Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kaspersky Global to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity capacity. The agreement was formalised during GITEX Nigeria 2025 in Lagos, reflecting Nigeria’s growing focus on protecting its digital economy.
Under the partnership, Kaspersky will support NITDA through local training programmes, joint public awareness campaigns such as the Cybersecurity Alphabet initiative, and collaborative research to enhance nationwide cyber defence literacy. The MoU also establishes frameworks for intelligence sharing on threats and attacks targeting Nigerian citizens, government agencies, and critical digital infrastructure.
Kaspersky will further provide strategic advisory input to guide NITDA in developing robust cybersecurity standards and policies. This comes as Nigeria faces annual cybercrime losses estimated at US$500 million, underscoring the urgent need for stronger defences.
Nigeria has taken several recent steps to strengthen its cyber resilience. In 2024, police reported the arrest of 751 individuals involved in cybercrime, while the government signed an MoU with the UK to streamline judicial processes in prosecuting cyber-related cases. The country also participated in Interpol’s Operation Serengeti 2.0, which resulted in 1,209 arrests across 18 African nations and the recovery of $100 million.
Domestically, amendments to the Cybercrime Act in 2024 introduced sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), clarified cyber-harassment provisions, and established a cybersecurity tax to fund national initiatives. The partnership with Kaspersky builds on these efforts, positioning Nigeria to strengthen its cyber defences through international collaboration, education, and strategic innovation.
