Participation of Cybersecurity Practitioners in a Cybersecurity CoP in Africa

The cybersecurity gap remains a concern for most countries, particularly those in Africa where economic development and evolving digital landscape make it a prime target for cyberattacks. This study proposes the use of a cybersecurity community of practice (CoP) to supplement existing strategies targeting cybersecurity threats. Whilst studies on how to create and implement a cybersecurity CoP are starting to emerge, there remains limited focus on how to improve member participation in a CoP, or studies on how members develop a sense of community, and what effect this may have on interaction and learning. Such understanding is necessary not only for the continuity of the CoP but also for the core goal of knowledge creation and sharing, learning and collaboration. Using qualitative enquiry methods, with semi-structured interviews as a means of data collection from cybersecurity practitioners engaged in a CoP, this study sought to understand what factors influence participation of cybersecurity practitioners in a cybersecurity CoP within the African setting. The findings show that participation of cybersecurity practitioners in a CoP is explained by six factors: low cybersecurity talent pool, content development, overworked and stressed members, organisational support, and availability of institutional resources. These findings enrich cybersecurity stakeholders’ understanding on what factors to consider supplementing existing organisational strategies for addressing cybersecurity-related threats.