By Saminu Ibrahim
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the 2026 National Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a call on Nigerians to adopt safer digital practices and help protect the country’s cyberspace.
The month-long campaign, themed “Together for a Safer Cyberspace,” seeks to raise public awareness about emerging cyber threats and promote collective responsibility for digital security.
NITDA said cybersecurity could no longer be left solely to information technology professionals, government agencies and security experts, stressing that individuals, businesses and institutions all have a role to play in securing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
The agency noted that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and automated technologies had also changed the nature of cyber threats, with criminals increasingly deploying AI-driven social engineering, deepfake impersonation, voice cloning and fraudulent QR-code attacks, also known as “quishing.”
To guard against such threats, NITDA advised Nigerians to use strong and unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication and promptly install software and operating system security updates.
The agency also warned citizens against sharing sensitive financial information, including one-time passwords (OTPs), personal identification numbers (PINs) and online banking credentials.
It urged Nigerians to exercise caution when using artificial intelligence tools and other emerging online platforms, particularly by avoiding the uploading of sensitive personal, financial or corporate information to public AI models or unfamiliar services.
NITDA further advised users to verify suspicious links, attachments and unsolicited requests for information, especially those involving urgent demands, synthetic audio or deepfake content.
The agency encouraged responsible social media use, warning that excessive disclosure of personal information online could expose individuals to targeted social engineering attacks.
It also recommended regular offline and cloud backups of important data to facilitate recovery in the event of ransomware attacks or other system disruptions.
NITDA said its Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT.ng) would continue to provide citizens and organisations with tools, knowledge and frameworks to prevent and respond to cyber incidents.
The agency urged Nigerians to follow @NITDANigeria on social media for cybersecurity awareness tips, official updates and threat advisories.
Cybersecurity incidents and further inquiries can be directed to CERRT.ng through cerrt@nitda.gov.ng or +234 817 877 4580.
