Through this partnership, SADA will deliver operational guidance and decision-support tools to ICT Ministries, Interior Ministries, and Cybersecurity Authorities (including the ANCA network), transforming national digital strategy into an impenetrable line of defence for the 21st century.
In response to the escalating global threats to national data integrity and the rise of AI-driven foreign surveillance, Smart Africa, through the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) , has entered into a strategic partnership with RealTyme to fortify the digital frontiers of its member states.
As the African continent faces a 60% higher rate of cyber-attacks than the global average, this initiative moves beyond theoretical training to provide a National Protection Framework. The partnership is designed to ensure that the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern digital tools does not come at the cost of national security, executive privacy, or judicial independence.
Strengthening the Protection Approach:
The 2026 rollout focuses on three non-negotiable pillars of digital defence:
- Absolute Data Sovereignty & Decolonization: Establishing dedicated, state-controlled communication enclaves. This ensures that sensitive government intelligence remains within national borders, shielded from unauthorized foreign jurisdiction, commercial data mining, and external “kill switches.”
- Tactical AI Governance & Safeguards: Moving from ethical guidelines to binding jurisdictional controls. The framework ensures that AI systems deployed within the state operate strictly under national law, protecting against deepfake-driven disinformation and synthetic threats to institutional stability.
- Post-Quantum Resilience (PQR): Deploying “Secure-by-Design” cryptographic standards to protect state secrets against “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” threats. This provides a multi-decade shield for national archives and high-level diplomatic communications.
“We are no longer just digitizing; we are defending. By partnering with RealTyme, we are equipping our member states with the tactical tools to build, run, and protect their digital infrastructure on their own terms. This is a decisive step toward digital decolonization, ensuring that Africa’s future is owned and secured by Africans.”
– Lacina Koné, Director General and CEO, Smart Africa
“Digital sovereignty cannot be bought; it must be built through local resilience. Our joint initiative is committed to empowering nations with the specialized skills to manage their own cyber-defenses, ensuring a sustainable and secure digital future for all.”
– François Rodriguez, CCO and Creator, RealTyme Learning
Through this partnership, SADA will deliver operational guidance and decision-support tools to ICT Ministries, Interior Ministries, and Cybersecurity Authorities (including the ANCA network), transforming national digital strategy into an impenetrable line of defence for the 21st century.
