The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$6.5 million loan to help Jamaica strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, benefiting over 2.8 million people by improving the resilience of public institutions and critical infrastructure against cyber threats. Including US$3.5 million in counterpart funding, the total US$10 million operation will support the modernization of cybersecurity governance, enhance incident response capabilities, and expand Jamaica’s pool of specialized cybersecurity professionals.
Cyberattacks in Jamaica have surged, with more than 34 million attempted attacks reported in the first half of 2025 alone. The IDB-financed project aims to address these vulnerabilities by implementing a national critical infrastructure protection strategy and bolstering the government’s cybersecurity response systems.
The program will also focus on cybersecurity awareness and training for public sector and critical infrastructure professionals. It will support the development of cybersecurity curricula for primary and secondary schools and improve accreditation standards for university-level programs.
Direct beneficiaries of the initiative include 15 scholarship recipients for postsecondary cybersecurity studies, approximately 225 students enrolled in enhanced university programs, and 25 government and infrastructure professionals receiving specialized training.
The project aligns with Jamaica’s Vision 2030 development plan and the National Cybersecurity Strategy while contributing to the IDB Group’s institutional priorities of promoting digital transformation, strengthening institutional capacity, and enhancing citizen security. It also supports the regional program ONE Caribbean.
This marks the third IDB loan operation focused exclusively on cybersecurity, following similar initiatives in Uruguay and Argentina, reflecting the Bank’s commitment to building resilient digital infrastructure across the region.
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