The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has warned that artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the global cybersecurity landscape, calling for urgent coordinated action to protect Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
He gave the warning during the inaugural stakeholder session on the establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Cybersecurity Coordination held in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, the emergence of AI-powered threats has significantly changed the nature of cyberattacks, making them faster, more sophisticated, and harder to detect.
“Cybersecurity in the age of AI is a different challenge entirely. AI is changing the game and elevating the threat landscape,” he said.
He explained that cyber threats are now evolving in two major dimensions attacks powered by AI and attacks targeting AI systems themselves.
Abdullahi listed emerging risks such as AI-generated malware, zero-click phishing attacks, deepfake technology, and automated ransomware systems capable of infiltrating networks within seconds.
He warned that deepfake-enabled impersonation and AI-driven social engineering are already being used to deceive individuals and institutions, including in virtual communications.
The NITDA DG stressed that no organisation or country can effectively combat cyber threats in isolation, noting that collaboration between government and the private sector is essential.
“The only way forward is deeper synergy between government, industry, and all stakeholders. No one will be protected in isolation,” he said.
He added that cybersecurity resilience depends on collective strength, noting that “we are as strong as our weakest link,” and warned that vulnerabilities in one system can expose entire networks, including financial and government infrastructure.
Abdullahi also cited recent cyber incidents affecting financial institutions and government-linked payment systems as evidence of the interconnected nature of cyber risks.
He reaffirmed NITDA’s full support for the proposed advisory council, describing it as a timely initiative that will strengthen Nigeria’s ability to respond proactively to cyber threats.
