FG Plans Cybersecurity Framework to Tackle Surge in AI-Driven Attacks

Nigeria is preparing to introduce a new cybersecurity framework this year as authorities race to confront a wave of increasingly sophisticated, AI-powered attacks targeting banks, businesses and public institutions. The move was confirmed by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, who warned that Nigeria’s digital growth has outpaced its cybersecurity safeguards.

According to Abdullahi, the upcoming framework will include compulsory cybersecurity spending requirements for organisations operating in the country. He explained that many companies still treat cybersecurity as optional because they believe attackers will overlook them. He added that this assumption has become dangerous as artificial intelligence accelerates both the speed and precision of cyberattacks around the world.

The plan will also introduce strict timelines for reporting breaches, shared threat-intelligence channels between government and private operators, and coordinated response procedures for serious incidents. Authorities believe these measures are essential as attacks on banks, payment systems and public-sector networks increase in frequency and scale.

Why the New Cybersecurity Rules Matter

The initiative aligns with a broader global trend, as regulators from the European Union to several African nations now require faster breach reporting, stronger risk controls and closer collaboration between companies and governments. Nigeria’s case is particularly urgent because its digital economy has grown rapidly, led by fintech firms like Flutterwave and OPay, which handle millions of transactions daily.

While this growth has improved financial access, it has also widened the country’s attack surface. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in its 2025 Nigeria Cybercrime Assessment, revealed that the country lost an estimated N1.1 trillion to cyber incidents across banks, telecom firms and government agencies between 2017 and 2023. The report also warned that cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting cryptocurrencies to move stolen funds.

The rising losses highlight why policymakers now see cybersecurity as a national priority rather than a specialised technical concern. Nigeria’s new framework is expected to enforce clearer rules, streamline reporting duties and push for deeper cooperation across sectors that often operate in silos.

A Push for Stronger Digital Protection

Authorities believe the updated framework will force the industry to adopt proactive cyber hygiene rather than reacting only after damage is done. The goal is to reduce the number of businesses that remain under-protected despite handling valuable data and financial assets.

With AI-enabled attacks becoming harder to detect and easier to scale, policymakers say the new rules will provide the structure needed to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber resilience before threats escalate further.