ShieldAfrica

History

ShieldAfrica was first held in Abidjan in 2013, filling a gap in the African defence exhibition landscape with a platform specifically designed for the continent's security realities: border protection, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, and internal security. COGES Events, the organiser of Milipol Paris and Milipol Qatar, developed ShieldAfrica as a companion event for the African market, establishing a biennial cadence. In 2015 COGES Africa partnered with an organisation called "Competences" to develop the show further. Editions were held in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021, establishing a January/biennial pattern at the Ecole de Police in Abidjan, the event's traditional venue.

The dormancy: cancellations and uncertain future

The 2023 edition of ShieldAfrica was formally cancelled by COGES Africa in January 2023. The organiser cited two specific reasons: the unavailability of the Ecole de Police of Abidjan (the traditional venue), and the absence of a manager and operator at Abidjan's new Exhibition Centre -- six months before the scheduled deadline, conditions did not allow the organiser to guarantee acceptable service quality. At the time of the cancellation announcement, COGES Africa stated it was not in a position to commit to a timeline for the next edition.

Aggregator listings subsequently circulated provisional dates for a 2025 edition in Abidjan; however, no confirmed edition took place in 2025 based on available reporting as of June 2026. The COGES Events website and associated ShieldAfrica LinkedIn page have not published a confirmed future date.

As of June 2026, reports in Moroccan media indicate that discussions are underway for a possible relaunch of ShieldAfrica in Morocco -- potentially near Casablanca -- in a more ambitious format, with 2029 as a possible target year. No formal announcement has been made and no dates, venue, or organiser commitments have been confirmed.

Where ShieldAfrica sits (or sat) in the defence calendar

In its active years, ShieldAfrica occupied a distinctive niche: the only significant defence event on the African continent specifically focused on internal and regional security rather than conventional military procurement. It complemented AAD (African Aerospace and Defence, South Africa, biennial) and the Marrakech Air Show by addressing francophone West and Central African security markets largely absent from South African and North African shows. Its dormancy leaves that segment -- particularly the Gulf of Guinea maritime security and Sahel-region counter-terrorism procurement audience -- without a dedicated event.

Who attended ShieldAfrica

Exhibitors included French, European, and Israeli security and defence companies with significant African business, alongside African state and private security suppliers. The visitor and delegation profile was predominantly West and Central African: defence ministers, police commanders, gendarmerie officials, and procurement officers from the ECOWAS region. The event also attracted UN peacekeeping and peace-support mission procurement representatives. As the show was held in Abidjan, francophone West Africa was overrepresented relative to Anglophone markets.

The venue: Ecole Nationale de Police, Abidjan (historical)

ShieldAfrica was historically held at the Ecole Nationale de Police in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Abidjan is the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire and the largest city in francophone West Africa. The city is served by Felix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport (IATA: ABJ). Venue details for any future edition -- whether in Abidjan or a relocated format -- are not disclosed as of June 2026.

The organiser: COGES Events / COGES Africa

COGES Events is a French company specialising in the organisation of defence and security trade events. It is best known as the organiser of Milipol Paris, the world's leading internal security exhibition held biennially at Paris Le Bourget, and Milipol Qatar, its Gulf extension. COGES Africa was the entity managing ShieldAfrica in partnership with the Ivorian Ministry of Defence. The organiser's expertise in the internal security and law-enforcement sector shaped ShieldAfrica's thematic positioning. COGES Events contact information is available at coges.com.

First time at ShieldAfrica? How to prepare

• Check the official website before making any plans. Until a confirmed future edition is announced on shieldafrica.com or via COGES Events, no planning is warranted. Aggregator dates for past or possible future editions are unreliable.
• Monitor the Morocco relaunch discussion. Moroccan media reports suggest a possible relaunch near Casablanca around 2029; if confirmed this would represent a significantly different event format and location from the Abidjan original.
• Consider AFRIDEX (Lagos, October 2026) as an alternative. For companies seeking pan-African defence and security audience engagement, AFRIDEX's inaugural edition is the most significant near-term option.
• For francophone West African security contacts, Milipol Paris remains active. The biennial Milipol Paris (Paris Le Bourget, November, odd years) retains strong West and Central African internal-security delegate participation and is a reliable substitute until ShieldAfrica relaunches.