E-Business
Nigeria Needs Cyber security Office for Effective Coordination – Makatiani
William Makatiani, managing director, Serianu, recently visited Nigeria and spoke to chike Onwuegbuchi on cyber security issues
Africa is playing catch-up in cyber security
We are not prepared in Africa. The problem we have in Africa is that, we like to do easy things fast. Easy thing means deploy technology, some vendors will come and tell you this thing works in the US, put it in place and we put it in-place. The problem with that is you never get to look at security.
Security is complicated because there is local aspect around securing systems, most of our fraudsters live here, most of the banks that lose money are in Nigeria, in Ghana, in Kenya among others and those that perpetrate these frauds are within those environments. There is no way somebody will come from the US and secure it, that is the hard work. We need somebody to understand how these people are doing it.
Only locals can do it, those are the difficult things, implementation of the system is easier and those are the things we are focusing on.
When it comes to preparation we are not ready because we don’t have enough skills. Secondly, we are not ready because we are not collaborating. If you are Bank A and I’m Bank B, if you get compromised you keep quiet if it is insured you go get compensated and you will not tell Bank B and Bank B will get hit, it really empowering the hackers now they know they can get away with all these attacks.
Third issue is Malware- malicious software. We are not training our people well enough. You get an employee, an assistant to the chief executive officer, the CEO tells his assist if you get an email click on it, print it for me let me see what it is. Now, they are clicking on malicious links. Immediately they click they get Ransonware and get compromised and Ransonware takes over the network as you are looking at that our curriculum in the universities are old.
There is no single individual that can come from our traditional university that will be able to get into cyber security field without additional preparation.
We have those gaps. When you think of where we are headed and we need to ask ourselves how do we address it?
Our board members does not understand technology, if you tell them about the safe, that somebody is getting into the safe they will understand, but the safe is no longer save. The database is the new safe, if a board member cannot understand that Oracle database is the new safe there is pretty much they can be able to secure, so if I tell them I want to secure Oracle database, they will say last year we bought a router this year we have bought a firewall why are we buying something new? They will say no, but the padlock we bought for the safe last year was good but has gone out of the market we need a new padlock, that padlock will cover our database which is Oracle. This is the language we need to get to our board members.
The language technical people are taking to board members and senior managers is out dated, you cannot talk technology to somebody who spend his time playing golf or somebody who spends his time looking at financial statements you need to come up with something that is comparative.
From a typical corporate perspective the question is how do we change? If you come to global cyber security problem you have three steps.
First is, understanding what is happening; second is attributing it to an individual and third is how do we stop that individual?
In understanding in Africa, we are trying our best but we are 20 per cent, this has to do with deploying of technology to understand what is going on in the network. When it comes to attribution we are poor just 2 per cent , there is no single attack that has be successful being attributed very few, because these individuals came out and say it happened like this or this is what led to this or that.
If it comes to attribution of attacks happening in different countries in Africa it is not easy to attribute it to somebody, attribution is a challenge.
Deterrent requires law enforcement and it is where we are really struggling. Law enforcement agents are not working together you find judiciary, national intelligence or Army, they don’t know how to coordinate this issue of cyber security so that they can be able to attribute most of the bigger attacks to somebody. That is the biggest cyber security problem and that is where we are facing challenge.
Issues of lack of collaboration
The reason why there isn’t much collaboration is because of fear. For instance, with the private sector such as banks there is this fear that customers will run away, we don’t want people to know they have stolen from me, it is an African problem. Africans we don’t want sharing our things in public.
We have to move beyond where we are and only regulation will force people to talk to each other. If you get compromised, it is okay. It is normal let us know so that we allow other people to learn from that experience. That is the key.
Most of these law enforcement officials don’t coordinate because some of them don’t know. We also need to be very clear in terms of who is responsible for what, if you are an investigation agency, we need to know where you start and where you stop. If you are in national intelligence services, you need to help us develop intelligence on why banks are getting attacked, who is attacking and who is benefit from these money that is where you start and ones you get it you empower the police who are going out to investigate some of these crimes so that they can be able to be addressed.
If you are in the army you need to have intelligence to know if it is a state problem, if the hackers are coming from Ghana, Ukrane, Ruwanda or Kenya, you need to look at that and say how do we coordinate this? And then empower the prosecution and the judges so that they can make a clear case of what is going on when and how. That is the type of collaboration we need.
Impact of different regulatory agencies in the fight against cyber crime
If you have a cyber-security office which in Nigeria is lacking, this will have an incumbent who is responsible for cyber security policy in the country like we are seeing in the UK, South Africa among others, where you have office of the cyber security incumbent who could coordinate all these issues.
It can become a problem if it is political, he can’t do much. That is why it is allowed to run just like Attorney general.
The biggest problem with cyber security office depends on where it sits. For countries where it is located in the judiciary it works very well, because the whole idea is to be able to oppressionalize the security laws and if it is located under the attorney general it works very well. If you move it into ICT ministry it fails, if you move it into NIS or national security Agency it fails.
