The federal government has announced plans to establish a national cybersecurity coordination council to strengthen Nigeria’s resilience against growing cyber threats.
In a statement on Thursday, the federal ministry of communications, innovation and digital economy said the proposed council will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform to enhance coordination, information sharing, and collaboration across public and private sector institutions.
The ministry said the initiative, being championed by Bosun Tijani, the minister, is aimed at improving Nigeria’s ability to respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber incidents that have disrupted operations across key sectors.
According to the statement, the council will be a non-statutory body bringing together chief information security officers (CISOs), cybersecurity professionals, technology firms, law enforcement agencies, and relevant government institutions.
“The proposed council is envisioned as a non-statutory, multi-stakeholder coordination platform, designed to convene key actors and strengthen partnerships that support efficient coordination, trusted information sharing, and sustained cooperation among institutions responsible for advancing Nigeria’s cybersecurity posture,” the ministry said.
PLATFORM TO PROVIDE ADVISORY SUPPORT TO FG
The ministry added that the platform will also provide advisory support to the federal government on strategies and frameworks needed to strengthen national cyber resilience.
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It said the move follows recent cyber incidents that posed risks to customers and disrupted operations across major private institutions and public systems, highlighting the “increasingly coordinated and sophisticated nature of cyber threats”.
The ministry said it will work with stakeholders, including the office of the national security adviser (ONSA), to promote structured partnerships and improve cyber defence frameworks across sectors.
“The approach reflects the government’s recognition that modern cyber threats demand collective defence models, trusted threat intelligence sharing, and multi-stakeholder coordination,” the statement added.
To drive the process, the ministry said the minister has directed the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone Limited, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to establish a technical coordination secretariat and develop initial terms of reference for stakeholder engagement.
The secretariat, to be domiciled within NITDA, will operate under the strategic coordination of the minister’s office.
The ministry also said it will convene a national cybersecurity industry roundtable in April 2026 to kick off consultations and develop the operational framework for the proposed council.
Speaking on the initiative, Tijani said safeguarding Nigeria’s digital economy requires collective action across sectors.
“Cybersecurity is a shared national responsibility. Protecting Nigeria’s digital economy requires strong partnerships, trusted collaboration, and collective vigilance across government, industry, and civil society,” he said.
Tijani also said through collaborative action and sustained engagement, “we are strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to detect threats early, respond effectively, and build a resilient and trusted digital ecosystem”.
