CyberSafe and SANS Launch AI Security Fellowship for Women in Africa

• •Ten fellowships awarded to women in cybersecurity across Africa.
• •Training covers four AI security courses and two GIAC certifications.
• •Program addresses a significant skills shortage in sub-Saharan Africa.

The CyberSafe Foundation and SANS Institute have initiated an AI security fellowship aimed at women cybersecurity professionals in Africa. The fellowship, which requires applicants to have at least three years of cybersecurity experience but no prior AI background, will award ten fellowships covering a four-course SANS AI security curriculum and two GIAC certifications. This initiative responds to a reported 63% shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals in sub-Saharan Africa, as noted in the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026. The training program will run from October 21, 2026, to July 30, 2027, and is designed to enhance skills specifically in AI security. The fellowship builds on a previous pilot program launched in 2025 that trained ten CyberGirls Fellowship alumni. The program aims to remove financial barriers for participants, allowing them to specialize in an area of cybersecurity. Confidence Staveley, the Founder of CyberSafe Foundation, emphasized the importance of this fellowship in advancing women's careers in cybersecurity.