Benin as a Dual Theatre of Security Transformation: Cyber Interoperability Meets Counterterrorism Readiness

Executive Summary

In a strong demonstration of regional cooperation and national readiness, the Republic of Benin hosted two major military and security operations in July 2025: the multinational Africa Endeavor 2025 exercise and the nationally led Operation Bouclier.

Africa Endeavor brought together over 30 African countries and international partners to enhance digital communication and interoperability. At the same time, Operation Bouclier focused on strengthening Benin’s counterterrorism capabilities in the southern departments, preparing its forces for upcoming deployments in the jihadist-affected north.

The concurrent execution of these operations was no coincidence. It marks a strategic shift underway in West Africa—one that increasingly aligns cyber operations with ground-level tactical responses to address the complex and evolving nature of hybrid security threats.

Africa Endeavor 2025: Securing the Digital Frontier

Held in Cotonou from July 7–11, Africa Endeavor 2025 (AE25) gathered military communication officers, cybersecurity analysts, and command representatives under the theme “Securing the Digital Frontier: Collaborative Approaches and Proactive Strategies.” Led by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the African Union, AE25 emphasized the importance of secure communications, digital coordination, and cyber resilience in modern joint operations.

Participating nations conducted joint tabletop simulations, network defence drills, and leadership forums aimed at bolstering digital infrastructure and strategic communications frameworks. In an era of increasing reliance on cyber-networks—both for command and influence—the exercise marked a turning point in how African nations coordinate security responses across borders, particularly in the face of transnational extremist movements and disinformation campaigns.

Operation Bouclier: Counterterrorism Preparedness at the National Level

Running from June 30 to July 4, just days before AE25 commenced, Operation Bouclier mobilized over 560 members of Benin’s Garde Nationale across the southern departments of Zou, Kouffo, and Mono. Conducted under the leadership of Colonel Faïzou Gomina, the exercise was designed to simulate terrorist attacks, test tactical readiness, and prepare units for deployment in Operation MIRADOR, the broader counterterrorism campaign active in the country’s volatile north.

Operation Bouclier included:

• Waterborne rescue operations with the Fluvial Brigade of Ladji
• Mountain warfare exercises at Dassa with Beninese Armed Forces (FAB)
• Coordinated aerial support missions with the Air Force
• A humanitarian outreach that provided free medical services to local populations—reinforcing the army’s connection to civil society

This exercise comes at a critical time. Northern Benin has experienced mounting attacks attributed to JNIM (Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin), particularly in and around the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) protected areas, near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. Since June 2025, Operation MIRADOR has operated under the command of Colonel André Dokoui Fofo, tasked with halting JNIM's growing insurgent expansion.

Strategic Convergence: A New Security Doctrine Emerging

What makes this month’s events in Benin strategically profound is not merely their proximity in time—but their structural interdependence. Africa Endeavor 2025 provided the digital backbone, ensuring secure, interoperable communication networks across regional partners; Operation Bouclier, meanwhile, operationalized those capabilities on the ground through tactical response, mobility, and civil integration.

Together, they represent the two pillars of modern security architecture in West Africa:

• Cyber-digital coordination that ensures seamless information flow and strategic decision-making across nations; and
• Ground-level readiness that ensures state actors can translate that intelligence into rapid, decisive action against armed threats.

This convergence reflects a growing doctrine in African security policy—one that understands that no field deployment can be effective without secure command networks, and no digital infrastructure holds strategic value without the physical capability to act upon the intelligence it delivers.

Conclusion: Toward a Cohesive, Multi-Layered Defence Framework

The July 2025 alignment of Africa Endeavor 2025 and Operation Bouclier signals a decisive turn in how African nations, particularly Benin, conceptualize and execute security. It is a shift from isolated operations to integrated security ecosystems—ones that are as fluent in bytes as they are in boots, as agile in cyberspace as they are resilient in terrain.

For policymakers, military strategists, and international partners, this dual-theatre approach offers a blueprint for future security programming across the continent. As extremist groups adopt more complex, cross-border, and digital-savvy tactics, the need for synchronized responses across cyber and kinetic domains will only grow.

At African Security Analysis, we understand the complexity of this evolving landscape. Our tailored security services—from real-time threat monitoring and early warning alerts to bespoke country risk assessments—equip clients with the tools to navigate uncertainty, respond decisively, and remain secure. With a deep on-the-ground presence and an extensive network across the continent, ASA remains committed to delivering insights that matter—when and where they’re needed most.