Civil society organizations (CSOs) in West Africa are increasingly confronting challenges that extend beyond physical spaces, as the struggle for civic space moves into the digital realm. Facing a surge in cyberattacks, misinformation, and emerging threats from artificial intelligence, these groups are taking action to strengthen their online resilience. In September, organizations from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire came together for two workshops under the Digital Security & Resilience Deep Dive for Civil Society in West Africa, funded by the Ford Foundation. The sessions aimed to equip participants with the necessary tools to safeguard their digital environments and continue their advocacy securely.
The initiative built upon earlier projects that focused on enhancing digital security and rights advocacy among CSOs in the region. These previous interventions laid a strong foundation, enabling participating organizations to improve their operational security and amplify their voices in digital advocacy.
From 1 to 4 September in Abidjan, and again from 8 to 11 September in Nigeria, representatives from organizations across Guinea, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria deepened their understanding of digital security, organizational resilience, and responsible technology use. Participants received hands-on training to develop digital security policies, response plans, and tailor-made tools for safer operations. The sessions also explored legal frameworks around digital rights and emphasized the importance of addressing new risks posed by technologies such as AI.
Participants reflected on the urgency of adapting to an evolving digital landscape. Many acknowledged the workshops’ value in bridging gaps between theory and practice, fostering collaboration, and sparking collective solutions. They also emphasized their responsibility to share newfound knowledge. Several attendees committed to disseminating lessons learned within their communities through staff training sessions and public awareness campaigns, including radio programs focused on online safety.
A notable component of the initiative was its Train-the-Trainer model, designed to sustain impact by enabling participants to pass on their digital security expertise to others. By the end of the workshops, organizations reported stronger confidence in tackling cyber threats, clearer guidelines on ethical AI use, and an expanded network of peers across West Africa.
For the organizers and participants alike, the message was clear: as civic spaces shrink, defending digital territory has become critical. Protecting online spaces is no longer optional—it is essential to ensuring that civil society voices continue to be heard and that communities remain empowered in an increasingly digital world.