Cyber security law
Cyber security changes very fast, four years ago we didn’t know about Ransomeware, we didn’t know about cryptomining, cryptomining is a biggest thing now. What we see across the world is instead of us to focus on technology, we focus on particulars of crimes which means at the end of the day it is fraud, unauthorised access, there is sabotage and those were the results of somebody coming in and compromising in an environment.
Most of our laws are copy and paste especially from Malaysia, Singerpole. We copy our laws from those countries across Africa and if you look at the laws we have in place, they focus a lot on tools and techniques and that is what is out-dated.
The tools, techniques and processes of attacking have changed. We have to change from focusing so much on tools, techniques and processes and focus on fraud say somebody did A,B,C,D whichever way they did it, it is still a fraud.
Criminals 100 years ago were interested in stealing money, information about you, interested in making sure you don’t move, it is the same thing today. Criminal are interested in stealing money from banks, making sure you don’t provide service, interested in stealing Intellectual Property (IP) or private data. In terms of motive they have not changed, intentions have not changed and therefore we have to build flexible laws that address motives, intensions and the principles of what the laws are trying to achieve to deter.
Building Cyber security Skills in Organisations to Fight Cyber-attacks
If I were an ambitious leader, I will cancel quite a number of technology programmes in our curriculum, they are wasting time. Get in touch with the industry, get some professional from other countries, look at the areas of artificial intelligent, analytics, look at the areas of cyber security build practical programmes.
Start with forcing graduates to do one to two year programme where they learn practical, set up research foundations behind these new technologies, because if you don’t do it now, even smaller countries like Rwanda, Botswana Mauritius will be more powerful than bigger countries like even South Africa, Nigeria. In some of these areas, the problem is to start early.
Number one thing is to change the curriculum, the curriculum we have now is useless. Yes, it builds the people to the level where you can convert them, but it doesn’t build the curiosity to continue building your capability into analytics crypto. If you look at the curriculums of those in the United States, UK and Europe even Rwanda and Mauritius you now see the embedding of these new technologies and new media. First of all you have to start with that.
Number two, it is unfortunate the tools most of the professional we have in the market place are bringing are out-dated. The days of sitting somewhere looking at risk on huge template are gone, if you are going to lose money you lose money through the payment system, through a card or fund and risks starts there. And you fall back who is likely to do it? That has changed, now employees need to change, they don’t need to sit down in class, but they need to look at what they are doing, what is changing in the industry and then retrain in terms of approach.
E-Business
Check Point Reveals Nigeria as Second Most Targeted African Country for Cyberattacks in November
The November 2025 Global Threat Intelligence report released by Check Point Research on Tuesday, shows Nigerian organisations faced an average of 3,374 cyberattacks per week.
Making the country as one of the primary targets for cybercriminals in Africa last month, with a record of a staggering volume of digital threats despite an overall decline in attacks across the continent.
The report shows that this figure places Nigeria second among the four major African nations analysed, trailing only Angola, which topped the list with 4,251 weekly attacks per organisation.
While Africa as a whole saw a 13 percent year-on-year decrease in cyber incidents, Nigeria’s high numbers reveal a persistent vulnerability within its digital infrastructure. Kenya and South Africa followed Nigeria with 2,384 and 1,863 weekly attacks, respectively.
The report also identified government institutions and financial services as the most targeted sectors across Africa. Globally, the education and research sector remained the most frequent victim, hit by an average of 4,656 attacks per week.
A significant highlight of the report is the emerging threat posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Check Point Research found that one in every 35 GenAI prompts submitted within corporate networks globally posed a high risk of sensitive data leakage.
In Nigeria and abroad, employees are increasingly using AI tools that operate outside of formal security frameworks. The report noted that 87 percent of organisations using GenAI were affected by ‘high-risk’ prompts, which often included the input of proprietary code, customer data, or internal communications into public AI models.
Ransomware continues to be a primary tool for extortion, with global incidents rising by 22 percent year-on-year. While North America remains the most targeted region for ransomware, the impact is increasingly felt in emerging markets like Nigeria.
The most active ransomware groups identified in November were Qilin, Clop, and Akira, which primarily targeted industrial manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.
JustMarkets, a worldwide broker with more than 12 years of experience in the online trading realm, is launching the Boost Contest, which represents a large-scale trading activity with the purpose of motivating traders, with the most proficient traders being awarded for their exceptional performance through a number of valuable prizes. This activity will last until the 31st of January, 2026.
JustMarkets
A Competition Developed with the Goal of Providing More Opportunities for Traders Worldwide
Boost Contest competition participants will be traders with Standard, Pro, or Raw Spread accounts of the MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 platforms.
To participate, traders will only be required to have a minimum account balance of $100 with a minimum of 3 traded lots. These were the requirements set for participants. Of course, the purpose of such a competition is for every broker client to participate. At the same time, however, JustMarkets sought to encourage traders to conduct in-depth analysis, different strategies, risk, and discipline. It was with this objective that this form of competition was established.
