Ivory Coast is hosting its first national cyber crisis simulation on Wednesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 29, 2026, in Abidjan. This exercise aims to test the ability of public and private actors to coordinate their response to a large-scale digital attack.
Named CYBER.EX 2026, the event is expected to bring together more than 800 participants at the Radisson Blu in Abidjan. It is organized by the National Agency for Information Systems Security under the supervision of the Ministry of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation.
Participants must work on a reconstructed scenario involving three sectors deemed critical: energy, information and communication technologies, and finance. The exercise does not correspond to a real attack and is designed to place teams in conditions close to a major crisis.
ANSSI thus intends to verify the national mechanisms for detection and response, business continuity, as well as coordination between the State, critical infrastructure operators, and the private sector. The organizers also aim to identify technical, human, and organizational weaknesses before they can be exploited during a real incident.
The program brings together decision-makers, information system managers, technical experts, and students. It includes crisis management sessions, technical demonstrations, training activities, and a showcase of young digital talents.
Created by the decree of October 30, 2024, ANSSI is responsible for coordinating national cybersecurity and protecting public and private information systems as well as critical infrastructures. CYBER.EX operates while the agency prepares the national cybersecurity strategy covering the period from 2026 to 2030 following the evaluation of the previous framework.
The event takes place in person over two days. ANSSI indicates that only the opening ceremony and the masterclass are to be broadcast live on its official page.
