The Agence des Systèmes d'Information et du Numérique (ASIN) plays a central role in the digital transformation of Benin's public administration, and in the development, security, and operation of its digital infrastructure.
As part of this transformation, Benin has established a national Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). This infrastructure is a cornerstone of digital trust: it secures electronic exchanges, verifies the identity of the parties involved, and guarantees the authenticity and integrity of digital transactions and documents.
Running this infrastructure relies on a set of critical technologies spanning systems, networking, virtualization, backup, service continuity, and cybersecurity.
To ensure these environments could be operated reliably over time, ASIN launched a program to strengthen the technical skills of its engineers.
ALIBORA supported this initiative through a program combining technical training, hands-on exercises, labs, exam preparation, and support toward professional certification.
The challenge: building in-house expertise for critical infrastructure
Operating sensitive digital infrastructure such as a national PKI calls for skills that go well beyond mastering a single technology.
Engineers responsible for these environments need a solid understanding of the different technical layers that support the infrastructure: operating systems, networking, security, virtualization, backup mechanisms, and continuity planning.
The availability and security of the environment depend directly on the teams' ability to administer, monitor, and troubleshoot each of these components.
For ASIN, the challenge was to build lasting capacity within its engineering team, so they could:
This was never just about running training sessions — it called for a genuine skills development and validation pathway.
- deepen their command of the technologies used in their environment
- administer infrastructure with greater autonomy
- identify and resolve technical incidents more effectively
- apply the best practices recommended by leading technology vendors
- put theoretical knowledge to the test in real-world situations
- have their skills formally recognized through professional certifications
ALIBORA's response: a structured training and certification program
ALIBORA supported ASIN's engineers through a program covering several technology areas essential to operating critical digital environments.
The approach rested on four complementary pillars: knowledge acquisition, hands-on practice, skills assessment, and certification preparation.
Cisco: strengthening networking and security skills
Part of the program focused on Cisco technologies, building engineers' skills in network architecture, configuration, administration, troubleshooting, and the security of communication infrastructure.
This upskilling deepens the team's understanding of the networking mechanisms that keep the various infrastructure components connected and available.
Veeam: strengthening data protection and availability
Engineers were also trained on Veeam Backup technologies for data backup, recovery, and protection.
In critical environments, the ability to quickly restore systems and data after an incident is a key part of business continuity.
The training deepened participants' knowledge of backup practices, recovery procedures, and the administration of data protection environments.
VMware: mastering virtualized environments
The program also covered VMware technologies used for IT infrastructure virtualization.
The training helped participants build a deeper understanding of virtualized architectures and the core tasks involved in administering them.
This skill set is especially important in modern infrastructure, where several critical services can run on virtualized environments that demand rigorous administration and high availability.
Red Hat: strengthening Linux administration expertise
Another part of the program focused on Red Hat System Administrator training, with a particular emphasis on Linux system administration.
Participants strengthened their skills in configuration, service management, user administration, storage, access rights, and the core tasks involved in the day-to-day administration of Linux environments.
This training helps build operational autonomy on systems widely used across critical infrastructure and enterprise platforms.
Learning by doing
ALIBORA favored a teaching approach that closely combined theory with practice.
The training sessions were complemented by hands-on exercises, technical labs, configuration workshops, and operational scenarios, allowing engineers to immediately put what they had learned into practice.
This approach goes beyond theoretical learning, helping participants build reflexes they can draw on directly in real operational situations.
Participants were able to experiment with configurations, analyze incidents, test different approaches, and deepen their understanding of the technologies in a controlled environment.
From training to professional certification
The program didn't stop at knowledge transfer.
ALIBORA also supported ASIN's engineers through their professional certification journeys, helping them prepare for and register for the exams tied to the technologies covered.
Certification measures what participants have learned against vendor standards and provides formal recognition of the skill level achieved.
For the organization, it's also a way to gradually build an in-house pool of qualified talent capable of administering and evolving its infrastructure.
Building lasting technical autonomy
The program delivered with ALIBORA strengthened the skills of ASIN's engineers across several areas fundamental to operating digital infrastructure.
Combining theoretical instruction, labs, hands-on exercises, and certification preparation supports a fuller grasp of the technologies and their direct application in day-to-day work.
This approach also helps reduce reliance on outside expertise by building technical capacity directly within the team.
Engineers are now better equipped to administer their environments, carry out maintenance, diagnose incidents, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the infrastructure.
Beyond a one-off training program, ALIBORA's support reflects a broader commitment to skills transfer and lasting technical capacity building.
It helps ASIN maintain a team better prepared to meet the availability, security, and reliability demands specific to critical digital infrastructure.
