NCSA partners with telecom industry to enhance cybersecurity

The National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA) on Thursday, 22 October 2026, brought together leaders from Rwanda’s telecommunications and internet service provider (ISP) industry for the Securing Rwanda’s Connectivity workshop at the CyberHub in Kigali.

The event featured the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between NCSA and telecom operators MTN Rwanda and Airtel Rwanda, to build cybersecurity capacity and support the CyberHub in producing top talent for the industry.

Welcoming participants to the workshop, NCSA Chief Executive Officer David Kanamugire appreciated telecoms and internet service providers for their commitment to building cyber resilience. He added that telecom operators and ISPs are the backbone of Rwanda’s digital economy and that their resilience directly shapes the security of government services, businesses and the millions of citizens who connect every day. 

In his opening remarks, the Director General of the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), Mr Evariste Rugigana, noted that protecting connectivity infrastructure is not an option but a national priority. He encouraged participants to use the workshop to focus on key practical outcomes that will build the cyber resilience of the telecom and ISP sector.

Guest speaker Dr. Sarah Zheng, Senior Research Fellow at the Dawes Centre for Future Crime - University College London (UCL), gave a presentation on her book 'The Psychology of Cybersecurity: Hacking and the Human Mind'. She discussed the human factors that contribute to cyber incidents and how organizations can build cyber resilience in an evolving threat landscape.

A panel discussion on strengthening cyber resilience in the telecom and ISP sector followed, bringing together Mr Charles Gahungu of RURA; Mr Gilbert Kayinamura, Chief Executive Officer of Broadband Systems Corporation (BSC); Mr Monzer Ali, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Rwanda; and Mr Sujay Chakrabarti, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Rwanda.

Panellists discussed the growing sophistication of threats targeting telecom infrastructure, from network intrusions to SIM-swap fraud and mobile money scams, and the need for faster information sharing between operators, regulators and NCSA when incidents occur.

The event concluded with the signing of the two MoUs between NCSA and MTN Rwanda, and between NCSA and Airtel Rwanda. Both agreements focus on cybersecurity capacity building, including training, internships and career opportunities for CyberHub students and graduates.