Cyber Expert: Nigeria Needs build bespoke security frameworks to ensure its digital sovereignty

As Nigeria grapples with a surge in sophisticated cyber threats targeting its booming fintech and e-commerce sectors, one of the nation’s pioneering cybersecurity experts, Collins Okafor, is calling for a fundamental shift in the country’s defense strategy. Okafor, a trailblazer with decades of experience both in Nigeria and on the global stage, argues that importing foreign solutions is not enough; Nigeria must cultivate its own talent and build bespoke security frameworks to ensure its digital sovereignty.

Long before his work on international certification standards with (ISC)² and his recent acclaim in the U.S, Okafor was on the front lines of Nigeria’s digital transformation. In the late 2000s, he was part of a team that developed one of the first locally engineered secure payment gateway solutions for a major Nigerian bank, a critical step that helped build the foundation of trust for the nation’s nascent e-commerce industry.

“He was talking about data encryption and insider threats when most of the industry was still focused on basic network security,” recalls a senior executive at a top Nigerian bank who worked with Okafor in those early days. “He has always been ahead of the curve, and his perspective is sought after because it is built on years of hands-on experience, both here and abroad.”

As a globally recognized expert who has been invited to judge the work of his peers for international bodies, Okafor offers concrete solutions to Nigeria’s current challenges. He points to the escalating problem of “Business Email Compromise” (BEC) and social engineering attacks that have cost Nigerian businesses billions.

“These are not just technical problems; they are human problems,” Okafor stated in a recent address to a group of Nigerian tech leaders in Washington. “The solution is not just a better firewall, but a better-trained workforce. We need to build our own ‘human firewalls’ through continuous, practical cybersecurity education at a national scale.”

His advice is being hailed by his peers as both timely and critical. Leaders in Nigeria’s tech sector note that Okafor’s emphasis on home-grown talent and solutions is vital for long-term resilience.

“Collins has consistently demonstrated that the most effective security is contextual,” commented the Chief Information Security Officer of a major Nigerian technology company. “He understands the specific threats we face in our market. His work is a powerful reminder that we have the expertise within our own diaspora to solve our own problems. He is not just an expert; he is a nation-builder.”

From his early days securing Nigeria’s financial systems to his current work on the global stage, Collins Okafor remains a pivotal figure, a sought-after voice whose experience and forward-thinking solutions are more critical than ever to the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.