Cisco Systems has partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to construct the Pan-African Cyber Threat Intelligence Exchange, a $500 million collaborative defense framework interconnecting 32 national central banks.

As intra-African trade accelerates under the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the defense shield leverages AI threat analysis to intercept financial cyberattacks, ransomware, and unauthorized state-sponsored surveillance.

Cisco will also fund regional security operation centers in Abidjan, Nairobi, and Kigali, providing accredited defensive cybersecurity apprenticeships to 25,000 young professionals across the continent.