Cybersecurity Trade Mission to South Africa

The British High Commission in Pretoria and the Department for Business & Trade announce the newest Trade Mission to South Africa

The British High Commission in Pretoria and the Department for Business & Trade present an opportunity for representatives of UK cybersecurity companies to join a trade mission to South Africa. This is a valuable opportunity to forge connections through facilitated introductions, access new business and clients, and realise export opportunities. We are seeking expressions of interest by 24 August.

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The rapid pace of digitisation in South Africa is bringing economic advantages but with it comes an ever-increasing attack surface for cyber threat actors to exploit. According to the most recent national survey, 47% of South African companies faced at least one cyberattack across a one-year period.

Low levels of cyber awareness and investment coupled with a skills shortage and a relatively immature domestic cyber services sector highlights the need and market demand for commercial solutions. This presents an opportunity for UK companies. The UK is a world leader in cybersecurity, boasting a range of innovative and often specialised companies delivering pre- and post-incident solutions. With its competitive advantage in this area the UK cybersecurity industry is well placed to benefit in this critical growth sector.

The UK and South Africa enjoy strong trade links, with total trade in goods and services reaching £11.4 billion in 2024. This makes South Africa the UK’s largest trading partner in Africa, and 29th globally. This is a result of factors including a shared language, strong historical economic and people-to-people links, similar legal and financial systems, and a shared commitment to the international rules-based order. Despite grappling with problems including unemployment, governance challenges, and inequality, South Africa is a vibrant economy and an attractive place to do business. It ranks 4th out of 48 Sub-Saharan Africa countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings.

This trade mission will be a valuable opportunity for UK cybersecurity companies looking to develop connections in South Africa and pitch their services to local companies. Recognising the breadth of the sector, we are seeking participation from companies representing a wide range of sub-sectors within the cybersecurity industry.

To register your interest for this mission register bellow, the deadline for this form is 23:59 on Sunday 24th August.