African Union Malabo Convention
The African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention, 2014) is the first continental framework addressing cybersecurity and data protection in Africa. It establishes obligations for AU member states in electronic commerce, personal data protection, cybersecurity, and cybercrime. Entered into force June 2023 after achieving 15 ratifications.
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Framework Domains (6)
Cybercrime Offences
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 28 | Administrative Measures |
| Art. 29 | Safety Measures |
| Art. 30 | Privacy Policy |
| Art. 31 | Designation of Chief Privacy Officer |
| MMCL-Ch9-1 | Unauthorized Access |
| MMCL-Ch9-2 | Data Interference |
| MMCL-Ch9-3 | System Interference |
Cybersecurity Promotion
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 24 | Restrictions on Processing Unique Identification Information |
| Art. 25 | Criminal Penalties |
| Art. 26 | Outsourcing of Personal Information Processing |
| Art. 27 | Penalties for Cross-Border Transfer Violations |
Electronic Transactions
Legal framework for electronic commerce
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 2 | Consent Definition |
| Art. 3 | Objectives of Open Finance |
| Art. 4 | Participating Institutions |
| Art. 5 | Legal Recognition of Data Messages |
Implementation and Final Provisions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 18 | Central Bank Supervision |
| Art. 19 | Consent Management Controls |
| Art. 22 | Suspension and Revocation |
| Art. 32 | Entry into Force |
| Art. 34 | Notification of Personal Information Breach |
| Art. 36 | Right to Correction or Deletion |
Personal Data Protection — General Principles
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 10 | Consent Requirements |
| Art. 11 | Consent Revocation |
| Art. 12 | Data Ownership |
| Art. 8 | Data Categories |
| Art. 9 | Free Data Sharing |
Personal Data Protection — Rights and Obligations
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 13 | Data Security and Privacy |
| Art. 14 | Direct Data Flows |
| Art. 15 | Cybersecurity Requirements |
| Art. 16 | Data Quality |
Maps to 608 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is African Union Malabo Convention?
African Union Malabo Convention is a compliance framework from Africa (AU) with 6 domains and 30 controls. The African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention, 2014) is the first continental framework addressing cybersecurity and data protection in Africa. It establishes obligations for AU member states in electronic commerce, personal data protection, cybersecurity, and cybercrime. Entered into force June 2023 after achieving 15 ratifications. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does African Union Malabo Convention have?
African Union Malabo Convention has 30 controls organised across 6 domains. The largest domains are Cybercrime Offences (7 controls), Implementation and Final Provisions (6 controls), Personal Data Protection — General Principles (5 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does African Union Malabo Convention map to?
African Union Malabo Convention maps to 608 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are BS 65000:2014 — Guidance on Organizational Resilience (50% coverage), ILO Nursing Personnel Convention C149 (1977) (47% coverage), EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6 / Directive 2018/1673) (47% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with African Union Malabo Convention compliance?
Start your African Union Malabo Convention compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about African Union Malabo Convention requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 30 controls and track your progress.
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