Egypt Graduates More Than 6,000 Trainees From Cybersecurity Academy

Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology  has announced the graduation of more than 6,000 trainees from the third edition of its Cybersecurity Academy for Youth and Young Adults, known as the “Superhero Academy.”

The graduation ceremony, held in Cairo on September 12, 2026, was attended by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy and senior officials from the ministry, alongside representatives of major technology and cybersecurity companies. The programme was organised by the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s EG-CERT, with support from local and international technology companies.

The latest edition expanded participation to 27 governorates, with training delivered through 19 sites across 17 governorates. The programme was designed to provide cybersecurity awareness and practical skills to participants across different age groups, from children and young people to university students and graduates seeking specialised careers.

The first phase targeted children aged between eight and 17, with 4,626 trainees completing training focused on basic cybersecurity awareness. Participants were introduced to threats including phishing, cyber fraud, account theft, cyberbullying, electronic harassment, blackmail, identity theft and the risks associated with sharing personal data and photographs online.

The programme also selected 38 of the best-performing teams from the eight-to-11 and 12-to-14 age groups for an additional training camp. The camp was designed to help participants develop their ideas into projects, with competitions held to identify winning teams in each age category.

The second phase trained 1,324 university students aged 18 to 21 across four specialised areas: penetration testing, network security, security operations centres and cyber operations. The ministry said 382 graduates, representing about 28.9% of participants in this phase, were able to complete real-world assignments through freelance platforms just one week after finishing the training.

Those graduates collectively earned more than $6,000 through 20 freelance platforms, highlighting the programme’s focus on connecting cybersecurity training with practical employment and freelance opportunities. Participants in the security operations, network security and cyber operations tracks also received certifications from international technology company academies and access to relevant international examinations either free of charge or at discounted rates.

The third phase focused on 227 university graduates with cybersecurity backgrounds. Participants specialised in cloud security and governance, risk and compliance (GRC), with the training aimed at helping existing cybersecurity professionals and job seekers develop advanced skills aligned with the evolving requirements of the cybersecurity market.

Graduates of the cloud security track received the AWS Academy Cloud Security Foundations badge and AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification, strengthening their credentials for opportunities in cloud security.

Speaking at the ceremony, Hendy said the strong response to the third edition reflected growing awareness among young people and their families about the importance of cybersecurity. He also linked the programme to Egypt’s wider efforts to develop a secure and digitally aware society and prepare young people with skills needed for the country’s digital future.

The minister said cybersecurity has become a priority for the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology as digital transformation and artificial intelligence adoption accelerate. He noted that while AI can improve efficiency, productivity and services, it also creates risks involving identity theft, fabricated content, misinformation and data breaches.

Hendy described cybersecurity as a fundamental pillar of Egypt’s digital transformation strategy and an important factor in building trust in digital services. He called on academy graduates to continue developing their technical capabilities and contribute to wider digital awareness.

NTI Director Ahmed Khatib said the academy had expanded and refined its training content and pathways to accommodate different ages and skill levels. He said the programme increasingly focuses on converting theoretical knowledge into practical capabilities through projects, applied challenges, freelance opportunities and advanced cybersecurity specialisations.

The institute also announced continued support for selected youth teams participating in the Egypt Cyber Heroes Hackathon 2026. The initiative will provide opportunities for participants to develop projects, access specialised expertise and receive job training and direct guidance through partnerships with private-sector companies.

The ministry also announced three new cooperation agreements during the ceremony. NTI signed a protocol with ICT-MISR to train students and graduates in cybersecurity and advanced technologies, while Codenizer will support the launch of the Egypt Cyber Heroes Hackathon 2026. A third agreement with F5 is intended to establish the F5 Training Academy at NTI and expand specialised training and practical opportunities for cybersecurity graduates.

The ceremony concluded with the recognition of competition winners across different age groups, as well as top graduates who demonstrated success in freelance work and outstanding performance in the programme’s advanced training phase. The graduation event was also broadcast through a video conference linking the main ceremony venue in the New Capital with 17 NTI locations across different Egyptian governorates.