• Madagascar launched the process to draft its national cybersecurity strategy.
• Authorities aim to finalize the framework within three months.
• The strategy will update a cybersecurity law adopted in 2014.

Madagascar continues to structure its digital ecosystem after creating a national cybersecurity body in 2023. Authorities now focus on establishing a legal and strategic framework to protect systems and data amid rising cybercrime.

The Malagasy government formally launched the process to develop its national cybersecurity strategy last week following a kickoff workshop held in Antananarivo.

The event brought together public authorities, digital experts and technical partners. Officials presented the initiative as a key step toward securing the country’s digital space as digital usage expands across public administration, financial services and the broader economy.

“The stakeholders committed to finalizing this national cybersecurity strategy within three months,” said Eric Nirina Rakotomaniraka, head of the digital incident response team at the Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT).

He said the strategy will address key areas, including online child protection, combating gender-based cyber violence, digital justice, and international cooperation in cases of cyberattacks or data breaches.

On an operational level, the future strategy aims to structure cyber incident prevention, detection and response.

The document plans to strengthen national digital forensic capabilities, improve coordination between public institutions and private-sector actors, and support local skills development. Authorities also intend to use the strategy as a foundation to update the regulatory framework, as the 2014 cybersecurity law increasingly fails to reflect evolving technologies and threats.

The initiative comes as digital usage expands but information systems remain fragile. According to the Digital 2025 report, Madagascar counted approximately 6.6 million internet users in 2025, representing just over 20% of the population, a level that remains modest but continues to rise steadily.

At the same time, Madagascar faces limited cybersecurity capacity. The International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 ranks the country in Tier 4 out of five.

This classification reflects significant gaps, particularly in technical infrastructure, institutional coordination, skills development and international cooperation.

Authorities expect the national cybersecurity strategy to strengthen protection of digital infrastructure, increase citizen and investor confidence in digital services, and support Madagascar’s broader digital transformation.

By laying the foundations for stronger digital sovereignty, the government aims to create a safer environment for innovation, online public services and the country’s integration into regional and global digital ecosystems.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Orange Money Group and Visa signed a strategic partnership to expand access to online payments in Africa and the Middle East.
• The partnership integrates a virtual Visa card into Orange Money’s ecosystem via the Max it app.
• Orange Money operates more than 45 million active accounts across 17 African countries.

Online payments continue to expand rapidly in Africa, driven by the rise of mobile services and e-commerce. However, limited access to secure and interoperable digital payment tools still constrains financial inclusion for a large share of the population.

Orange Money Group and Visa announced on Friday, December 12, in Casablanca that they signed a strategic partnership to facilitate online payments and strengthen financial inclusion across Africa and the Middle East. The collaboration aims to broaden the use of digital financial services as e-commerce and cashless payments accelerate across the region.

Speaking at the announcement, Orange Money Group Chief Executive Officer Thierry Millet said the partnership marks a key milestone in the group’s strategy. “From now on, individuals and entrepreneurs can create their virtual Visa card in seconds and pay online internationally across the entire Visa network. This first step in our strategic partnership brings Orange Money closer to a clear objective: becoming a payment method accepted everywhere, from major e-commerce platforms to local merchants,” he said.

Operationally, the partnership centers on integrating a Visa virtual card directly into the Orange Money ecosystem through the Max it application. Users can generate their card in a few clicks, fund it from their mobile wallet and pay for online purchases on local and international websites. Orange Money initially rolled out the solution in pilot markets such as Botswana, Madagascar and Jordan. The company has since introduced the service in Côte d’Ivoire and plans to expand it to additional countries, including Guinea, Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Orange Money also plans to launch a physical version of the card to support broader use cases.

The initiative comes as Africa consolidates its position as a global engine of mobile money growth. According to GSMA data, the continent recorded more than one billion registered mobile money accounts in 2024 and accounted for over 70% of global mobile money transactions. At the same time, e-commerce continues to grow, supported by rising internet and smartphone penetration, although limited access to international online payment methods still restrains adoption. By combining Visa’s global acceptance network with Orange Money’s strong local footprint, the partnership aims to address this structural gap.

By leveraging Orange Money’s local presence — with more than 45 million active accounts across 17 African countries — and Visa’s international acceptance network, the partnership could help narrow the digital payments divide. Over time, it aims to integrate millions of users and small businesses into the digital economy by providing payment tools aligned with the requirements of online commerce while reinforcing financial inclusion across the continent.

Samira Njoya

• The Health Ministry will deploy a national digital platform to coordinate patient transfers between hospitals.

• The system will impose a maximum 48-hour response time for urgent transfer requests.

• The platform integrates with ground and air medical transport services, including the Civil Protection and Air Algérie.

Algeria’s government continues to expand its national digitalization agenda, which now extends to the health sector where needs remain critical. Authorities aim to modernize essential services and improve continuity of care across the country.

The Health Ministry plans to launch a digital platform to organize patient transfers between hospitals. Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Aït Messaoudene announced the initiative on Thursday, 11 December, during a presentation before the Council of the Nation. The platform seeks to streamline a process that remains complex, especially in southern and High Plateaus provinces where access to specialized care remains limited.

The system will establish a fully digital workflow for filing, tracking and validating transfer requests, which are currently processed through multiple uncoordinated channels. The minister said these operations follow a strict regulatory framework requiring each request to be reviewed within reasonable timelines. He added that urgent cases must receive “a maximum response time of 48 hours.”

This project forms part of Algeria’s 2030 national digital transformation strategy, which prioritizes the modernization of public services. It comes as authorities seek to improve continuity of care across a vast territory with significant geographic disparities. Southern provinces, which represent more than 80% of Algeria’s land area, continue to face limited access to several medical specialties, making transfers essential for cases requiring advanced expertise.

The platform will automate several key steps, from registering requests to verifying medical criteria and transmitting files to the teams responsible for evaluation. It will also track compliance with response deadlines and facilitate the activation of emergency protocols when needed.

The system will connect to all medical transport services, including ground ambulances and air evacuation units operated by the Civil Protection, Air Algérie, and, in the most critical situations, the Algerian Air Force.

The transfer-management platform aligns with Algeria’s broader effort to digitize its health system. The government is deploying the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), establishing the National Agency for Health Digitalization (ANNS), expanding telemedicine, and adopting new national cloud solutions for hosting health data.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum