ICT Minister Attends Cybersecurity Superhero Academy Graduation Ceremony, Oversees Training MoUs Signing
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy has attended the graduation ceremony of the third edition of the Cybersecurity Superhero Academy, organized by the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) in partnership with the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA), represented by the Egyptian Computer Emergency Readiness Team (EG-CERT). The event, which featured the participation of leading local and global cybersecurity and IT firms, celebrated the graduation of more than 6,000 trainees from various age groups across Egypt.
The ceremony took place at NTI's premises in Knowledge City, the New Capital. It was attended by the CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), Ahmed Elzaher; Assistant ICT Minister for Digital Transformation Mahmoud Badawi; Acting President of Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) Ahmed Hamad; Chairman of the National Academy of Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities (NAID) AbdEl-Monem El-Sharkawy; and Acting Permanent Undersecretary and Head of the Central Department for Financial and Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) Samer Saeed, along with several senior MCIT officials. Also in attendance were executives and representatives of partner companies and institutions, including Senior Country Manager for Egypt, Libya, and Sudan at Fortinet Khaled Fawzy; Country Leader at Cisco Egypt Mohamed Kamel; Regional Director for Africa at F5 Bassem Saleh; and CEO and Co-Founder of ICT Misr Mohamed El Mofty, along with representatives of entities and institutions supporting and implementing the program.
In his remarks, the ICT Minister emphasized that the strong turnout for the third edition of the Cybersecurity Superhero Academy—demonstrated by the large number of applicants and its nationwide reach—underlines growing awareness among juniors, young people, and their families of the importance of cybersecurity and their keenness to acquire the skills needed to navigate the digital world safely. It also reflects the state’s commitment to creating a secure and digitally aware society and cultivating future generations capable of protecting their communities and contributing to the development of Digital Egypt, he noted.
Hendy highlighted that the Ministry places cybersecurity among its top priorities amid the rapid expansion of digital transformation and the accelerating development of artificial intelligence (AI) applications. He referred to AI as a double-edged sword, noting that while it contributes to boosting efficiency and productivity and improving services, it also poses new challenges, including identity fraud, deepfakes, disinformation, and data breaches. These challenges require the development of a qualified workforce capable of using these technologies responsibly and securely. He stressed that cybersecurity is a key pillar of the digital transformation strategy and a major factor in strengthening trust in digital services.
The ICT Minister commended the Academy’s role in equipping participants, from juniors to university graduates, with cybersecurity skills. He also expressed his appreciation to NTI; NTRA, represented by EG-CERT; and all partners in success and stakeholders. He called on graduates to continue developing their capabilities and promoting digital awareness to help build a secure digital society.
For his part, Director of NTI Ahmed Khattab emphasized that the Academy introduced significant enhancements to its content and training tracks this year to accommodate participants’ different ages and skill levels. He explained that the program focuses on transforming knowledge into practical capabilities through projects and hands-on challenges, while offering pathways to freelancing and advanced cybersecurity specializations.
Khattab pointed out that the results of this edition, including the successful completion of real assignments through freelance platforms by hundreds of graduates shortly after finishing their training, demonstrate the effectiveness of NTI’s training system in equipping participants with the skills required to enter the job market. These results also highlight the value of linking training programs to measurable outcomes.
Khattab underscored that NTI adopts MCIT’s approach and strategy, which extends beyond training and capacity building to nurturing exceptional talent, honing participants’ abilities, and supporting their continued growth. In this context, he added that NTI will continue to support qualified youth teams participating in the Egypt Cyber Heroes Hackathon 2026 at Knowledge City. This support will enable them to further develop their ideas and projects and benefit from specialized expertise. NTI will also provide on-the-job (OTJ) training and direct mentorship opportunities for university students in collaboration with its private-sector partners. These efforts will help connect participants’ skills to labor-market needs and open practical pathways to employment, freelancing, and specialized careers.
The current edition of the Cybersecurity Superhero Academy saw broader participation, with graduates from all 27 governorates and training programs delivered through 19 branches across 17 governorates.
The first phase of this edition, targeting participants aged 8 to 17, included 4,626 trainees. The training focused on raising awareness of cybersecurity fundamentals through interactive learning, covering risks such as phishing, electronic fraud, account takeover, password breaches, cyberbullying, online grooming, blackmail, and impersonation, as well as the risks of sharing personal data and photos.
As part of the program, the top 38 teams across two age groups—ages 8–11 and 12–14—were selected to attend an advanced boot camp designed to help turn their ideas into projects. The boot camp was followed by a competition to recognize and honor the winning team in each age category.
Tailored for university students aged 18–21, the second phase trained 1,324 students across four specialized tracks: Penetration Testing and Application Security, Network Security, Security Operations Center (SOC), and Cybersecurity Operations.
Within a single week of completing the program, 382 graduates—representing approximately 28.9% of second-phase participants—completed real freelancing tasks, earning more than $6,000 across 20 freelancing platforms.
Graduates of the SOC, Network Security, and Cybersecurity Operations tracks also obtained certifications from global corporate academies and received free or discounted vouchers for relevant international certification exams.
The third phase targeted 227 university graduates with backgrounds in cybersecurity, offering two tracks: Cloud Security and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). The program aimed to upskill professionals, specialists, and job seekers by equipping them with advanced competencies aligned with the evolving needs of the cybersecurity labor market.
In addition, all graduates of the Cloud Security track obtained the AWS Academy Cloud Security Foundations badge and the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification, reinforcing their readiness for careers in cloud security.
As part of efforts to strengthen partnerships with the private sector, the ICT Minister witnessed the signing of three new cooperation protocols between NTI and leading tech companies. The first agreement was signed with ICT Misr to train students and graduates in cybersecurity and advanced technologies, preparing them for the job market. The second protocol was signed with Codinger to launch the Egypt Cyber Heroes Hackathon 2026, designed for juniors and young people. The third protocol was signed with F5 to establish a training academy at NTI to support specialized training, boost practical skills, and expand training, employment, and freelancing opportunities for program graduates.
During the graduation ceremony, several graduates from the Cybersecurity Superhero Academy shared their success stories and experiences with the training program, as well as the opportunities it provided to enhance their skills and pursue freelancing and specialization in cybersecurity.
At the end of the ceremony, Hendy honored the Academy's competition winners in each age group. He also recognized the top three graduates who completed freelancing tasks in the second phase, as well as the top three performers in the third phase.
The graduation ceremony was broadcast live via videoconference, connecting the main venue at Knowledge City in the New Capital with 17 NTI branches nationwide.
