The curtains have officially closed on the 4th ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity Hackathon, marking the end of 48hrs of intense competition, innovation, and regional collaboration aimed at strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across West Africa.

Nigeria’s Team ERROR emerged as the overall winner of the competition, taking home the grand prize of US$10,000. Benin’s Team Escadron secured second place and received US$8,000, while Togo’s RedTeam-TG claimed third place with a prize of US$6,000. Each member of the 3 teams also received a voucher for a certifications courses.

In recognition of outstanding female participation, the competition recorded a three-way tie for first place in the women’s category. CODJIA Débora Fifamè of Benin, Badom Grace R. of Liberia, and KOUASSY Besse Aude Marie of Côte d’Ivoire each received a cash prize of US$1,000. Additionally, Osei Jennifer Serwaa of Ghana was awarded a certificate for a special certification course in recognition of her exceptional performance.

The remaining nine teams participating in the Hackathon each received US$1,000 in appreciation of their efforts and contributions to the competition.

Over the past 48hrs, participants from across the ECOWAS region demonstrated the very best of West Africa’s innovation, talent, and collaborative spirit. Through their technical expertise and creativity, they showcased a strong commitment to building a safer and more resilient digital future for the region.

The competition reaffirmed that cybersecurity is not solely about technology; it is fundamentally about people, young innovators, ethical hackers, software developers, and cybersecurity professionals who are committed to deploying their skills responsibly to address real-world challenges. The solutions developed during the Hackathon stand as a testament to the ingenuity that thrives across West Africa and reinforce the conviction that the region possesses the talent required to secure its own digital destiny.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Director-General of the Ghana Cyber Security Authority (CSA) Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, commended all participants for their dedication, discipline, and professionalism throughout the 48-hour competition.

“I extend my sincere gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission for choosing Ghana to host this event. We are proud of our technical partners, DoubleOSec, for demonstrating to the world that Africa, and indeed West Africa and Ghana, has the expertise and capacity to develop world-class cybersecurity systems.

“We also appreciate all our sponsors and partners, including Dynamic Data Solutions (DDS), FIRST, WiCys, ISC2 Ghana Chapter, E-Cube Technologies Ghana, iServices, Nestlé Ghana, Ghana Domain Name Registry, Nero Prime, and our media partner, EIB Network. Special thanks go to my team at the Cyber Security Authority for their unwavering support in making this event truly memorable.”

As participants return to their respective countries, they have been encouraged to remain connected, continue collaborating across borders, and build upon the momentum generated in Accra. The goal remains to deepen regional cybersecurity cooperation, nurture the next generation of innovators, and forge a digitally resilient West Africa.