By Elijah Daniel
AFRICA’s cybersecurity market is expanding steadily, valued at about $0.68 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $1.44 billion by 2031. This growth reflects more than rising technology demand. It reflects urgency. As digital adoption accelerates across Sub-Saharan Africa, cybersecurity is no longer a back office IT issue. It is economic infrastructure. Across key industries, digitization is moving faster than protection, and that imbalance is shaping today’s risk environment.
High Risk Sectors and Emerging Threats
Oil and gas, mining, and power generation remain the most exposed sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa, largely due to the continued use of end-of-life Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Safety Instrumented Systems(SIS). From upstream production to LNG processing, oil and gas operations are prime targets for financially motivated attackers and disruption campaigns. Mining operations face similar exposure where aging control architectures remain embedded in daily processes, while power plants operating within evolving grid environments face increasing cyber risk.
Country Sales Director, Process Automation and Software at Schneider Electric Anglophone Africa, Elijah Daniel, explains one of the most common weaknesses exploited by attackers: “One of the biggest cybersecurity gaps we see is the lack of segmentation between IT and Operational Technology networks. A compromised email, a malicious file, or an infected USB device can become a bridge from IT systems into OT environments where critical production processes are controlled.”
Modern threats are no longer limited to isolated hackers. Contemporary risks include ransomware targeting energy systems, supply chain attacks exploiting global dependencies, advanced persistent threats from state-sponsored actors, and artificial intelligence driven attack strategies. The threat landscape has evolved, but many systems have not.
The Run to Failure Challenge
Operational philosophy also contributes to vulnerability. Many industrial facilities still operate with a run to failure mindset, where systems are maintained only when breakdowns occur. While this may appear cost-efficient, functionality does not equal security. Legacy systems can remain operational while lacking security patches, vendor support, and modern detection capabilities. These environments are actively targeted by attackers.
Daniel emphasises this distinction clearly: “If a system is working, it does not necessarily mean it is secure. Many operational systems are still running on end of life platforms that hackers actively target.”
Weak governance further increases exposure. Poor access management, weak credential controls, and limited cybersecurity oversight create avoidable entry points. Awareness across the continent is improving, but the speed of response must match the sophistication of the threat.
From SL2 to SL3 Raising the Defence Standard
The transition from Security Level 2 to Security Level 3 represents a significant shift in defence posture. Security Level 2 protects against basic threat actors, while Security Level 3 is designed to withstand organised attackers capable of executing complex ransomware campaigns. For plant leadership, this transition is not only technical but strategic.
As Daniel notes, “Moving from Security Level 2 to Security Level 3 helps protect large industrial investments and reduces potential legal and financial liability in the event of a breach.” In capital-intensive sectors, stronger cybersecurity certification signals responsible risk management and builds stakeholder confidence.
Cybersecurity as the Gatekeeper of Process Safety
Process safety systems such as Triconex are designed to halt operations when abnormal conditions threaten catastrophic failure. They are the last line of defence in industrial environments. However, safety systems themselves must be protected.
Daniel explains the risk directly: “If cybersecurity is not properly implemented, a hacker could potentially interfere with safety system responses during critical events. Cybersecurity is the gate that protects the functionality and continuity of industrial processes.”
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, Schneider Electric integrates cybersecurity into automation and operational technology environments through secure architecture design, network segmentation, continuous monitoring, endpoint protection, and lifecycle security management. Its industrial IoT platform, EcoStruxure brings together connectivity, automation, and cybersecurity in a unified environment that enables operational efficiency while maintaining security visibility and control.
Africa’s Early Stage but Critical Opportunity
Africa remains in the early stages of industrial cybersecurity maturity compared to more developed markets, but this position presents a critical opportunity. Cybersecurity should be treated as a foundational component of industrial modernisation rather than a supplementary feature. The financial impact of poorly secured critical infrastructure can reach millions of dollars through operational downtime, ransom payments, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. Protecting industrial systems ultimately protects economic output.
As Sub-Saharan Africa advances its digital transformation, resilient digital and operational systems will determine how effectively the continent captures the economic promise of its future.
Daniel is the Country Sales Director, Process Automation and Software at Schneider Electric Anglophone Africa
