The GITEX Africa forum, Africa’s leading technology exhibition and networking platform scheduled for Marrakech, Morocco, is expected to witness the participation of global technology and cybersecurity experts. The kingdom was listed as the top target for cyberattacks in 2022.
Africa’s rapid technological advancements and burgeoning appetite for innovation have positioned it as a crucial growth frontier for tech companies.
The annual GITEX Africa showcase, scheduled for May 31 to June 2, 2023 in Marrakech, Morocco, offers international tech giants a unique opportunity to tap into the continent’s untapped digital ecosystem and meet the ever-changing needs of the region.
More than 400 companies from the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East are expected to present their services and technological solutions, particularly against cyberattacks. In total, more than 900 exhibitors and startups will be present at GITEX Africa organized in Morocco.
As an emerging economic power, Morocco has also seen its fair share of cyber-attacks over the past two years, recording one of the highest numbers of cyber-extortion schemes in Africa, with 69% of cyber-extortion schemes. Extortion Detected in 2022, According to Interpol’s Cyber Threat Assessment Report.
The report also showed that South Africa ranked second after Morocco with 6,560 detected attacks, closely followed by Nigeria with 5,366 cases as cybercriminals deploy sophisticated cyberattacks in the form of malware.
As part of its GITEX Africa showcase, companies like Acronis, a company specializing in cyber protection, announced that it will highlight their latest technological advances, like the Acronis Advanced Security + Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) recently unveiled for Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud.
“With new features such as AI-based attack analysis, Acronis EDR reduces complexity and simplifies workflows for more streamlined operation, enabling MSPs and the enterprises they serve to deploy more comprehensive security and data protection easily than ever before,” says a statement from Acronis.
As part of its participation, Acronis will also seek to develop crucial regional partnerships aimed at helping companies in the region make significant progress in their digital transformation efforts, the same source continues.
“We are delighted to be among the first technology companies to participate in the inaugural GITEX Africa exhibition. From our experience with GITEX Dubai, the very first GITEX showpiece in Africa comes at a time when the region is experiencing increased digital transformation. This growing trend has, in turn, exposed businesses to many challenges, especially in terms of cyber protection. This is why we have made a conscious decision to redouble our efforts in this region by consolidating our presence and expertise in cyber protection in key markets, including South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda with Kenya and Morocco also in our short-term expansion plan,” said Peter French, managing director, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, of the company, quoted in the press release.