A SkillClass Event production

CIIC AFRICA

INDUSTRIAL CYBERSECURITY AFRICA

CIIC — Industrial Cybersecurity · Cybersécurité Industrielle

Industrial cybersecurity at the heart of African infrastructure resilience.

CIOs · CTOs · CISOs · Industrial management

Ouagadougou: 27–28 April 2027
Abidjan: 19–20 October 2027

The forum

Africa's meeting point for industrial cybersecurity and critical-infrastructure resilience.

CIIC AFRICA brings together decision-makers, experts and industrial players around securing industrial systems, managing cyber risk and maintaining continuity of operations.

Through its national editions, the forum encourages shared expertise, field experience and cooperation between the continent's industrial and cyber communities.

The digital transformation of industrial operations opens new possibilities, but it also exposes production systems to cyber risk. Protecting OT/ICS environments, control systems and critical infrastructure has become central to continuity, safety and performance.

CIIC AFRICA creates a space for dialogue between decision-makers, security leaders, technical experts, industrial operators and partners — to share practice, understand the risks and strengthen organisational resilience.

Main themes

Cybersecurity of OT/ICS and SCADA industrial environments
IT/OT convergence and cyber-risk governance
Protecting critical infrastructure
Business continuity and industrial resilience
Crisis management after an industrial cyber incident
Artificial intelligence: opportunities, threats and risk control
Standards and good practice, notably IEC/ISA 62443

Our editions

Ouagadougou · Burkina Faso

27–28 April 2027

Mining, energy and industrial cybersecurity

The first stage of CIIC AFRICA focuses on cybersecurity in the mining and energy sectors, and on protecting the industrial environments and critical infrastructure that go with them.

Cybersecurity for mines and extraction operations
Securing energy installations
Protecting OT/ICS and SCADA industrial systems
Cyber-risk management and continuity of operations
Resilience of critical infrastructure
Artificial intelligence and the evolution of industrial threats
Industrial cyber crisis exercise: decision, coordination, communication and business continuity

Abidjan · Côte d'Ivoire

19–20 October 2027

Agri-industry and critical industrial infrastructure

The second stage widens CIIC AFRICA to the cybersecurity of agri-industrial production and processing chains — cocoa, cotton and cashew in particular — and to protecting critical industrial infrastructure.

Widening the regional reach of CIIC AFRICA
Strengthening partnerships with industrial and technology players
Developing the CIIC AFRICA digital hub
Launching the first CIIC AFRICA annual report

The detailed programme and participation arrangements for the Abidjan stage will be announced later.

