The Federal Government inaugurated the National Ministerial Advisory Council on Wednesday in Abuja to coordinate cybersecurity efforts across critical sectors. The council brings together agencies, private sector representatives, academia and other institutions to strengthen national response to cyber threats. Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said Nigeria faces no fewer than 4,200 cyber attacks weekly, targeting government and institutions. He cited 163 million internet users, 157 million mobile lines and 84 per cent 4G coverage as factors increasing exposure to digital threats. Tijani stated that a stronger digital economy inevitably attracts more attacks, stressing that the key issue is whether Nigeria can respond with coordinated national resilience. The council will not duplicate existing efforts but align strategies to improve policy coherence, public-private collaboration and risk foresight. The government is investing $2 billion in 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network and building 3,700 telecom towers to expand coverage from 92 per cent to 98–99 per cent. Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, warned that AI is reshaping cyber threats, enabling zero-click phishing, AI-generated malware and deepfake attacks on financial and communication systems. He emphasized that in a connected ecosystem, no entity is secure unless all are secure. Mr Nagungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, called for a robust national cybersecurity framework, real-time intelligence sharing and predictive approaches. Mr Olumbe Akinkugbe, Executive Director at Galaxy Backbone, said human factors are critical in cybersecurity, with personnel serving as the first line of defence.
The same administration pushing rapid digital expansion through $2 billion in infrastructure is now scrambling to contain the very cyber threats that growth enables. With 4,200 attacks weekly already, the council's call for coordination exposes a lag between rollout and protection. Nigerians using government platforms or digital services are left exposed during this gap in resilience. The speed of connectivity may now be outpacing the country's ability to defend it.
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