, Justice, Foreign Affairs)
- Signal intention to comply and request reasonable timelines if needed
- Explore opportunities to co-develop cybersecurity capacity-building efforts
Opportunities
- Position your organisation as a first mover in compliance
- Strengthen public-private engagement on digital policy
- Use compliance to build trust with national regulators and multilateral donors
- Shape the regional harmonisation agenda through constructive participation
AfricaTechNexus Malabo Support Services
We offer tailored advisory, including:
- Readiness assessments and internal briefings
- Compliance taskforce design and templates
- Messaging strategies for engagement with government
- Training modules on cyber norms, cybercrime law, and data protection
- Scenario simulations to test internal preparedness
Disclaimer
This brief is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be construed as legal advice.