Rwanda is seeking to expand access to professional training in cybersecurity and information technology as organisations face increasingly sophisticated threats involving artificial intelligence.
The challenge was highlighted during the launch of the ISACA Rwanda Chapter Annual Conference on Oct. 5, where experts said the country still has a limited number of professionals with advanced cybersecurity qualifications.
The two-day conference at Kigali Marriott Hotel brought together technology auditors, cybersecurity specialists and data protection professionals to discuss digital trust, cyber resilience, AI and data privacy.
Pascaline Umuhire, deputy head of ISACA Rwanda Chapter, said the new chapter would make professional training and certification more accessible to people working in the sector.
“ISACA usually provides training in technology and offers different certifications to people working in technology and information security. In Rwanda, those who hold them are still very few,” she said.
The chapter also plans to focus on the changing role of AI in cyberattacks and the tools available to counter them.
Rukundo Maharaliel, an ISACA member specialising in information systems auditing, said AI was creating new risks but could also strengthen cybersecurity.
“Some AI tools have been developed to steal people’s digital information,” he said. “There are also AI tools that people use to prevent attacks carried out by other AI.”
He said professionals responsible for protecting information needed to understand both sides of the technology.
The government is working to address the skills gap through new training institutions. MINICT Permanent Secretary Eraste Rurangwa said the Rwanda Institute of Computing will train specialists in cybersecurity and AI and offer university-level qualifications.
The institute is expected to start with the next academic year and will admit graduates of Rwanda Coding Academy and other applicants who meet its requirements, Rurangwa said.
He also pointed to the Cyber Hub at the University of Rwanda, where technology and cybersecurity professionals receive short-term training to strengthen their skills.
The ISACA Rwanda conference, which runs from Oct. 5-6, is part of efforts to build professional capacity around digital trust and improve how organisations protect customer information.
