News Highlights
- NITDA, in partnership with Women in Cybersecurity, trained Nigerian women in cybersecurity to boost female participation in the digital security workforce.
- The “Cyber for Women” initiative aims to close the gender gap in cybersecurity by equipping participants with practical skills, tools, and opportunities for collaboration.
In a strategic push to close Nigeria’s cybersecurity talent gap, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has rolled out a specialised programme designed to bring more Nigerian women into the nation’s digital defence architecture.
The initiative, tagged “Cyber for Women,” was organised in collaboration with Women in Cybersecurity and held recently in Abuja.
Rather than a routine workshop, the programme signals a targeted effort to diversify and strengthen the country’s rapidly expanding cybersecurity workforce.
Representing NITDA’s Director of Cybersecurity, Mohammed Lawan Ahmed, Ayodele Bakare described the training as a calculated move to position women as key actors in Nigeria’s digital future, not merely beneficiaries of technological growth.
“Today’s programme is not just another training but a strategic investment in the future of Nigeria’s digital security landscape and the world at large, and this time women are intentionally positioned at the centre of the approach,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised that the initiative recognises women as drivers of innovation in the global digital transformation, stressing that their participation is essential to building resilient cyber infrastructure.
“Today is a declaration that the women of Nigeria are not bystanders in the digital revolution; they are its architects,” he added.
He noted that as economies digitise, cybersecurity has become a foundational pillar of national development. Yet, despite soaring global demand for cyber professionals, women remain markedly underrepresented in the field.
To bridge this gap, the programme is structured to deliver not only theoretical knowledge but also practical tools, professional networks, and collaboration pathways needed for long-term success in cybersecurity roles.
“Our objective is clear: to empower Nigerian women in cybersecurity with knowledge, tools and collaboration opportunities,” he said.
Ahmed further interpreted the strong turnout as evidence of growing female readiness to confront emerging cyber threats and protect Nigeria’s digital assets.
“Your presence here today signifies commitment and readiness for the ever-evolving digital age and its evolving cybersecurity risks,” he said.
The Cyber for Women training forms part of NITDA’s broader capacity-building agenda to promote digital inclusion, nurture homegrown expertise, and strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity workforce against increasingly sophisticated threats.
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