FG moves to strengthen cybersecurity with coordination council
By Fredrick Ameh
The Federal Government has announced plans to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity architecture with the establishment of a National Cybersecurity Coordination Council, signaling a move towards enhanced digital resilience.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, emphasised the need for collaborative action across government, industry, and civil society.
“Cybersecurity is a shared national responsibility. Protecting Nigeria’s digital economy requires strong partnerships, trusted collaboration, and collective vigilance,” the Minister said.
“Through coordinated engagement, we are enhancing our ability to detect threats early, respond effectively, and build a resilient and trusted digital ecosystem,” he added.
The proposed Council will serve as a non-statutory, multi-stakeholder platform, bringing together Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), professional associations, government agencies, law enforcement, digital security experts, and international technology providers.
Its mandate includes strengthening coordination, sharing threat intelligence, and advancing national cyber readiness.
Key objectives of the Council include:
Establishing trusted threat intelligence-sharing mechanisms
Developing sector-wide cyber defence protocols aligned with national strategies
Building capacity programmes for Nigeria’s cybersecurity workforce
Coordinating operational responses to cyber incidents
Supporting governance and regulatory alignment to enhance accountability and interoperability
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone Limited, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have been mandated to facilitate the creation of a technical coordination secretariat and draft initial Terms of Reference.
The secretariat will be domiciled within NITDA under the strategic guidance of the Minister’s office.
A national cybersecurity industry roundtable scheduled for April 2026 is expected to formally commence stakeholder consultations, providing a platform for dialogue, partnership building, and co-creation of operational frameworks for the Council.
The initiative follows recent cyber incidents that disrupted operations across public institutions and private enterprises, underscoring the need for a collective defence model.
By fostering structured partnerships and multi-sector collaboration, the government aims to protect citizens, businesses, and national digital infrastructure while promoting responsible digital innovation.
“Modern cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and coordinated, and our response must be equally robust, collaborative, and forward-looking,” Dr Tijani said.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s digital future.