Brazzaville Meeting Clarifies Cybersecurity Oversight
In Brazzaville on January 15, the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy delivered key guidance to the Director General of the ANSSI. The goal, according to the minister, is to help the agency better fulfill its role as a regulator.
The instructions were given during a visit to the ANSSI’s offices. This moment marks a push for clearer institutional coordination around cybersecurity, at a time when public services and private companies increasingly rely on digital tools to operate, serve users, and manage sensitive data.
Audit Authority and Approvals for Information Systems
The central message focused on authority and access. He informed the agency’s leadership that every business sector must be made aware that the ANSSI has the right and authority to audit, request information, and approve the information systems and terminals deployed for the development of a business or administration.
Concretely, this guidance positions the ANSSI not only as a technical actor but as a regulator tasked with verifying compliance and security preparedness across all sectors. This positioning can also reduce uncertainty for organizations that need to understand which standards apply and which body has the mandate to validate systems.
Legal Awareness and Sectoral Outreach
The minister emphasized the importance of making each sector aware of the legal texts that empower the ANSSI to control information systems in the country. This focus on awareness suggests that governance is not just about establishing rules, but also ensuring that administrations and businesses understand their obligations and the reasons behind them.
For many organizations, cybersecurity obligations can seem abstract until a breach or disruption occurs. By focusing on knowledge of laws and texts, the ministry’s approach aims for preventive compliance, where security checks and reporting become integrated into routine management rather than treated as exceptional measures.
Training Youth and Recruiting Top Talent for Digital Policy
The minister also linked regulation to skills. He insisted on training young people to develop capacities, identify promising talent, and mobilize this expertise for implementing the country’s digital policy. The message connects national cybersecurity capability to education and workforce development, not just technology purchases.
The minister further stressed recruiting the best profiles, whether trained locally or abroad, to ensure the proper functioning and high-level expertise within the agency. The focus on talent pools reflects the reality that cybersecurity institutions are only as strong as the specialists who design, audit, and intervene.
ANSSI Plans Audits, Monitoring, and Certifications
The Director General stated that the ANSSI, supported by implementing decrees and the instructions of its supervisory authority, will conduct audits, perform technological monitoring of information systems, and issue accreditations to information system security service providers. This describes a toolkit combining supervision, trend monitoring, and market structuring.
Accreditation, in particular, can shape the cybersecurity services landscape by clarifying which providers meet expected standards. If applied consistently, it can help administrations and businesses select qualified partners, while giving regulators a clearer view of the actors operating in the sector and the level of services available.
A 2019 Law Anchors Congo’s National Cyber Defense Mission
Created by Law No. 30-2019 of October 10, 2019, the ANSSI is described as a cross-cutting agency dedicated to information systems security. Placed under the authority of the Presidency of the Republic, it is responsible for securing the national cyberspace and managing security incidents and threats.
The agency’s mission also includes responding to cyberattacks, promoting collaboration between public and private actors, protecting national digital infrastructure, strengthening national response capabilities, and issuing alerts on cyber issues. Together, these functions depict a model combining coordination, prevention, and operational response.
What the New Guidance Could Change for Congo’s Digital Economy
The minister’s directives suggest an effort to make cybersecurity governance more predictable for the administration and the private sector. In a context where digital services are expanding across all sectors, clearer audit and approval procedures can help organizations integrate security earlier, rather than adding protections after deployment.
The policy focus on training and recruitment also points toward longer-term institutional sustainability. Building a skills base can improve the quality of audits, incident management, and the credibility of certifications. Over time, this credibility can support trust in online services, data processing, and the digital economy at large.