The Federal Government has intensified efforts to curb rising cyber threats with plans to establish a National Cybersecurity Coordination Council to protect Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who disclosed the initiative in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that it is part of a broader strategy to strengthen collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated responses to cyber incidents across public and private sectors.
He warned that cyber attacks now pose significant risks to customers, disrupt operations, and affect critical institutions and service industries, stressing that modern threats require collective defense rather than isolated responses.
4,200 Weekly Attacks Recorded
Tijani revealed that Nigeria currently records about 4,200 cyber attacks weekly, linking the trend to the rapid expansion of the country’s digital economy. He noted that as digital systems grow, they naturally attract more cyber threats.
“There’s evidence to back that the stronger your digital economy becomes, the more cyber attacks you’re going to witness,” he said, adding that Nigeria must build coordinated national resilience instead of relying on fragmented responses.
The proposed council will include chief information security officers, cybersecurity professionals, industry associations, and the Nigerian Computer Society. It will focus on sector-wide defence protocols, workforce development, and coordinated incident response systems.
Key Agencies to Drive Implementation
To begin the process, the minister directed the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone Limited, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to set up a technical coordination secretariat. The secretariat will be housed within NITDA.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, warned that artificial intelligence is transforming cyber threats, making attacks more complex and harder to detect.
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He highlighted risks such as AI-generated malware, automated ransomware, zero-click phishing attacks, and AI-powered social engineering, stressing that modern cyber threats can evolve and act at high speed.
The government said the proposed council will unify national efforts, improve preparedness, and strengthen Nigeria’s resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.