Modern security teams are consumed with identity and access management, device management, ransomware threats, phishing attacks, awareness training, privacy and compliance.

Due to a pervasive cybersecurity skills shortage, these teams are often stretched thin. In fact, ‘cybersecurity skills’ were the most in-demand among African organisations in SAP’s latest  report, with 86% of companies citing demand.

Organisations know they should keep systems up to date. But all too often, updates are postponed in favour of more immediate priorities, leading to potentially costly delays.

Very costly. A Harvard Business School publication notes that the devastating cyberattacks on the UK’s National Health Service and credit bureau Equifax .

‘Outdated’ explained

Outdated software – referring to applications, platforms or operating systems that have not received critical updates or patches despite newer versions being available – is one of the most persistent and preventable security risks for modern enterprises.

Outdated software also includes software that has reached end-of-life, meaning it is no longer supported by the vendor through security patches and bug fixes. For example, a surprisingly large number of well-known companies , despite those operating systems no longer being supported by the vendors.

Businesses often run these older versions of software out of habit, or due to perceived cost savings. Others fear the disruption of change and hope to avoid costly downtime and change management. But these savings are superficial – the cost of a breach will always outweigh the cost of keeping software updated, especially as .

Reducing risk

Failing to maintain software updates exposes companies to a range of risks, including:

• Known vulnerabilities go unpatched – Every software product has vulnerabilities, but what matters is how quickly they’re fixed. Software vendors actively monitor and patch these flaws. However, once support ends, so does the protection. Cybercriminals actively target known exploits in unpatched software. Since some of these vulnerabilities are widely documented, they risk being exploited if left unresolved.
• Incompatibility with modern defences – Cybersecurity doesn’t stand still. Encryption methods evolve. Firewalls improve. Detection tools become smarter. Outdated software struggles to integrate with these advancements, weakening your security posture across the board. Companies could be investing in the latest cyber defences, but if their legacy apps can’t support them, they remain exposed to significant risk.
• Standing defenceless against new threats – The threat landscape changes daily. Attackers are constantly developing new techniques, from zero-day exploits to advanced phishing campaigns. Unsupported software doesn’t get the updates needed to recognise or defend against these evolving threats.
• The inevitability of data breaches – Once attackers exploit a vulnerability, this can lead to a total compromise of the entire landscape. Personal data, financial records, and customer information all become potential targets. And in the modern threat landscape, it’s not a matter of if a company will suffer a data breach, but when. When a breach occurs, the consequences can be severe: reputational damage, regulatory fines, legal action, operational downtime and financial losses compound the misery. And these aren’t theoretical risks – they’re playing out in boardrooms across the continent.

Staying secure

Keeping the enterprise secure requires a proactive approach that includes a strong focus on maintaining up-to-date software as well as a layered security strategy. Organisations should take note of the following best practices to secure against unnecessary cyber risk:

• Modernise where it matters – Organisations using end-of-life or unpatched software should transition to supported systems. While upgrades may cause some disruption, the risk of a breach is far greater and harder to control.
• Stay current on patches – Even supported software can be vulnerable if it’s not updated. Organisations must ensure their IT teams have a clear process for applying patches and updates in a timely and controlled manner.
• Conduct regular security audits – It’s unwise to wait for an incident before identifying a security gap. Regular vulnerability assessments can identify outdated systems, missed patches, and other blind spots in the enterprise environment, giving organisations the opportunity to fix them before they’re found by someone else.

Technology isn’t static, and neither are cyber threats. The tools and systems companies rely on must evolve alongside them or they become the weak link in an otherwise strong chain. Outdated software might not grab headlines like a major data breach, but all too often, it’s what causes one.

If cybersecurity is a board-level concern (and it should be), then software maintenance must be a strategic priority. In a world of rising threats, staying up to date isn’t just good practice for African enterprises, it’s a critical defence.

