The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Tuesday unveiled a Cybersecurity Centre in Kano as part of a national strategy to safeguard Nigeria’s digital space against global cyber threats.

Besides, the new facility, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, sited at Bayero University, Kano, would not only find solutions to digital theft but also support research, training, and national security.

Inaugurating the new edifice, NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the unveiling of the national asset is another avenue for a knowledge-driven platform designed to equip the nation with the tools, talent, and infrastructure required to safeguard the digital space.

The DG NITDA posited that the initiative is a deliberate and strategic intervention to support cybersecurity education, capacity development, research & development, and innovation, which are essential to achieving the aspirations of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Minister’s Strategic Blueprint.

Abdullahi, represented by Director, Zonal Coordinating Department, Dr. Jide Ajayi, emphasised the need to provide a critical enabler of trust to protect Nigeria’s digital economy, considering the risk of data breaches, cyber threats, and digital vulnerabilities, despite an acceleration in digital transformation.

“Cybersecurity has become a critical enabler of trust in the digital economy. As digital transformation accelerates, so do the risks associated with data breaches, cyber threats, and digital vulnerabilities.

“This Centre reflects our deliberate investment in proactive solutions, that is, blending research, innovation, training, and collaboration to fortify our national digital ecosystem. This Centre will serve as a springboard for cross-sector collaboration between government, academia, and industry.

“It will support cybersecurity research, facilitate hands-on training, and serve as a resource hub for national and regional stakeholders working to protect Nigeria’s critical digital infrastructure,” Abdullahi said.

Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Professor Adamu Sagir, commended NITDA for considering the university worthy of locating the Centre, adding that the Centre would serve as a springboard for newly established academic courses on cyber security.