Building Africa's Cyber Defenders
Pamoja Cyber Academy is a South African cybersecurity training start-up on a mission to make quality cyber skills accessible across Africa. In a continent rapidly digitalising, the need for skilled cyber defenders has never been greater — and we're here to help fill that gap.
“Pamoja” means “together” in Swahili — reflecting our belief that cybersecurity is a collective responsibility. We bring together quality open-source content, practical training, and an Africa-first perspective to deliver education that truly makes a difference.
Our Mission
To provide accessible, quality cybersecurity education that empowers individuals and organisations across Africa to defend against evolving digital threats, while fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.
Our Vision
To grow into Africa's go-to cybersecurity academy — producing skilled cyber professionals who safeguard the continent's digital transformation and contribute to a more secure connected world.
Founder
Hanno van Zyl
Founder & Director
Hanno holds a B.Com Accounting (Honours) from the University of Johannesburg and brings over 20 years of experience in business finance, strategy, governance, and entrepreneurship. He's built and run his own businesses, coached entrepreneurs at Raizcorp (Africa's largest business incubator), managed SME investment portfolios at GroFin, and most recently delivered R104M+ in verified value creation as a Business Health Executive.
His credentials include Certified Entrepreneurial Guide (SFEDI, UK), guest speaker at GIBS MBA programme, first business mentor at the Goldman Sachs/GIBS 10,000 Women programme, and appointments by Volkswagen, BHP Billiton, and Investec to empower SME supply chains.
Now Hanno is channelling that business-building expertise into cybersecurity education — founding Pamoja Cyber Academy to make quality cyber skills training accessible and affordable across Africa. He's building it from the ground up: curating open-source content, developing practical curricula, and working towards CompTIA accreditation.
Our Values
Excellence
We hold ourselves to the highest standards in training delivery, course content, and learner outcomes.
Ubuntu
"I am because we are." Pamoja means together — we believe in collaborative learning and community upliftment.
Innovation
We continuously evolve our curriculum to address emerging threats and leverage cutting-edge technology.
Accessibility
Quality cybersecurity education should be accessible to all, regardless of location or background.
Our Roadmap
Where we are and where we're headed
Launch Phase
Building our curriculum using quality open-source content and launching our first free courses to the community.
CompTIA Accreditation
Working towards becoming a CompTIA Authorized Training Partner — our primary accreditation goal.
Community Growth
Growing our learner community across South Africa and the broader African continent through accessible training.
Pan-African Reach
Expanding our virtual delivery to serve cybersecurity professionals across multiple African countries.
Working Towards
Our curriculum uses quality open-source content aligned with CompTIA objectives
Start Your Cybersecurity Journey Today
Begin learning with our free course and see for yourself what Pamoja Cyber Academy is all about.