Nigeria is stepping up efforts to strengthen its national cyber defences as artificial-intelligence-powered cyberattacks become more frequent and costly, raising concerns about threats to the country’s financial system, digital infrastructure, and public services.
The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), says it is developing a comprehensive cybersecurity framework to tighten standards across the public and private sectors as attackers increasingly use AI tools to automate and scale digital intrusions.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, said the nature of cyber threats facing Nigeria has changed significantly, with artificial intelligence enabling faster, more targeted and harder-to-detect attacks.
“The threat landscape is evolving very rapidly, and many of the attacks we are seeing today are now driven by artificial intelligence,” Abdullahi said. “Our current approach is no longer sufficient, which is why we are strengthening our national cybersecurity posture.”
The proposed framework is expected to introduce minimum cybersecurity spending requirements, enforce mandatory breach-reporting timelines, and establish shared threat-intelligence platforms to improve coordination between government agencies and private companies during major cyber incidents.
Officials say the policy shift comes as cybercrime-related losses continue to mount. International assessments estimate that Nigeria has lost hundreds of millions of dollars to cyber fraud and digital attacks in recent years, with AI-enabled phishing, impersonation scams and ransomware accounting for much of the recent increase.
Abdullahi said many organisations remain vulnerable because cybersecurity is still treated as an afterthought rather than a core business requirement.
“Some organisations assume they are unlikely to be targeted, so they underinvest in protection,” he said. “Unfortunately, cyber attackers do not make those assumptions.”
Cybersecurity analysts note that Nigeria’s expanding digital economy, driven by fintech innovation, instant payment systems and online government services, has widened the attack surface for cybercriminals. AI-powered tools can analyse data, mimic human behaviour and exploit vulnerabilities at a pace that traditional security systems struggle to match.
A regional cybersecurity analyst said Nigeria’s experience mirrors a broader global trend.
“AI has made cyberattacks cheaper, faster and more scalable, while defence has become more complex and expensive,” the analyst said. “Fast-growing digital economies like Nigeria are especially attractive targets.”
Beyond regulation, government officials have acknowledged the need to address skills shortages in the cybersecurity sector, warning that a lack of trained professionals limits the country’s ability to detect and respond to sophisticated threats in real time.
The cybersecurity push forms part of broader efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s digital infrastructure as the country positions itself as a regional technology and financial hub. Authorities say the new framework is expected to be rolled out later this year, alongside increased collaboration with private sector operators and international partners.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue,” Abdullahi said. “It is now an economic and national security priority.”
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