Programme

Scientific programme — Ouagadougou stage

Day 1

Official opening, the state of play in mining and energy

08h00–08h45
Welcome and registrationCeremony
Kits, badges and official booklets handed out — welcome coffee.
08h45–09h00
Opening ceremonyCeremony
The organising firm and the aims of the forum.
Director, SkillClass Event
09h00–09h20
Official opening addressCeremony
What cybersecurity means for the mining and energy sectors of Burkina Faso and the AES region.
Representative of the Ministry of Mines and Energy — Burkina Faso
09h20–09h40
Address by institutional partnersCeremony
Chamber of Mines of Burkina Faso, ANPTIC, energy regulators, Gold partners.
09h40–09h55
Official photograph and pressCeremony
Press interviews — RTB and partner media coverage.
09h55–10h45
Why industrial cybersecurity is becoming strategic for AfricaPlenary
Major incidents 2020–2026, the APT groups targeting extractive and energy sectors, favoured attack vectors, the risk to production, human safety and continuity, and the economic cost to operators.
Dr Farell Folly, chair of the scientific committee
10h45–11h25
African mining and energy: where cybersecurity meets operational realityPlenary
The cyber maturity of regional operators, recent undisclosed incidents, and the constraints specific to the AES region — connectivity, people, budget. Which systems are most exposed, how to secure them without halting operations, managing third parties and protecting remote sites.
Head of cybersecurity at a mining group — name to be confirmed
11h25–11h45
Coffee break — exhibition areaBreak
11h45–12h25
Regulatory framework and legal obligationsPlenary
National law in Burkina Faso and across ECOWAS, the African NIS directive, incident notification duties, director liability and penalties.
Specialist lawyer / ANPTIC representative — to be confirmed
12h25–13h05
Executives facing cyber risk in mining and energyRound table
How is cyber risk handled at board level? What governance suits smaller mining firms and energy operators? The role of the board.
Three chief executives (mining and energy) — moderated by Dr Farell Folly
13h05–14h20
Official lunch — networking and exhibitionBreak
14h20–15h50
Protecting mining industrial control systemsRoom A — Mining
How OT differs from IT, mapping SCADA risk, network segmentation, and a real incident debriefed. For automation and instrumentation engineers, maintenance managers, CISOs and CIOs of mining companies, SCADA/PLC technicians. Intermediate level.
Speaker to be confirmed
14h20–15h50
Securing electricity, oil and gas networksRoom B — Energy
Electricity SCADA compared with pipelines and depots, protecting smart substations and production control systems. For network operations engineers, substation and plant SCADA technicians, pipeline and depot engineers, CISOs and CIOs of energy operators. Intermediate level.
Speaker to be confirmed
14h20–15h50
Building an ISMS suited to mining and energy operationsRoom C — Governance
ISO 27001 in an industrial context, EBIOS RM risk analysis, security policy, and a hands-on gap analysis. For CISOs, CIOs, risk managers, quality and compliance leads, internal auditors and legal directors. Beginner to intermediate.
Speaker to be confirmed
15h50–16h05
Coffee break — exhibitionBreak
16h05–16h55
Anatomy of a cyberattack on a mine or a power plantPlenary
An anonymised real incident reconstructed: reconnaissance, initial intrusion, lateral movement, encryption and ransom demand, operational and financial impact, lessons learned.
Threat intelligence analyst, national or private CERT — to be confirmed
16h55–17h35
Using cyber threat intelligence in mining and energyPlenary
OSINT and CLOSINT sources, sector sharing platforms (ISACs), indicators of compromise, SOC integration, and a platform demonstration.
Speaker to be confirmed
17h35–18h05
Day 1 summary and questionsPlenary
Dr Farell Folly, chair of the scientific committee
18h05–18h20
Formal close of the dayCeremony
À partir de 20h
Gala cocktail and VIP networkingNetworking
Gala dinner for VIP participants, speakers and partners — partner trophies presented.

Day 2

Operational solutions, a crisis exercise and regional outlook

08h30–08h45
Welcome and Day 1 recapCeremony
Organising committee
08h45–09h35
Building a security architecture for a mining or energy operatorPlenary
Zero Trust in an industrial setting, IT/OT segmentation, outsourced versus in-house SOC, EDR on industrial workstations, identity and privileged access management, budget and prioritisation.
Speaker to be confirmed
09h35–10h20
Oil and gas: securing the AES region's energy supply chainsRound table
Vulnerabilities in depots, pipelines and service stations, the role of national hydrocarbon companies in continuity of supply, and coordination between oil operators, utilities and regulators.
Panel — moderated by Dr Farell Folly
10h20–11h05
Cyber crisis management: from response plan to recoveryPlenary
Incident response frameworks (NIST, CERT), standing up a crisis cell, internal and external communication, business continuity and disaster recovery for mining and energy operations, and cyber insurance.
Speaker to be confirmed
11h05–11h25
Coffee break — exhibition areaBreak
11h25–12h55
Securing networks on remote sitesRoom A — Networks
Mine-to-head-office and plant-to-head-office architecture, secured satellite links, intrusion detection in OT environments, continuous monitoring. For telecom and network engineers, remote-site administrators and IT/OT infrastructure managers. Intermediate level.
Speaker to be confirmed
11h25–12h55
Training and raising awareness in mining and energy teamsRoom B — The human factor
Targeted phishing, an awareness programme suited to the field, managing contractors and subcontractors, and cyber culture in an industrial setting. For HR and training managers, field team leaders, local security contacts and internal communications. No technical prerequisite.
Speaker to be confirmed
11h25–12h55
Emerging technologies for cyber resilienceRoom C — Innovation
AI and machine learning for anomaly detection, blockchain for traceability, secured industrial IoT, and partner solution demonstrations. For CIOs, CTOs, innovation leads, data and AI engineers and digitalisation project managers. Intermediate level.
Speaker to be confirmed
14h15–16h15
Crisis management exercise — "Opération Réseau Noir"Practical exercise
A collective table-top scenario: a coordinated attack hits a mine's SCADA system and an energy operator's distribution network at the same time. Split into crisis cells, participants receive a series of injects and decide against the clock. Alert and triage (30 min), situation analysis (40 min), weighing continuity of production against safety (30 min), crisis communication (20 min), debrief (30 min). Facilitator-led, with no real technical action on any system.
SkillClass Event facilitators and crisis management experts
16h30–17h15
Towards regional cooperation on mining and energy cybersecurityRound table
Creating a mining-and-energy sector ISAC, sharing incidents between operators, the role of states and regulators across the AES region and ECOWAS, and funding collective cyber resilience.
Mixed panel: government representatives, mining and energy executives, CERT experts, partners
17h15–17h35
Summary of the two daysPlenary
The forum's main points, recommendations and the next stages of the tour.
Dr Farell Folly, chair of the scientific committee
17h35–17h55
Closing address by the authorities and partnersCeremony
Adoption of the Ouagadougou Declaration on industrial cybersecurity in Africa, and announcement of the next stage of the tour in Abidjan.
Ministry representative and Mme Solange Gbaka
17h55–18h15
Certificates and trophiesCeremony
An official certificate for every participant, excellence trophies and the closing group photograph.

