Algeria’s Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2029: An Enterprise Compliance Readiness Guide

Why Private-Sector Enterprises Should Read the Strategy Now

Algeria’s cybersecurity legal framework reached a new maturity threshold between December 2025 and January 2026. Presidential Decree 25-321 formally approved the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2029, and Presidential Decree 26-07 established the institutional framework for cybersecurity within public institutions, published in the Official Gazette on January 21, 2026.

While the direct mandates of these decrees focus on public institutions, the ripple effects for the private sector are significant. Banks, telecoms, insurance providers, and large enterprises interact daily with public institutions — as vendors, service providers, counterparties, and sector regulators. The strategy’s framework for audits, incident reporting, critical infrastructure classification, and cybersecurity governance sets the expected baseline against which all Algerian organizations will increasingly be measured.

This guide focuses on what enterprises should do now to prepare, without speculating on timelines for specific enforcement actions or commenting on any institution’s current posture. It is a forward-looking readiness framework, not an audit of the status quo.

The Legal Framework Enterprises Need to Map

Algerian enterprise compliance in 2026 rests on a set of overlapping instruments that have evolved steadily since 2009. A practical compliance program should inventory obligations under the following:

• Law No. 09-04 (2009) — Prevents offenses related to information and communication technologies
• Law No. 18-07 (2018) — Algeria’s foundational personal data protection law, administered by the National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data (ANPDP), with alignment to contemporary international data protection frameworks
• Law No. 18-04 (2018) — Establishes electronic communications rules, including the formal definition of cybersecurity used in downstream regulations
• Presidential Decree No. 20-05 (2020) — Creates the national information systems security framework, establishing strategic coordination through CNSSI and technical execution through ANSSI
• Presidential Decree No. 25-298 (November 2025) — Amends Decree 20-05
• Presidential Decree No. 25-320 (December 2025) — Establishes national data governance with cybersecurity integration
• Presidential Decree No. 25-321 (December 30, 2025) — Approves the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2029
• Presidential Decree No. 26-07 (January 2026) — Creates dedicated cybersecurity units within public institutions

The Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) oversees compliance in telecommunications and related sectors. Under the existing legal framework, enforcement tools include formal notices, suspension, or license withdrawal for regulated entities, with criminal penalties under specific ICT offense laws ranging from DZD 5,000 to DZD 10,000,000 depending on the violation.

A Four-Pillar Readiness Framework for Enterprises

Rather than waiting for sector-specific implementing regulations, Algerian enterprises can structure their readiness work around four pillars aligned with the strategy’s institutional direction.

Pillar 1: Governance and Leadership Accountability

Decree 26-07 establishes that public institutions must create dedicated cybersecurity units reporting directly to institutional leadership. Enterprises should treat this as the emerging national standard for cybersecurity governance and mirror it internally.

Concrete steps:

• Designate a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with formal reporting to the CEO or board audit committee, not buried under IT operations
• Charter a cybersecurity committee at the executive level with quarterly review of risk posture, incident history, and remediation status
• Document a cybersecurity policy aligned with ISO/IEC 27001 or equivalent frameworks that the organization can present to regulators, auditors, and counterparties on request

Pillar 2: Incident Response and Reporting Readiness

The strategy’s framework anticipates structured incident reporting relationships between organizations and national coordination bodies, including DZ-CERT (the national Computer Emergency Response Team operating under CERIST). Enterprises should prepare now for incident reporting obligations that are likely to become sector-specific in future implementing regulations.

Concrete steps:

• Build and test an incident response plan that includes notification protocols for internal leadership, affected customers, and relevant authorities under Law 18-07 where personal data is involved
• Establish direct relationships with DZ-CERT and sector regulators before an incident occurs, not during one
• Conduct at least one annual tabletop exercise simulating a significant incident, with after-action review and remediation tracking
• Retain logs and forensic artifacts for sufficient periods to support both internal investigation and regulatory reporting

Pillar 3: Data Protection and Privacy Compliance

Law 18-07 remains the foundational personal data protection obligation for any organization processing Algerian personal data. The 2025-2029 strategy’s integration with national data governance (under Decree 25-320) reinforces the importance of data inventory, lawful basis documentation, and cross-border transfer governance.

Concrete steps:

• Maintain a current data inventory identifying personal data, processing purposes, and storage locations
• Ensure data processing agreements are in place with all third-party processors, including cloud and SaaS providers
• Document lawful bases for processing under Law 18-07, particularly for sensitive data categories
• Establish a data subject request handling process that can respond within reasonable timeframes

Pillar 4: Third-Party and Supply Chain Security

The strategy’s emphasis on protecting critical infrastructure extends to the supply chain that supports that infrastructure. Enterprises — particularly those that are themselves vendors to public institutions or regulated sectors — should expect due diligence expectations to tighten.

Concrete steps:

• Maintain an inventory of third-party vendors, including SaaS integrations and OAuth grants into cloud identity platforms
• Conduct security assessments for vendors with access to sensitive data or critical systems
• Include cybersecurity clauses in vendor contracts, including breach notification requirements and right-to-audit provisions
• Monitor for announcements from vendors about security incidents or vulnerabilities that could affect the enterprise

Where to Allocate Investment in 2026

Enterprises preparing for the 2025-2029 compliance environment should prioritize spending in three areas where the return on investment is clearest:

1. Governance and policy documentation — Often underfunded relative to technology. A complete, auditable set of policies is the baseline that any regulator, auditor, or counterparty will ask for first.
2. Identity and access management — The dominant attack surface globally and locally. Investment in identity platforms, MFA coverage, and OAuth governance pays off across every compliance framework.
3. Detection and incident response capability — Either internal SOC investment or a contract with a managed detection and response (MDR) provider capable of operating at the speed modern attacks require.

Working with ASSI and DZ-CERT

The Information Systems Security Agency (ASSI), operating under the Ministry of National Defense, implements national cybersecurity policies and defends critical state infrastructure. The National Council for Information Systems Security (CNSSI), reporting to the Presidency, develops national strategies. DZ-CERT operates under CERIST as the national incident response coordinator.

For enterprises, the practical implication is that building professional, cooperative relationships with these bodies — before any incident — is part of readiness. This includes subscribing to advisories, participating in industry-sector cybersecurity forums where they exist, and ensuring that incident notification paths are documented and tested.

A Compliance Readiness Checklist

To close the gap between the strategy’s emerging expectations and current enterprise posture, organizations can work through the following checklist:

• [ ] CISO appointed with direct line to CEO or board
• [ ] Cybersecurity policy documented and aligned with recognized international framework
• [ ] Data inventory completed with lawful bases documented under Law 18-07
• [ ] Incident response plan documented and tested in the last 12 months
• [ ] Third-party vendor inventory completed with contractual security clauses
• [ ] Identity platform with enterprise-wide MFA and OAuth governance
• [ ] Detection and response capability in place — internal SOC or MDR contract
• [ ] Annual cybersecurity budget approved with multi-year capital plan
• [ ] Ongoing relationship with DZ-CERT and sector regulators established
• [ ] Board-level cybersecurity reporting on a quarterly cadence

Organizations that complete this checklist position themselves well for any direction sector-specific implementing regulations take over the next 24 months, and more importantly, build the operational resilience that any serious threat environment demands.

Sources & Further Reading

• CMS Expert Guide to Data Protection and Cyber Security Laws: Algeria — CMS
• Algeria Strengthens Cybersecurity Framework to Protect National Infrastructure — TechAfrica News
• Algeria Cybersecurity Framework Update — SAMENA Council
• ARPCE Publication Portal — Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications