Compromised IT Systems: How to Overcome the Organizational and Emotional Shock of a Cyberattack

At Orange Côte d’Ivoire’s headquarters in Abidjan on November 5, specialists from ANSSI, Fortinet, Orange and Hiero Digital discussed how to keep operations running after a cyberattack. Babel Balsomi, founder of Hiero Digital, said companies must test their procedures under pressure and prepare all teams, including communications staff. She pointed to the often underestimated financial and reputational costs; Interpol estimates that cybercrime caused at least $5 billion in direct economic losses in Africa in 2025. Jacques Beugré Tanoh of ANSSI urged companies to report incidents promptly to the national CERT, as the agency recorded 14,705 cybercrime cases in 2025.