FG Moves to Strengthen Nigeria’s Cyber Defences with New National Cybersecurity Council

The Federal Government has announced fresh plans to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber defences through the creation of a National Cybersecurity Coordination Council. The initiative is aimed at protecting the country’s rapidly growing digital economy from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats affecting both public and private systems.

The plan was disclosed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, as part of broader efforts to improve collaboration, intelligence sharing, and coordinated responses to cyber incidents. According to the ministry, the proposed council will serve as a non-statutory, multi-stakeholder platform designed to enhance cooperation among key actors in Nigeria’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

Officials explained that the move comes in response to rising cyberattacks targeting financial institutions, government platforms, and service providers. These incidents, they noted, reflect the growing complexity of cybercrime networks and highlight the need for a unified defence strategy rather than isolated institutional responses.

The proposed council will bring together stakeholders including government agencies, private sector operators, cybersecurity professionals, regulators, and international technology providers. It will focus on threat intelligence sharing, improving incident response systems, strengthening workforce capacity, and developing coordinated national cyber defence frameworks.

To kick-start the process, the government has directed agencies such as NITDA, NCC, Galaxy Backbone, and the NDPC to establish a technical secretariat. A national cybersecurity industry roundtable will also be held later this month to begin formal consultations and shape the operational structure of the council, as Nigeria works to build a more resilient and trusted digital economy.

source: punch