Orange Cyberdefense, the cybersecurity arm of Orange Group, has announced a new partnership with French cybersecurity startup Qevlar AI to strengthen threat detection and prevention capabilities across Africa. This strategic collaboration will integrate artificial intelligence into Orange Cyberdefense’s threat monitoring systems, enabling faster, more efficient identification and mitigation of cyber threats targeting businesses and institutions across the continent.
With over 290 million subscribers in 18 African countries, Orange Group stands as the continent’s second-largest telecom operator. The integration of Qevlar AI’s advanced artificial intelligence technology with Orange Cyberdefense’s expansive Cyber Threat Intelligence database represents a major advancement in real-time protection. The initiative will specifically enhance security in key markets such as Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, and Egypt—countries undergoing rapid digital transformation and prioritizing national cyber resilience.
Frédéric Zink, Managing Director for France at Orange Cyberdefense, emphasized that the partnership is designed to detect and respond to cyber threats faster and more effectively by merging human expertise with AI-driven automation. He noted that this approach not only accelerates incident response but also increases accuracy, allowing analysts to concentrate on complex and high-impact attacks. Orange Cyberdefense, which already protects 50,000 companies in over 160 countries, operates 36 global detection centres, including facilities serving Africa, to monitor and counter sophisticated cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure.
According to Qevlar AI’s CEO, Ahmed Achchak, the partnership introduces a shift from reactive defense to proactive prevention. By leveraging Orange Cyberdefense’s vast intelligence database, Qevlar’s AI technology will enable earlier threat detection and a stronger defensive posture for thousands of companies globally. This integration marks a significant evolution in cybersecurity operations, moving from simply responding to attacks to predicting and preventing them before they occur.
As cyberattacks across Africa become more complex, particularly in sectors such as banking, telecommunications, and government, the collaboration between Orange Cyberdefense and Qevlar AI underscores a crucial investment in the continent’s cyber resilience. By combining advanced AI technologies with deep human expertise, Orange is setting a new standard for cybersecurity readiness in Africa—empowering businesses and public institutions to secure their digital transformation journeys with greater confidence.
