Nigeria unveils four-pillar cybersecurity council plan amid rising cyber threats

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has outlined four key pillars to guide the proposed Ministerial Advisory Council for Cybersecurity Coordination in response to a recent surge in cyber threats targeting the information systems of public and private institutions.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

Speaking at the inaugural stakeholder engagement session for the establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Council for Cybersecurity Coordination for Nigeria’s digital economy in Abuja, on Wednesday, Mr Tijani said the council would focus on building a coordinated national cyber resilience framework anchored on accountability, intelligence sharing, policy alignment, and collaboration across sectors.

The efforts to establish the council for cybersecurity coordination followed cyberattacks on the information systems of private and public institutions. Recent examples include the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Sterling Bank, Remita Payment Service Limited, and other entities.

In his presentation, the digital economy minister stressed that the rise in cyberattacks reflects the country’s expanding digital economy rather than a lack of preparedness.

Highlighting Nigeria’s digital progress, the minister said about 163 million people, out of an estimated population of 230 to 240 million, now have internet access, while 4G coverage has reached roughly 84 per cent nationwide. He added that the government aims to transition more users to 5G and higher technologies.

Mr Tijani further disclosed that the government is investing $2 billion to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure, alongside a presidential directive to roll out about 3,700 additional telecommunications towers.

He, however, insisted that Nigeria’s digital economy has improved and that the development has attracted cyber challenges similar to those faced by other digitally advanced countries.

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

“If you have not noticed, when we came in, the contribution of the digital economy to our GDP was somewhere between 16 and 18 per cent. By the data that we’re seeing, this is now tracking close to 20, actually. The target we set for the next four years is for the digital economy to contribute close to 21 per cent to our GDP.

“When you compare Nigeria to countries where the contribution of the digital economy to GDP is high, you begin to see that we’re in an interesting class. But this comes with its own challenges.

“There’s evidence to back it up. The stronger your digital economy becomes, the more cyberattacks you’re going to witness. So most of what we’re experiencing today is not by accident,” the minister said, addressing the recent surge in cyberattacks on corporate enterprises’ information systems.

Four pillars

According to the minister, Nigeria is now recording thousands of cyber incidents weekly, underscoring the urgency of a coordinated response. He urged stakeholders to move beyond dialogue and actively shape a solution-driven platform.

Mr Tijani explained that the proposed council would be built around four core pillars, including mechanisms for continuous accountability, trusted intelligence sharing, national coordination, and strategic risk foresight. He stated that the platform is intended to unify efforts rather than duplicate existing initiatives.

“We want to see a platform that can ensure there’s continuous accountability, trusted intelligence sharing, national coordination, and strategic risk foresight. By coming together, we believe that we can better identify emerging risks, and if we do that collectively, we’re in a better position to respond,” he said.

He also called for public-private collaboration, noting that while government systems are exposed, much of the risk lies in private-sector platforms that serve as primary touchpoints for citizens.

Coordinated approach

In his opening remarks, the permanent secretary at the digital economy ministry, Nadungu Gagare, reinforced the need for a coordinated national approach, describing cybersecurity as central to Nigeria’s development ambitions.

“We must therefore recognise a simple but powerful truth, that a digital economy without cybersecurity is like a city without law and order, which is very vulnerable, unpredictable, and ultimately unsustainable,” he said.

“Cybersecurity is no longer an IT issue. It is a national development imperative. It affects the integrity of our financial systems, the resilience of our critical infrastructure, the privacy and confidence of our citizens, and the competitiveness of our digital economy.”

Mr Gagare noted that the establishment of the council signals a shift from fragmented efforts to a unified national strategy, adding that no single institution can tackle evolving cyber threats alone.

AI threats

Also speaking, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, warned that artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the threat landscape, making cybersecurity more complex and urgent.

READ ALSO: NITDA, CAC activate cybersecurity measures amid system concerns

“Cybersecurity in the age of AI is a different animal. AI is changing the game and elevating the threat landscape. The attack today could be on AI or by AI,” Mr Abdullahi said.

The NITDA boss further cited emerging risks, including AI-generated malware, automated ransomware, and sophisticated social engineering attacks, warning that these threats are increasingly difficult to detect.

“The only way is for us to work together, government and the private sector, because no one can be protected in isolation. We are as strong as our weakest link,” Abdullahi said.

The proposed council is expected to serve as a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together government, industry, and academia to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber resilience, improve real-time intelligence sharing, and align national policies.

The stakeholders at the session, including representatives from financial institutions, telecommunications sectors, the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), and private cybersecurity companies, were encouraged to provide input on the council’s structure and mandate, as the government seeks to establish an inclusive and active body capable of guiding Nigeria’s cybersecurity strategy in an increasingly digital economy.