JA Africa Launches Free CyberSmart Security Course
The bilingual program offers training on digital safety to mitigate rising cybercrime losses across the continent.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Cybersecurity
Live Poll
Do you feel confident in your ability to identify and avoid common online fraud and scams?
JA Africa has launched CyberSmart, a free bilingual digital security course designed to equip young people with essential cyber safety skills. The curriculum consists of three modules that use local scenarios and African characters to teach practical protection strategies.
Why it matters
The program addresses a sharp surge in digital fraud, as reported cybercrime losses across Africa increased from US$192 million in 2024 to US$484 million in 2025. With AI involved in 55% of cases, the initiative aims to bridge the gap in digital safety education.
The course is hosted on the JA Africa Skills Lab platform, which has supported over 100,000 users since 2020. The curriculum focuses on threats like mobile money fraud, currently identified as a major security challenge by 97% of responding countries.
The players
JA Africa
An educational non-profit operating in 23 countries that focuses on youth development, financial literacy, and digital skills.
The details
CyberSmart utilizes a modular architecture featuring video tutorials and interactive quizzes designed for internet-enabled devices. The content employs localized scenarios and African characters to contextualize digital safety habits, providing a framework for identifying online threats. This approach is intended to mitigate risks specifically associated with AI-driven cybercrime and financial fraud, which now dominate the regional threat landscape.
Timeline
2020: JA Africa Skills Lab platform reaches 100,000 young people.
2024-2025: Reported cybercrime losses rise from US$192 million to US$484 million.
2025: Cybercrime causes US$5 billion in economic damage across Africa.
October 16, 2026: JA Africa launches the CyberSmart digital security course.
The Tech Race
JA Africa is scaling its existing Skills Lab infrastructure to combat the rapid professionalization of digital crime in the region. The launch represents a shift toward localized defensive education to counter AI-enabled attacks that now account for more than half of all reported cases.
Young people can access the free, bilingual course immediately on internet-enabled devices via the JA Africa portal. The curriculum is designed to be integrated into schools and youth learning spaces to provide practical defense strategies against mobile money fraud.
The takeaway
The program provides a foundation for youth digital literacy as cybercrime damages hit US$5 billion annually. Educators and community leaders should monitor the integration of these modules into local curricula to gauge their impact on mobile money security awareness.
Further reading
For broader trends in regional digital threats, visit Cybersecurity.
More information
Enroll in the modules on the CyberSmart free course enrollment portal.
Live Poll
Do you feel confident in your ability to identify and avoid common online fraud and scams?