Multiple-tier rewards system with real gold
What sets the Boost Contest apart is the Weekly Lucky Draws component, in which traders compete for real gold prizes, awarded in three levels, based on their cumulative trading volume achieved through the competition:
Tier I (more than 100 lots): 15 grams of gold (3 winners)
Tier II (50-99 lots): Gold worth 10 grams (5 winners)
Tier III (10-49 lots): 5 grams of gold (7 winners)
This competition design thus provides traders with different levels of activity with the same opportunity of benefiting from valuable rewards.
Weekly Draws to Encourage Continued Participation
Apart from the top-level prizes, the competition also includes a series of weekly prizes. Traders participating in the competition will qualify for entry into the draw if they execute a minimum of three trades per week. Five lucky traders will be awarded $200 every week.
The introduction of the Boost Contest meets JustMarkets long-term obligations in:
Engaging traders through effective rewards programs
Fostering regular and organized trading practices
Enhancing transparency and integrity within all promotion endeavors
Offering a welcoming space where traders with different skill sets can participate
This reflects the purpose of JustMarkets, which is not only to offer traders good trading terms but also opportunities that add value to the entire trading experience.
A Global Platform Built on Trust and Innovation
As a globally recognized trading platform, JustMarkets continues to invest in initiatives that elevate client experience while adhering to high operational standards. The company maintains a robust technological infrastructure, offers multilingual support, and upholds strict security principles, all foundational elements behind long-term client trust.
The Boost Contest shows JustMarkets dedication to create a convenient and transparent trading environment where everyone can reach their full investment potential by clear rules, transparent rewards, and a stable trading ecosystem.
Microsoft, in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, today announced a major milestone in its AI National Skills Initiative (AINSI), with more than 350,000 Nigerians reached with AI skills through the programme. This achievement builds on Microsoft’s longstanding partnership with the government, which has delivered digital training to over 4 million people since 2021.
Microsoft
The milestone underscores Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive, technology-driven growth and reflects strong progress in preparing individuals and organisations to thrive in the digital economy.
“Nigeria cannot afford to wait,” said Abideen Yusuf, General Manager, Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana. “AI is reshaping every sector, and the countries that move fastest on skills will lead. We must equip people now, at scale and with intent, so the immense opportunity presented by AI doesn’t pass us by.”
Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, emphasised this point: “AI skilling is no longer optional for Nigeria’s digital future—it is the foundation of our competitiveness. At Lagos Business School, we believe that equipping leaders and citizens with AI capabilities is essential for driving inclusive growth, innovation, and national transformation.”
As it stands, a significant percentage of Nigerian graduates are still to acquire digital skills, highlighting the importance of workforce readiness. Launched in January, the second phase of the Nigeria skilling programme, under Microsoft’s AINSI, aims to reach 1 million citizens over three years, strengthening Nigeria’s AI capability and national competitiveness. AINSI is helping drive a range of different programmes designed to embed AI skills across every sector of the economy.
Empowering organisational leaders
Over the past year, AINSI has advanced ethical and inclusive AI leadership in Nigeria’s public sector. Working with Lagos Business School, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Microsoft has trained 99 public sector leaders, including Members of the National Assembly and senior executives from 58 ministries and agencies. These sessions equipped leaders with strategies for AI-powered reporting and sector-specific roadmaps.
Equipping developers for the future
Developer-focused programmes are creating a strong pipeline of technical talent. Through government-driven initiatives like Developers in Government (DevsInGov) and the 3 Million Technical Talent initiative, led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, developers in public sectors have gained new skills. Around 645 participants have been trained in analytics and AI integration. Another 1,000 developers learned advanced skills in areas such as DevOps, machine learning and data science. These efforts are helping Nigeria’s workforce prepare for the future by advancing AI fluency across the digital ecosystem.
Bringing AI skills to every tech user
To reach everyday tech users, developers, and business leaders, Microsoft hosted a flagship programme, Microsoft AI Skills Week – engaging over 235,000 participants through AI digital literacy workshops, business leader strategy sessions and an Agentic AI hackathon. Partnering with VISA, TeKnowledge, UNICEF, Data Science Nigeria, and Lagos Business School, the initiative trained more than 11,400 individuals and certified over 1,700. A standout moment was the Agentic AI hackathon, showcasing innovative solutions for document verification, risk assessment, and fraud detection, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI skills in fintech.
“Our collaboration with Microsoft has demonstrated that AI readiness requires coordinated investment across every stakeholder group — government, developers, educators, and communities. By building capacity for evidence-driven governance, responsible innovation, classroom integration, and community adoption, we are laying the foundation for a globally competitive workforce. True digital transformation happens when the entire ecosystem moves forward together,” commented Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO/Founder, Data Science Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Microsoft and its partners will continue driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through targeted upskilling in AI and cybersecurity, expanded access to AI education, and ongoing developer training. These activities aim to build local expertise at all levels and support Nigeria’s young population in taking an active role in Africa’s digital future.
“Nigeria is on track to capture 43% of Africa’s projected $136 billion AI-driven productivity gains by 2030,” concluded Yusuf. “By collaborating with the government to equip leaders, developers, and tech users, we’re building a future-ready workforce and helping Nigerians adopt and adapt the technology, thereby maximising its potential.”
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