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“Organisations are leveraging powerful business AI capabilities to achieve greater efficiency, improve decision-making, support innovation and unlock new market opportunities. By building AI into their core business processes, from finance to supply chain, HR and procurement, African enterprises can increase their performance across a range of activities and unleash a new wave of innovation potential.”

Analysts estimate that GenAI could add between $2.6-trillion and $4.4-trillion in productivity gains annually. A separate study predicts AI will contribute up to $15.7-trillion to the global economy by the end of the decade.

, Deputy Group CEO, , says the time for AI-powered innovation is now as Africa is reshaped by rapid technological advances. “Eleven of the twenty fastest-growing economies in 2024 are in Africa, spurred on by innovation across a range of industries and use cases. The continent also boasts a vibrant startup ecosystem with a growing list of innovative companies addressing issues ranging from clean energy, e-commerce, health and financial services. The entry of business AI solutions will likely accelerate these innovation efforts and speed up time to market for a growing list of new solutions.”

Strong business case for AI in Africa

Karageorgiades believes there is a strong business case for AI within African enterprises, most notably as a tool for accelerated decision-making. “Enterprises that leverage business AI to enhance decision-making gain greater competitiveness, increased operational efficiency, and more powerful innovation capabilities. Provided there is a strong alignment with broader business objectives, organisations can confidently make use of AI as a key business driver.”

Gumede also notes the opportunity for African enterprises to leverage broader digital transformation as a growth driver.

“Improved internet penetration thanks largely to the proliferation of mobile technologies is connecting African companies to more customers than ever before. By developing mobile apps, e-commerce platforms and digital services tailored to the unique needs of local businesses and consumers, enterprises can unlock new market opportunities while enhancing their customer engagement efforts.”

In addition, Gumede believes business AI solutions will enable new productivity gains, empowering employees with capabilities that can make their job functions more efficient and effective.

“Considering our continent’s unique landscape, organisations must localise emerging technologies such as AI to ensure they meet the needs of local companies and customers. Care should also be taken to ensure organisations have the necessary technology infrastructure in place to truly unlock the full value from their AI investments.”

Unleashing business AI potential

Despite interest in AI reaching unprecedented levels over the past two years, some questions still remain over its enterprise readiness. Karageorgiades explains that poorly trained AI solutions could become a liability to the business, instead of an asset.

“The tendency of AI solutions to hallucinate – where the algorithm produces false information in response to user prompts – poses a direct risk to enterprises that business leaders cannot ignore. An AI solution is only a good as the data it is trained on, making a strong case for companies to invest in comprehensive data setup, data strategy, and governance capabilities.”

Gumede adds that organisations that focus on quality data will achieve more effective decision-making capabilities. “The hype around AI is settled; now it’s about the practical implementation. African enterprises are currently exploring the role that AI could play in supporting their sustainability efforts, bringing greater stability to their supply chains, and improving the business’ ability to sense, recognise and respond to disruptions or opportunities in novel ways.”

Enterprise-grade business AI solutions such as SAP’s , which draws on the trusted data of enterprise resource planning platform, are more suited to powering the innovation and efficiency gains that African enterprises seek. According to Karageorgiades, businesses also benefit from higher levels of collaboration when users trust the output of their AI-powered applications.

“Business AI solutions that draw on trusted, accurate and real-time information about the business deliver actionable insights that support business users in fulfilling essential work tasks faster and with fewer errors. While we are still in the early days of understanding the true potential of AI in modern enterprises, any business that seeks to benefit from this emerging technology must take care to train their AI solutions only on trusted business data.”

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

This is the view of Valencia Karageorgiades, Technology Architect at 51·çÁ÷Africa, who says implementing new software within an organisation is a major undertaking that requires a significant investment of time, effort and resources.

“While the software itself plays a vital role in modernising operations and enhancing efficiency, it is equally important to pay sufficient attention to the human element of digital transformation. This requires appropriate and ongoing investment in change management, training and processes to ensure the technology investment delivers the desired outcomes.”

