Adv. Lufuno T Khorommbi, a cyber law specialist helping clients to deal with cyber security challenges  — Lionesses of Africa

Tell us a little about your team

Adv. Lufuno T Khorommbi is a Cyber Law Specialist, a former public servant, and an award-winning thought leader who founded Orizur Consulting Enterprise. She is a highly skilled knowledge worker with nearly two decades of experience working in a multi-disciplinary Cyber Law space, delivering thought leadership in IT related matters including cyber law, cybersecurity governance, ICT procurement, contract management and policy development. In her current role as the Cybersecurity Governance Specialist, she has pioneered unique solutions that creatively bring together cyber security governance, ICT procurement, and contract management. These regulatory compatible solutions give clients the ability to reduce cybersecurity and financial risks, whilst achieving cybersecurity regulatory compliance. She holds a Master of Laws Degree with specialization in Information Technology Law.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

The journey has not been easy; however, it has been a fulfilling one. Though there are not many women leading in the sector, I have enjoyed support from industry leaders, both individuals and establishments, such as Cyber in Africa and Lionesses of Africa. However, as much as the journey has been fulfilling, there have been factors that have made the journey strenuous. Some of the main factors include:

• The fact that cybersecurity as a sector is still developing, policy certainty, and lack of support of local content; all of which creates an uneven landscape for entrepreneurs to compete fairly.

• Scarcity of skilled women in cybersecurity. It is undeniable that there is a scarcity of skilled women in the ICT industry in general, and cybersecurity sector is not an exception. The status quo means that there are fewer women mentors in the cybersecurity space. Without role modelling, the journey becomes more of self-discovery.

• Lack of cyber security culture. Though cyber-attacks are on the rise, it is very demoralizing that cyber security remains an afterthought for many organisations.

In terms of my background, growing up in a village, my parents were entrepreneurs who sold different merchandise to the villagers for our upkeep and school fees. My late grandmother, who was also my best friend, brewed traditional beer in addition to different merchandise she sold to the villagers. Sometimes I would assist my mom, particularly with her salon business; find customers for my dad’s umbrella business; and help my late grandmother with the brewing of the beer and selling to customers.

I admired their outlook towards life because they didn’t wait to be employed and created employment for themselves and sometimes for others. Their resilience as informal traders motivated me to aspire to run my own professional and successful business someday.

Post-university, I was recruited into an internship programme to train as a specialist in the ICT regulatory environment. In the over 15 years that I was a public servant who worked in various portfolios; from navigating the regulatory environment to supply chain and procurement to contract management; I determined that a cyberlaw consultancy would be the way to go. My professional background is in cyberlaw, public sector ICT regulations, particularly when it relates to personal data protection, ICT governance, cybersecurity governance, ICT procurement, and contract management.