As cyber threats continue to outpace the growth of cybersecurity professionals across Africa, the the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) is pioneering a new approach to building cyber resilience. During the TrustBroker Africa (TBA VI) workshop held in Abuja from 18–22 May 2026 in Abuja, WACREN, in collaboration with Open CSIRT Foundation, launched the maiden CyberBastion Africa League, the continent’s first competitive cyber defence tournament built on the CyberBastion simulation platform.
Unlike conventional cybersecurity training, CyberBastion immerses participants in realistic incident-response scenarios in which teams must make strategic decisions under pressure, balancing limited resources, evolving cyber threats, and operational priorities. Based on internationally recognised cybersecurity frameworks and best practices, the platform enables participants to develop the technical, strategic, and collaborative skills required to respond effectively to real-world cyber incidents.
The League forms part of WACREN’s broader commitment to strengthening cybersecurity capacity across Africa’s research and education community. Eight teams competed in complex scenarios involving ransomware attacks, advanced persistent threats (APTs), attacks on financial institutions, healthcare systems, critical infrastructure, and operational technology, reflecting the diverse and increasingly sophisticated threats facing organisations across the continent.
The inaugural champions, Cyber Ninjas, demonstrated the value of adaptability and teamwork. After a slow start, the team reassessed its approach, strengthened coordination, and steadily climbed the rankings to claim the title. Reflecting on their experience, the team noted that success depended not only on technical expertise but also on communication, preparedness, sound decision-making, and resilience under pressure.
The runners-up reached a similarly important conclusion. The competition highlighted that effective cybersecurity begins with strong governance, risk management, asset visibility, and informed leadership, not simply investing in more technology. They emphasised that executive leaders should experience such simulations to better understand the strategic decisions that shape organisational cyber resilience.
Beyond the competition itself, the CyberBastion Africa League represents a new model for cybersecurity capacity development in Africa. Bringing together “defenders” from different countries and institutions to collaboratively solve real-world challenges strengthens technical competence while fostering trust, shared understanding, and cross-border cooperation essential to coordinated incident response.
For WACREN, the inaugural League marks the beginning of a long-term initiative to build a stronger community of cyber defenders across Africa, professionals who are not only trained in cybersecurity principles but have also practised responding to complex incidents together before real crises occur.