The programme may be adjusted slightly depending on speaker availability. The final version will be published fifteen days before the forum.

Practical information

Format: Two days · in person and online · 200+ decision-makers expected
Languages: French (official) · English
Dress code: Business attire — smart casual accepted
Connectivity: Dedicated high-speed Wi-Fi · a secure streaming link is sent to online registrants
Documentation: Speaker materials and forum proceedings available within seven days

Passes and registration

Choose the pass that matches your profile. Prices are per person, in CFA francs.

VIP pass
Everything in the Standard pass, plus the gala dinner, reserved front-row seating and privileged access to the speakers.
500 000 FCFA≈ 762 € · per person
Register
Standard pass
Full access: plenaries, parallel workshops, coffee breaks, lunches and the forum proceedings.
350 000 FCFA≈ 534 € · per person
Register
Institutional pass
Everything in the Standard pass. Reserved for government bodies, public institutions, state-owned companies and public operators in energy, mining or water.
250 000 FCFA≈ 381 € · per person
Register
Remote pass
Live digital access to the plenaries and the forum proceedings.
175 000 FCFA≈ 267 € · per person
Register
Student and researcher pass
Access to the plenaries and coffee breaks, on presentation of valid academic proof.
50 000 FCFA≈ 76 € · per person
Register

A 10% group discount applies to every pass from three participants registering together. Each participant receives their own named access.

Registering several colleagues, or have a question? Write to us.

Euro amounts are indicative only.

Scientific committee

Four practitioners and certifiers of industrial cybersecurity, based in Africa and Europe, underwrite the technical rigour and operational relevance of the programme.

Dr Farell Folly
Chair of the scientific committee
Senior Industrial Cybersecurity Expert, TÜV SÜD IS GmbH
- OT/ICS industrial cybersecurity
- IEC 62443
- ISO 27001 · NIS2
- Critical-infrastructure certification
A doctor in cybersecurity, polytechnic engineer and lieutenant-colonel (ret.), Farell Folly is an international leader and strategic adviser with twenty years of experience at the intersection of defence, national security, digital governance, emerging technologies and critical-infrastructure protection. His career combines government responsibilities, strategic industry leadership, diplomacy and international cooperation, scientific research and military command: he has served with or within the United Nations, US AFRICOM, ICANN, public administration and regulatory authorities, before taking global charge of a cybersecurity competence centre at TÜV SÜD. His work covers national and sector cybersecurity strategies, critical-infrastructure resilience, governance and regulation, industrial cybersecurity, cloud and AI. He has advised, assessed or supported major government, military and industrial organisations across aerospace, defence, nuclear, energy, oil and refining, in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He holds the CISSP, ISA/IEC 62443 and Google Cloud Professional Architect & Engineer certifications.
Cédric Ndong
CISO, Africa region
Eramet (Gabon)
- Mining cybersecurity
- Critical infrastructure
- Business continuity
- Industrial cyber risk
An expert in cybersecurity, audit and information-systems governance, Cédric Ndong draws on more than fifteen years of experience, including close to four years in IS audit at Ernst & Young in Paris and then Deloitte in Libreville, before holding the role of Africa CISO within the Eramet group. Founder of CN Consulting and of the Cybersecurity Forum in Gabon, he supports companies and institutions in IS audit, cyber-risk management, awareness and strengthening their digital resilience. A Mandela Washington Fellow, he combines the methodological rigour of international firms, hands-on operational experience and a deep understanding of Africa's digital challenges.
Olaya Bhaloul Ghenia
Director of Cybersecurity
STEG, Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (Tunisia)
- Energy cybersecurity
- Critical infrastructure
- ISO 27001
- Governance and data protection
A computer engineer holding an international MBA from Université Paris Dauphine, IAE Paris and Esprit Tunisie, Olaya Bhaloul Ghenia is a Tunisian executive specialising in cybersecurity and the protection of critical energy infrastructure. With more than twenty-eight years at STEG, she has built her career across information-systems audit, organisation, strategic planning and digital governance. She now leads information security at Tunisia's national electricity and gas operator, with particular attention to the cyber resilience of industrial infrastructure and the convergence of IT and OT environments. Certified CISO, CDPO and ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor and Lead Implementer, she also teaches at master's level and supervises final-year and research projects. Her work has been recognised internationally: named among the fifty women leaders in cybersecurity in Africa, she was one of three laureates of the WiCSME 2022 Women Cyber Security Executive distinction, and a finalist for Cybersecurity Woman of the Year in 2023.
Idy Demba Thiam
International industrial cybersecurity expert
Schneider Electric · Founder of CyberNum
- IEC/ISA 62443
- Industrial systems cybersecurity
- Control environments
- Industrial audit and compliance
A consultant in industrial cybersecurity and critical-infrastructure protection, founder of CYBERNUM (Dakar) and CYBER-4T (Paris), Idy Demba Thiam has fifteen years of experience with major industrial groups in energy, oil and gas, rail, automotive and defence — General Electric, Schneider Electric, Renault, Sagemcom, Bureau Veritas, SAR, CIE. A former embedded software developer and architect (SCADA, PLC, RTU, gateways, IoT), he works across strategy, governance, risk and compliance (IEC 62443, ISO/SAE 21434, RED, CRA, NIS 2) as well as security by design and SDLC. The first African certified as an IEC 62443 Expert, he is also CISSP and ISO 27001 certified. He served as technical cyber and digital adviser to Senegal's Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, where he coordinated the drafting of the New Deal Technologique.