Digital transformation spend to double by 2026

Investment in digital transformation initiatives continues to grow as organisations increasingly recognise the need for improved efficiency and enhanced innovation capability. total global spend on digital transformation will more than double between 2022 and 2026, reaching $3.4-trillion by 2026.

“Organisations are investing more than ever in technologies that unlock new opportunities and efficiencies, and help drive the business forward,” says Karageorgiades. “In light of a challenging global business environment, such investments can help organisations stabilise their supply chains, improve their hiring and talent retention efforts, unlock new markets and optimise spend, all contributing to the overall success of the business.”

Improved change management needed

However, despite the significant investment in digital transformation projects, fewer than one in three digital transformation initiatives succeed, according to McKinsey data.

“Poor change management is often a major contributing factor to poor outcomes with digital transformation,” says Karageorgiades. “ indicates that half of all change management initiatives fail, and only one in three are clear successes. Organisations can therefore make a marked improvement in the quality of outcomes from their digital transformation efforts by investing in effective change management.”

Appropriate investment in change management skills is also required to ensure the business has sufficient capability to drive successful digital transformation outcomes. found that only 18% of African business decision-makers consider change management as an in-demand skill in their organisation.

“Organisations must take steps to build sufficient change management expertise and capacity to support technology investments and unlock the immense benefits of their digital transformation project,” says Karageorgiades. “Understanding and following a few best practices can go a long way to enhancing organisations’ change management efforts.”

Karageorgiades recommends organisations follow four best practices to enhance the quality of their technology implementation and achieve positive business outcomes:

1 Focus on process efficiency

While software can automate and streamline various processes, Karageorgiades says it is crucial to first establish well-defined processes for your business before implementing the new technology.

“Rushing into software implementations without first assessing and optimising existing processes can lead to organisations duplicating those same inefficiencies and outdated practices. Instead, organisations should take time to identify bottlenecks, eliminate redundancies, and align with industry best practices through the use of best-practice templates and other tools.”

2 Train, train, train

The success of any software implementation project relies heavily on how users adopt the new tools and capabilities. “Even the most advanced software will not deliver the intended benefits if users do not embrace it. Training is critical to facilitating user adoption and improving the confidence of employees with using the new system.”

Karageorgiades adds that, without investment in comprehensive and ongoing training, employees may not understand the software’s features, functionality and benefits. “By equipping employees with the necessary skills and knowledge, organisations empower their workforce to handle any issues that may arise, reducing the chances of costly errors or downtime.”

3 Seek a smooth transition

The introduction of new software brings about significant change in an organisation’s processes, which can be challenging for employees. Karageorgiades says a lack of change management often causes employees to struggle to adapt to the new system, leading to resistance, lower productivity, and elevated levels of frustration.

“By engaging employees right from the start of the project and supporting them throughout the implementation and into adoption, organisations create a sense of inclusivity and excitement for the project. This can significantly improve the rollout of the implementation project, reduce the time-to-value, and increase the benefits achieved.”

Karageorgiades adds that effective change management requires a clear vision, ongoing involvement from all layers of the organisation, and sufficient support throughout. “A CIO that invests a sufficient amount in change management can deliver their projects on time, within budget, and with the added benefit of a fully-engaged workforce that has embraced the new capabilities and can drive the business strategy forward.”

4 Sustain long-term success

Karageorgiades says the most successful modern software implementation and digital transformation projects don’t just focus on short-term goals, but rather a sustained, long-term strategy of continuous innovation and improvement.

“Organisations that can sustain their investment in change management, training, and upskilling can ensure they maximise the benefits from their investment. By fostering a culture of learning and improvement, and removing the fear of change, organisations will be better able to evolve with their technology investment and more easily capitalise on emerging opportunities.”

Overall, investing time, effort and resources in change management efforts ensures a smoother transition, maximises user adoption, streamlines processes, mitigates risks and sustains long-term success. “By recognising the importance of these elements and incorporating them into the implementation strategy, organisations can unlock the full potential of their technology investment and drive meaningful business outcomes,” says Karageorgiades.

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