Rwanda Ranks Among Top 5 African Nations in Cybersecurity Measures, Scores 98% in ITU Global Report

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2024 annual report on cybersecurity reveals that Rwanda is among the top five African countries excelling in the implementation of laws and substantial investments in safeguarding cybersecurity.

Overall, Rwanda scored an impressive 98%, placing it in the group of nations with a score ranging between 95% and 100% for cybersecurity, ranking 46th globally.

The 5th edition of the ITU Cyber Index Report 2024 evaluated countries based on five key pillars. Rwanda scored 20 out of 20 for its legal framework in technology, 18.98 out of 20 in technological capabilities, 19.34 out of 20 in cooperative efforts, 19.76 out of 20 in capacity building, and a perfect 20 out of 20 for international collaboration in technology.

Aimable Kimenyi, an entrepreneur and founder of Algorithm Inc., a tech services company, asserts that such performance boosts confidence for investors looking to venture into Rwanda.

In Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Tanzania are the nations with a global cybersecurity score between 95% and 100%.

Meanwhile, the lowest-ranking countries, scoring between 0% and 20%, include Afghanistan, Burundi, Eritrea, the Central African Republic, and Guinea-Bissau.

Valence Rukesha, an expert in financial systems and legal frameworks, notes that cyber attackers often aim to steal assets and finances.

A similar report in 2022 placed Rwanda 7th among the top 10 African countries in cyber defense with a score of 79.95%. The 2024 report shows Rwanda has improved by nearly 20%.

Cybercrime Magazine, an international publication, estimates that cyberattacks will cost the world $9.5 trillion in losses in 2024.

Furthermore, global losses are projected to increase by 15%, reaching $10.5 trillion by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015.