The Middle East and Africa’s security market is growing at an exciting pace, with spending expected to climb to $8.4 billion by 2027, positioning the region among the world’s fastest-growing cybersecurity markets.

With Africa’s internet user base projected to surpass 1.1 billion by 2029, governments and enterprises across the continent must prepare for a more complex threat landscape. The rapid rise of e-commerce, digital services, and AI has further expanded the attack surface, intensifying the region’s cybersecurity challenge.

For South Africa, its security transformation is entering a pivotal phase. The introduction of the Cybersecurity Bill of 2024 signals a major step forward in safeguarding critical information infrastructure and reinforcing national readiness.

At the same time, AI is set to propel the country’s cybersecurity ecosystem into a new era, with IDC projecting AI spending to reach $3.6 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 39%. This surge, fueled by GenAI and emerging agentic AI capabilities, offers both unprecedented opportunity and a new class of risks.