Anuar Nurakhmetov: Azerbaijan can become regional cybersecurity hub - Interview

There are broad opportunities in Azerbaijan for the development of cybersecurity services, increasing the potential of specialized personnel in the field of digital security, and transforming the country into a regional hub. Its successes in the energy, telecommunications, and transport sectors can create conditions for it to gain a global competitive advantage. In addition, managed cybersecurity services, the protection of industrial systems, cloud technologies, and artificial intelligence security can be among the main directions of investment and business development in the coming years.

In his interview with Report, Anuar Nurakhmetov, Director and Head of Technology Consulting at KPMG Azerbaijan, spoke about strengthening the cybersecurity ecosystem, expanding cooperation among the state, private sector, universities, and international technology companies, as well as Azerbaijan's potential for exporting digital security services.

Report presents the interview:

- What opportunities do you see for Azerbaijan to strengthen its position as a regional hub for cybersecurity services and digital security expertise in the Caucasus and Central Asia?

- I believe Azerbaijan has good potential to develop into a regional cybersecurity hub, particularly by building on its experience in energy, financial services, telecommunications and transport.

The global demand is certainly there. According to KPMG's 2026 Global CEO Outlook, based on a survey of 1,400 CEOs, 31% identified cyber and data security as the greatest risk to business growth, while 45% reported increasing investment in cybersecurity and digital risk resilience.

Azerbaijan has also made progress in strengthening its cybersecurity framework. The country was placed in Tier 2, the second-highest category, in the ITU's Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, alongside regional peers such as Kazakhstan, Georgia and Uzbekistan. The establishment of the National Cybersecurity Agency in June 2026 is another positive development.

However, strong national cybersecurity capabilities do not automatically translate into a competitive cybersecurity services industry. International customers expect proven expertise, recognized standards and reliable service delivery.

I see particular opportunities in managed security services, incident response, cloud security and industrial cybersecurity. Rather than competing across every segment, Azerbaijan could focus on areas where its sector-specific experience provides a competitive advantage.

Ultimately, the real measure of success will be whether Azerbaijani providers can attract international customers and build sustainable cybersecurity service exports.

- What further steps could Azerbaijan take to develop a stronger cybersecurity ecosystem, including cooperation between government, the private sector, universities and international technology companies?

- Azerbaijan already has some promising examples of cooperation, including the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center, as well as practical cybersecurity laboratories developed at local universities with the involvement of the Special Communication and Information Security State Service.

I think the next priority should be connecting these initiatives more closely with actual business needs. The World Economic Forum's Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 found that 85% of organizations with insufficient cyber resilience reported shortages of critical cybersecurity skills, compared with only 22% of highly resilient organizations. This highlights how important access to experienced professionals is. For Azerbaijan, the focus should therefore extend beyond training and certifications. Banks, energy companies and other major employers could participate more actively in university programmes, offering internships, practical assignments and opportunities to work on real cybersecurity challenges. International technology companies could contribute by establishing local engineering teams and involving Azerbaijani specialists in regional projects. At the same time, local cybersecurity businesses need opportunities to test their solutions with customers and develop commercial references.

Talent retention is equally important. The goal should not simply be to train more specialists, but to create an environment where they can build successful careers and contribute to a competitive local cybersecurity industry.

- Looking ahead, which areas of cybersecurity – such as AI, cloud security, data protection or cybersecurity services – offer the greatest potential for investment and business growth in Azerbaijan and the wider region?

I would highlight four areas: managed cybersecurity services, industrial cybersecurity, cloud and data protection, and AI security. However, their commercial potential and market maturity differ.

1. In the near term, managed cybersecurity services offer one of the clearest opportunities. Many organizations cannot maintain all the specialized cybersecurity capabilities they need internally. KPMG's 2026 Cybersecurity & Technology Risk Survey of large US organizations found that 55% of respondents were using managed service providers for cyber threat intelligence. Although Azerbaijan is a different market, the underlying demand for specialist expertise is relevant.

2. Industrial cybersecurity is another promising area, particularly given Azerbaijan's experience in energy, transport and critical infrastructure. Protecting industrial control systems requires specialist technical and operational knowledge, which could become a competitive advantage for local providers.

3. Cloud security, identity management and data protection should also see growing demand as organizations continue modernizing their technology environments.

4. AI presents opportunities both for improving cybersecurity operations and for securing AI applications themselves. According to the World Economic Forum, the proportion of surveyed organizations with processes to assess the security of AI tools increased from 37% in 2025 to 64% in 2026. However, I would be cautious about treating every AI-related cybersecurity solution as a strong investment opportunity. Customers will expect measurable improvements in security, efficiency or risk reduction.

Overall, I see the strongest near-term commercial potential in managed security services and cloud security, while industrial cybersecurity could become an important regional specialization. AI security offers longer-term growth potential as adoption and customer demand mature. For Azerbaijan, the priority could be developing capabilities that address real business needs and can eventually compete beyond the domestic market.