Partnership & sponsorship

Africa is industrialising and digitalising its critical infrastructure at pace: automated mines, smart energy grids, connected agri-industrial processing chains, manufacturing sites run by industrial control systems, and the telecoms infrastructure that now underpins all of them.

That transformation brings growing exposure to cyber risk whose impact goes well beyond lost data: halted production, danger to people, and broken strategic supply chains.

CIIC AFRICA invites industrial companies, technology players, solution providers and institutions concerned with critical-infrastructure resilience to take part in an African effort of shared expertise and cooperation.

Partnerships can support brand visibility, participation in professional exchanges, and introductions to the sector's decision-makers and experts, on the terms set out in the sponsorship dossier.

Why become a partner?

Strategic visibility

Brand presence across every medium
Exposure to decision-makers
Media and digital coverage

Privileged access to key players

Mining, energy, oil and gas sectors
Security leaders
IT departments
Public institutions
Investors and partners

A platform for your expertise

Solution presentations
Speaking slots
Product demonstrations
B2B networking

The four partnership levels

Platinum1 places per stage
- Extra-large logo across all media
- Acknowledgement in plenary
- An expert speaking slot in plenary or workshop
- Two roll-up banners
- Large premium stand included
- Ten invitations, four of them to the VIP gala
Gold2 places per stage
- Large logo across media
- Acknowledgement in plenary
- An expert speaking slot in a workshop
- One roll-up banner
- Stand included
- Six invitations, three of them to the VIP gala
- Content on the digital hub
Silver3 places per stage
- Medium logo across media
- Acknowledgement in plenary
- Four invitations, two of them to the VIP gala
- Stand optional
Bronze4 places per stage
- Standard logo on the forum's media
- Two invitations, one of them to the VIP gala
- Stand optional

To appear across all communication materials, the partnership agreement must be signed before 16 February 2027.

Request the sponsorship pack

Solange Gbaka, forum director · contact.ciic@skillclassdigital.pro

Contact

For any question about the forum, write to us or give us a call.

Email: contact.ciic@skillclassdigital.pro
Telephone: +225 01 40 79 34 54
Telephone: +225 94 19 82 93

CIIC AFRICA

The forum

Main themes

Our editions

Programme

Day 1

Day 2

Practical information

Passes and registration

VIP pass

Standard pass

Institutional pass

Remote pass

Student and researcher pass

Scientific committee

Dr Farell Folly

Cédric Ndong

Olaya Bhaloul Ghenia

Idy Demba Thiam

Partnership & sponsorship

Why become a partner?

The four partnership levels

You can also sponsor

Contact