A trained engineer, a strengthened agency, a country more resilient to cyber threats, the equation seems simple, but it was built step by step. It all started with an immersion visit, in February 2026, when a delegation from the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB) entered the doors of the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI). The objective is to understand from the inside the missions, the organization and the skills needs of the Agency. This trip had already brought to light several avenues of cooperation, ranging from training to securing information systems, including research and capacity building.Some 7 months later, these intentions materialized in an official agreement, initialed in the presence of Dr Moussa Diaby, Director General of INP-HB, and Brigadier General Guelpétchin Ouattara, Director General of ANSSI. does not only concern the training of students, but also constitutes an issue of governance and control of information systems within organizations. He highlighted the expertise already accumulated by the Institute in information systems, Data Science, Big Data and artificial intelligence, in particular via the International Data Science Institute, created in 2017.The master's degree in Data Science, launched the same year, and that in cybersecurity, opened in 2021, show constantly increasing numbers of students, driven by growing demand from businesses and administrations. For his part, General Guelpétchin Ouattara welcomed the successful completion of the process, noting that several INP-HB graduates already occupy positions of responsibility within ANSSI, particularly in auditing and training. Discussions also focused on a possible integration of the general information systems security framework into the Institute's courses, which could ultimately become an approved training center.

Beyond existing training, INP-HB aims to develop research and doctoral training in cybersecurity, a choice that meets the pressing skills needs identified by ANSSI, while Côte d'Ivoire is increasing initiatives to train its digital experts.