Bank of Abyssinia Backs Ethiopia Cybersecurity Month

In Short

• Bank of Abyssinia participated in Ethiopia’s 7th National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
• The program is coordinated by the Information Network Security Administration, also known as INSA.
• The bank contributed ETB 5 million as a gold-level sponsor.

What Happened

Bank of Abyssinia said it is taking part in Ethiopia’s 7th National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a month-long campaign focused on improving cyber safety. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computers, networks, and online accounts from attacks, similar to locking doors and checking alarms in a building.

The awareness month is organised under the coordination of the Information Network Security Administration. The campaign started on October 1 and runs for a month, according to the bank.

Bank of Abyssinia said it provided ETB 5 million in support at the gold sponsorship level. The bank also framed the participation as part of building customer trust and promoting safer use of its digital banking products and services.

The program includes public and institutional awareness activities. The bank mentioned events such as conferences, community awareness sessions, and a “cybersecurity great run”, which is a public run used to draw attention to online safety.

Why It Matters

Banks are a major target for cybercrime because they hold money and sensitive customer data. As more Ethiopians use mobile and online banking, scams like phishing, account takeover, and social engineering, where criminals trick people into sharing passwords or one-time PINs, tend to rise.

For Ethiopia’s wider tech ecosystem, cybersecurity awareness campaigns can help raise basic security hygiene across consumers and organisations. That includes stronger passwords, safer handling of SMS and app alerts, and faster reporting of suspicious activity.

The bank’s sponsorship also signals that cybersecurity is not only a regulator-led topic. It is becoming a budget line item and a reputation issue for financial institutions operating in Ethiopia’s growing digital economy.