The Federal Government has launched a renewed push to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity architecture with plans to establish a National Cybersecurity Coordination Council aimed at tackling the growing wave of cyber threats.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, disclosed the initiative in Abuja, noting that the move is part of a broader strategy to enhance collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated response to cyber incidents across the country.
According to him, cybersecurity threats now pose serious risks to businesses, government systems, and citizens, especially as Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand. He stressed that modern cyber risks require a collective defense approach rather than isolated institutional efforts.
Tijani revealed that Nigeria currently records an average of about 4,200 cyber attacks weekly, attributing the surge to increased digital connectivity and technological advancement. He noted that while the rise in attacks may seem alarming, it is also a reflection of a growing digital ecosystem.
The proposed council will bring together key stakeholders, including chief information security officers, cybersecurity professionals, and organisations such as the Nigerian Computer Society, to develop unified defense strategies and response frameworks.
To kickstart the process, agencies including the National Information Technology Development Agency, Nigerian Communications Commission, Galaxy Backbone, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission have been tasked with setting up a technical secretariat to drive coordination and stakeholder engagement.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, warned that the rise of artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the threat landscape. He explained that cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, with emerging risks including AI-powered malware, automated ransomware, zero-click phishing, and advanced social engineering tactics that are increasingly difficult to detect.
He added that cyber threats today can target AI systems or even be driven by AI itself, making it critical for Nigeria to rethink its cybersecurity approach in line with global trends.
The Federal Government believes the initiative will strengthen national resilience, improve response capacity, and better prepare the country for future cyber challenges.
