The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kaspersky to boost the country’s cybersecurity capacity, officials announced on Thursday.

The agreement was concluded during the GITEX Nigeria 2025 technology fair in Lagos, with NITDA director general Kashifu Inuwa and Kaspersky’s Africa general manager Chris Norton representing both parties.

According to NITDA, the deal will focus on training, awareness and intelligence sharing. “Kaspersky will support training programmes to build local cyber capacity, collaborate with NITDA on public awareness campaigns including its Cybersecurity Alphabet initiative, and engage in joint research and analysis to boost cyber defence literacy nationwide,” the agency said in a statement.

The MoU also outlines provisions for the exchange of intelligence on threats and attacks affecting Nigerian citizens, government institutions and digital infrastructure. In addition, Kaspersky will provide strategic advisory input to guide NITDA in developing frameworks and standards for protecting critical information systems.

Officials said the collaboration is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national priority of strengthening security. “The MoU… is in line with President Tinubu’s priority area of strengthening national security for peace and prosperity,” NITDA noted.

Nigeria has seen a rise in cybercrime in recent years, ranging from online fraud to attacks on banking systems and government portals. Analysts say partnerships with global firms can help bridge knowledge gaps while Nigeria works to build its local expertise.

NITDA described the deal as a step toward combining global expertise with national drive to secure the country’s digital future.