Experts in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector have called on the Federal Government to develop a strong national cybersecurity policy to protect the country’s digital future.
This call was made during the 2025 Cybersecurity Forum held in Abuja. The forum, with the theme “Digital Sovereignty: Building an Agile and Resilient Nation”, was organised by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), which is the official body for all IT professionals in Nigeria.
At the event, top government officials, security experts, and ICT stakeholders agreed that cybercrime is growing fast in Nigeria and may cause serious damage to the country’s economy and security if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, raised alarm that cybercrime has already cost Nigeria over $500 million (about N250 billion) in the last two years. He said this while being represented by the Assistant Commander Robert Okwor, who is the Acting Director of ICT at EFCC.
He revealed that the EFCC’s 2023 report showed that 80 per cent of financial fraud cases were linked to cybercrime. He explained that most of these crimes were carried out through fake emails, social media scams, bank app hacking, and ransom attacks.
According to him, “Nigeria is now among the top three African countries most targeted by cybercriminals, according to Interpol’s 2024 report. This shows that our digital economy is under serious threat. If we don’t act fast, the country will suffer more economic and security problems.”
To stop these threats, Olukoyede called for better laws to fight cybercrime, especially with the rise of AI-powered fraud. He also stressed the need for partnerships between government agencies and the private sector to share intelligence and respond quickly to threats.
Also speaking, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, said Nigeria must work together to protect its key digital systems. He explained that the Defence Headquarters is already developing cyber defence systems to protect the country’s ICT infrastructure. He was represented by Major General Henry Yanai, Director of Electronic Warfare.
He added that the military has set up special units like the Cyber Security Directorate at the Defence Space Administration and the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command to handle cyber attacks targeting Nigeria’s national assets.
The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, also spoke at the forum. She noted that managing identity in the digital age is important for national development and ensuring that no citizen is left out. She was represented by the Director of Corporate Services, Mr. Olufemi Fabunmi.
According to her, “NIMC is working to change the digital space in Nigeria through innovation and teamwork. It’s not just about figures, but about transforming lives.”
The keynote speaker, Prof. Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, who is the Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, called for Nigeria to build digital sovereignty. He explained that Nigeria needs to reduce its dependence on foreign cloud services and protect national data.
He warned that since most digital services now run on cloud systems outside Nigeria, it poses serious security risks. He cited a 2022 Kaspersky report, which ranked Nigeria among the top African countries with the highest number of malware attacks.
Prof. Adeyanju said Nigeria must invest in local research, encourage tech startups, and use homegrown platforms like Galaxy Backbone and CoveNet. He also mentioned the importance of enforcing intellectual property laws, improving digital literacy, and supporting local developers.
He noted that the Federal Government is already investing in two world-class data centres under Galaxy Backbone to keep government data secure within Nigeria. He added that procurement policies should favour local tech solutions to reduce foreign dependency.
In his welcome address, President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, said the forum was aimed at discussing real cybersecurity challenges and finding ways to prepare Nigerian IT professionals for the future.
He said the forum brought together top cybersecurity minds from government, private sector, academics, and the global tech space to explore strategies in AI security, data protection, cyber response, and policy-making.
Aliyu added, “As Nigeria continues to digitalise its economy, we must ensure our systems are protected, resilient, and trusted. Cybersecurity is now a national priority.”
The forum ended with a shared agreement that Nigeria’s digital future can only be secured through strong laws, local technology development, investment in human capacity, and collaboration between all stakeholders.
