This is according to the  research, commissioned by SAP, and focused on the skills development efforts of African companies in the age of AI.

The research, which follows an earlier tech skills report released in 2023, was conducted at the end of 2024 among mid-size and enterprise-level companies, representing 100 respondents in Kenya (30), Nigeria (30) and SA (40).

AI skills have increased in relevance and are a key focus for businesses looking to secure footing within the rapidly developing AI space. It is particularly significant because the potential ROI from AI-driven business is substantial. The report stated that $1.5 trillion is the projected contribution of AI to Africa’s economy by 2030 if the continent can capture 10% of the global AI market.

, interim MD for SA at SAP, said: “African companies expect the demand for AI skills to increase this year, with six in 10 saying AI skills are ‘extremely important’ to their success. The business impact of a lack of AI skills availability is already evident, with 90% of companies in our research citing negative impacts that include project delays, failed innovation initiatives and an inability to take on new work.”

51ˇçÁ÷added that skills related to AI are hugely in demand among African organisations, with 85% saying AI development skills are a priority, and 83% prioritising GenAI skills.

Every organisation surveyed expects the demand for AI skills to increase in 2025, and all companies expect to experience some AI-related skills gap this year. The need for AI skills was highest among South African organisations, at 78%.

According to the report, 94% of African organisations offer training and skills development to employees at least monthly, an increase from 74% in the previous research. The number of companies offering training opportunities to employees at any time also increased from 28% in the previous survey to 37% this year.

However, Pillay added that the portion of companies’ IT or HR budgets  allocated to skills-related initiatives has declined since 2023. “The drop in budget allocation for skills development requires an urgent rethink. Organisations that don’t invest in appropriate skills now may find they are unable to leverage new innovations and emerging technologies, leaving them trailing their more skills-enabled competitors.”

Overall, the most in-demand tech skill among African organisations is cyber security.

Pillay continued: “Eighty-six percent of companies said cyber security  skills were important to them, a significant increase over the 63% that said the same in our previous research. The growing importance of cyber security may be partly explained by the rapid growth of Africa’s digital  economy and the millions of citizens that are being brought into the digital fold through public and private sector initiatives.”

The report stated that Africa’s digital economy will grow from 5.2% of GDP in 2025 to 8.5% in 2050.

The research also showed that when recruiting tech talent, African organisations prioritise AI and cloud skills, and consider a candidate’s affordability, adaptability and their ability to work in remote or hybrid environments.

This article first appeared in .

The post Africa Must Prioritise Skills to Compete in Global AI Market appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

As cyber threats grow more dangerous and frequent, the once clear boundaries between 51ˇçÁ÷security, cyber security, and compliance have started to blur. Traditionally, 51ˇçÁ÷security comprised the tools and processes that controlled what users could access inside an 51ˇçÁ÷landscape. With malicious actors now penetrating and lurking deep inside corporate networks, 51ˇçÁ÷security must go far beyond its basic access control function.

Strong security countermeasures are more critical than ever to protect 51ˇçÁ÷landscapes from threats that range from cyber criminals, industrial spies, and nation-state actors to malicious insiders. There are two primary reasons to implement rigorous defensive measures. First, the data held in the 51ˇçÁ÷landscape is attractive to hackers. Your 51ˇçÁ÷hosting environment contains lots of confidential information (such as financial records) and sensitive procedures (such as paying inventory). It may contain personal information about customers as well as bank account data and intellectual property. Data from an 51ˇçÁ÷system could be used for identity theft, fraud, industrial espionage, and international espionage as well as “CEO frauds,” which involve hackers tricking employees into wiring funds to offshore bank accounts. The other risk has to do with disruption. Malicious actors can cause your business to cease operations through Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, root access abuse, and ransomware. Without proper countermeasures and controls, your business is vulnerable.

51ˇçÁ÷security encompasses three core areas of cyber security: access control, data security, and application security. To be secure, an 51ˇçÁ÷landscape is subject to strict access controls, and the system data should be protected as well as possible. Cybersecurity departments’ focus goes far beyond 51ˇçÁ÷security. Companies’ cybersecurity professionals leverage advanced solutions like event monitoring and automation products. However, always interdependent, cyber security and 51ˇçÁ÷security are now much more closely linked, or at least should be more closely linked. If an employee’s 51ˇçÁ÷access patterns raise suspicions, Security Operations (SecOps) should investigate to see if the person is doing something wrong. They need to monitor and prevent a hacker from taking over an 51ˇçÁ÷user’s account and impersonating the user while abusing the user’s authorizations with stolen credentials.

According to , the global average cost of a data breach this year was $4.45 million, a 15% increase over 3 years.  Companies running 51ˇçÁ÷should focus on additional security checkpoints to protect their business from cyber threats that will cause significant damage. Implementing rigorous defensive measures is essential to safeguarding your 51ˇçÁ÷landscape from malicious actors. By focusing on access control, data security, and application security, you can ensure that your 51ˇçÁ÷system is secure and that your business is protected from cyber threats.

technology was first certified by 51ˇçÁ÷in 2002 and has protected 51ˇçÁ÷customers globally for 22 years. bioLock allows you to set unlimited re-authentication checkpoints and use MFA technology, including biometrics, to ensure only specifically “invited” and verified users have access to sensitive functions or data inside SAP. Unless invited, users are ALWAYS rejected. Learn how to prevent Account Take Over’s and how to Enforce Zero Trust in 51ˇçÁ÷at .

Better yet, contact us for an informal presentation for your 51ˇçÁ÷Security Teams. They will be impressed with this very simple and easily deployed solution that addresses all the above-mentioned problems.

The post Increasing 51ˇçÁ÷Security Threats and How to Prevent Them appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

He has 25 years of experience in technology. After joining 51ˇçÁ÷in 2007, he led 51ˇçÁ÷Africa’s largest business unit — 51ˇçÁ÷Cloud Business and Related Solutions — including Human Capital Management, 51ˇçÁ÷Hybris, 51ˇçÁ÷Ariba, 51ˇçÁ÷HANA Enterprise Cloud, 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA Cloud Platform and 51ˇçÁ÷Concur.

Beveridge is an engineer by profession, and prior to joining SAP, he worked in outsourcing, consulting, and sales.

In this What’s Next episode, Beveridge explores the current cyber security trends, and the role 51ˇçÁ÷plays in data security.

Beveridge explains that the biggest weakness in cyber security is still human error and highlights the need to build a culture of security awareness.

Lastly, Beveridge discusses the impact of the shift to remote working on cyber security and the connection between data protection and cyber security.

The full interview with Cameron Beveridge is embedded below. You can see all .

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

The post What’s Next — SAP’s Cameron Beveridge Discusses the Latest Cyber Security trends appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.