For example, Deloitte’s Nigeria Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 study8 shows that the country has faced significant emigration of its cybersecurity workforce – what Nigerians refer to as “japa syndrome”9 – leaving businesses scrambling to find talent to protect their operations against growing cyberthreats. Some data suggests that Nigeria has only around 8,000 cybersecurity professionals,10 despite having a population of more than 220 million. Similar challenges are faced by other African countries, including South Africa,11 but also experienced in other parts of the world such as the Philippines12 and across Latin America. In addition to the physical migration of the skilled cybersecurity workforce, many countries are also experiencing a virtual brain drain, where skilled professionals work remotely for international companies without leaving the country. Research suggests that 40% of South African developers work remotely for foreign businesses.13 As a result, fewer cybersecurity professionals are available to support local companies and public institutions. While a significant portion of the global cybersecurity talent pool is concentrated in the Global North, another challenge lies in the disparity between metropolitan and rural areas. The Washington DC metro area alone is home to 5% of the world’s cybersecurity professionals.14 Other significant cybersecurity talent hubs are also major technology and government centres, such as New York, London, Paris, Bangalore, the San Francisco Bay Area and Delhi. Similarly, in countries such as France, Germany and Poland, cybersecurity job opportunities are overwhelmingly concentrated in metropolitan areas, where leading enterprises and government institutions are based. In fact, 61% of cybersecurity job postings in these countries are located in major cities,15 reflecting the strong presence of finance, technology and professional services industries that typically cluster in urban centres. This urban concentration creates significant challenges for smaller cities and rural regions, which often struggle to attract and retain cybersecurity professionals, leaving critical industries and government services in these areas more vulnerable to cyberthreats. Against this backdrop, governments, companies and international organizations are putting much effort into building public–private partnerships (PPPs) to address cybersecurity challenges, including talent shortages. PPPs have already proven successful in other areas, such as healthcare and infrastructure development. In the context of digital skills development, notable examples of PPPs include a private telecommunications provider in Kenya16 partnering with UNESCO and the Eneza Foundation to launch a digital mentorship programme, providing STEM career guidance through television, radio and text messages. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, an edtech company in collaboration with the Ministry of Education has supported around a thousand teachers in their professional development through free online professional development courses, with an option to pay for certifications.17 While still nascent in the field of cybersecurity, by using the strengths of both sectors, PPPs can enable the creation of initiatives to cultivate home-grown cybersecurity talent and promote employment opportunities. Growing Cyber Talent Through Public–Private Partnerships 5

Growing Cyber Talent Through Public Private Partnerships 2025