Three Nigerian government bodies — the National Information Technology Development Agency (Nitda), the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and state-owned network infrastructure provider Galaxy Backbone — have joined CyFrica 2026 as supporting partners.

The cybersecurity summit returns to Lagos on 8 October at the Eko Convention Centre, organised by events company Tradepass. It will bring together government officials, regulators, cybersecurity practitioners, technology vendors and enterprise decision-makers for a day of discussion on cyber resilience, data protection, emerging technologies and public-private co-operation.

The three partners put Nigeria’s principal technology and data protection regulators on the same platform as the industry they oversee, at a point when both the country’s digital economy and its exposure to attack are growing.

Nigeria’s digital economy is projected to generate US$18.3-billion in revenue in 2026, up from just under $10-billion in 2021, on forecasts cited by both the federal communications ministry and Arthur Stevens Asset Management. Exposure has grown with it: Surfshark’s quarterly breach analysis recorded 281 500 leaked Nigerian accounts in the first three months of 2026, ranking the country 34th in the world for the period.

The summit has also drawn commercial participation, with Anomali, Trinexia, ThreatLocker, Heirs Technologies and others exhibiting alongside organisations from the cybersecurity, technology, financial services and enterprise sectors.

Speakers and sessions

The programme covers cyber resilience, AI-enabled threats, regulatory compliance and data protection through keynote addresses, panel discussions and fireside conversations. Confirmed speakers include:

Dr Ayodele Bakare, assistant director for cybersecurity, Nitda
Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and CEO, NDPC
Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, chairperson, African Union Cyber Security Expert Group
Dr Muktar Bello, head of quality control and assurance, forensics and crime laboratory services department, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Folorunso Aliu, group chief information officer, Dangote
Obiora Awogu, chief information security officer, MTN MoMo Payment Service Bank

Olatunji said data protection and security had to stay central as the country digitises. “As Nigeria accelerates its digital transformation, cybersecurity and data protection must remain at the heart of innovation and public trust. I look forward to joining fellow leaders at CyFrica 2026 to advance meaningful dialogue, strengthen collaboration and inspire practical solutions for a safer digital future across Africa.”

Awogu said the industry’s starting assumptions had shifted. “What encourages me about Nigeria’s cybersecurity journey is the growing recognition that security is everyone’s responsibility. We have moved from asking whether cyber-attacks will happen to focusing on how quickly we can detect, respond, recover and continue serving our customers. I believe if we get cybersecurity right, we can unlock greater financial inclusion, economic growth and confidence in our digital future.”

CyFrica Awards 2026

The summit closes with the CyFrica Awards 2026, recognising individuals and organisations working in Nigerian cybersecurity and data protection. Awards will be presented in seven categories, with winners chosen by a jury of regulatory and industry figures from across the region. A drinks reception follows, giving delegates time to carry on conversations in a less formal setting.

CyFrica 2026 takes place on 8 October at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos. More information is at cyfricasummit.com.

About Tradepass
Tradepass runs business events in emerging markets, bringing together buyers, vendors and solution providers to help organisations enter new markets, build sales pipelines, close deals, raise capital and find suppliers.