Cybersecurity And Nigeria’s Digital Revolution

Nigeria’s rapid adoption of technol­ogy continues to move her deeper into the digital age. However, this is an opportunity that comes with its share of challenges.

Many startups and even well-estab­lished businesses are utilizing digital tools to expand their operations and reach a wider target market. But this digital revolution has also made Nige­ria a prime target for cyber threats, making it necessary that cybersecu­rity measures match up to this tech­nological transformation. This article highlights ways Nigeria can guard its future in the digital age by addressing digital security challenges and stimu­late innovation and growth.

Nigeria’s rapid digital economy ex­pansion is being driven by Nigeria’s youthful population, strong internet penetration and rise of innovative tech solutions. Whether it’s the Fin­Tech company that is revolutionizing financial transactions or the e-com­merce platforms making shopping easier, technology is changing how the nation does business. The trend to use online platforms, digital payments and remote work solutions is expect­ed to increase in the year 2025. The in­creased internet usage is expected to attract cybercriminals who aim to ex­ploit Nigerians and their businesses.

Cyber criminals attack systems with the purpose of accessing con­fidential data, interrupting business operations, or for monetary gains. Such attacks can be very costly, lead­ing to loss of revenue, tarnishing business image, and even attract le­gal repercussions. The FinTech sec­tor is particularly vulnerable to cy­ber threats as it processes enormous volumes of transactions in billions of naira daily; this sector and other sectors in Nigeria stand vulnerable to threats such as phishing, ransom­ware, malware, DDos attacks, supply chain attacks, and several other data breaches. For businesses, cybersecu­rity is not a luxury but a necessity. It is crucial in keeping the confidence of stakeholders and customers.

Below are the top five challenges facing Nigerians and Nigeria busi­nesses.

Limited Awareness: Cybersecu­rity awareness remains low among Nigerians and Nigerian businesses. Many business owners and employ­ees underestimate the risks of cyber­attacks, leading to lax security prac­tices such as using weak passwords, neglecting software updates or falling victim to phishing scams. Without ad­equate understanding of cyber risks, businesses remain highly vulnerable.

Skills Gap: The increase of digital services has led to the shortage of cy­bersecurity professionals in the Nige­ria economy. It is quite challenging for many businesses to recruit qualified and competent staff. There is also the question of limited resources to train and certify Nigerians into cybersecu­rity professionals.

Inadequate Infrastructure: Most business organizations still use out­dated systems and software that do not possess the modern security features that make it difficult for attackers to penetrate. Also, lack of investments in secured software such as routers firewalls, encryption de­vices, backup systems, and intrusion detectors puts networks at risk.

Regulatory Gaps: The introduc­tion of Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) is a laudable step towards improving cybersecu­rity. Although penalties for failure to implement the provisions of the regulation are not well enforced, most businesses have low awareness of the regulation and their obligations un­der it. Additionally, the NDPR lacks an effective methodology for tackling the current day threat agents includ­ing ransomware, malware and sup­ply chain attacks, leaving gaps in the legal regulation of the industry.

Cost Concerns: The cost of im­plementing robust cybersecurity is also a real barrier for many SMEs. Advanced security tools can be ex­pensive to invest in and skilled pro­fessionals to conduct regular audits are of limited number. As a result, small businesses rely on outdated and cheap security solutions which provide little protection from cy­ber-attacks.

To secure her digital future, Ni­geria must prioritize cybersecurity alongside technological advance­ ment.

Increase Cybersecurity Aware­ness: Education is the key to fight cyber threats effectively. Businesses, government institutions, and indi­viduals need to understand the risks they are facing and what could be done to prevent security breaches. Regular training sessions, awareness programs on TV, radio and work­shops can help to build a culture of cybersecurity.

Build Cybersecurity Talent: To effectively reduce the cybersecurity skill gap, it is important to focus in the areas of education and training. Nigerian universities, tech hubs and private companies need to partner and offer courses and certification programs that will provide Nigerians with the necessary skills to guard her cyber space.

Strengthen Regulatory Frame­works: The Nigerian government should step up efforts to improve these existing policies to meet current risks. There should be clear rules and consistent practices, as well as the ex­istence of valuable rewards for adher­ing to standards and policies that con­tribute to safe internet practices and stiffer penalties for violations leading to security breaches.

Invest in Modern Security Tools: Nigerian government and business­es should invest in the purchase and development of modern security solutions such as routers, firewalls, data encryption software, and back­up solutions. Businesses should also be encouraged to update and patch software’s regularly since attackers cannot take advantage of known vul­nerabilities.

Promote Incident Response Plan­ning: Cybersecurity is important and to mitigate the effects of cyberattacks, there is a need to make preparation beforehand. Businesses must also come up with business continuity and disaster response strategies for determining how they will recog­nize, stop or mitigate an attack, and restore operations without major disruptions.

Support SMEs: Since SMEs have limited resources; they must find cybersecurity solutions that are effi­cient, yet inexpensive. The Nigerian government and technology com­panies can offer research grants to develop software, and capital to the SMEs to safeguard themselves.

In conclusion, as more people in Nigeria are getting connected to the internet, it is important for this popu­lation to create a culture of responsi­ble use in the cyberspace. The digital revolution has the potential of leading Nigeria towards economic develop­ment, enhancing the quality of lives and placing Nigeria on the map as one of the greatest innovational hubs.

* Adesola, a cybersecurity analyst, writes via yemiadesola@gmail.com