A Multi-Tiered Framework for AI-Driven Cybersecurity Governance in Africa: Pathways to Cyber Resilience and Sustainable Development

Africa's rapid digital transformation has substantially outpaced cybersecurity governance, exposing critical systems to escalating threats that cost the continent several billion dollars annually. Despite the defensive potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), existing frameworks are designed for mature economies and offer limited guidance for African contexts characterized by infrastructure deficits, regulatory fragmentation, skills constraints and limited training data. This study presents a conceptual, multi-tiered strategic framework for integrating AI-driven cybersecurity into African governance systems across national, sectoral and organizational levels. Drawing on a systematic literature synthesis, comparative analysis of emerging economy implementations and validation consultations with cybersecurity practitioners and policy advisors in Africa, three principal findings emerge. Effective AI-driven cybersecurity depends more on governance structures, institutional capacity and ethical oversight rather than on technological sophistication alone. The study recommends coordinated, multi-stakeholder action across all three governance tiers simultaneously, grounded in shared commitments to trust, ethics and integration with existing institutional infrastructure. Policymakers, industry leaders and researchers are urged to position cybersecurity not as a technical afterthought but as a foundational enabler of inclusive and sustainable digital development across Africa.