Thaakar: Sophos Will Demystify Cybersecurity in Nigeria
Sales Director for Africa at Sophos, Prish Thaakar, with 18 years of experience in Cybersecurity, who was in Nigeria recently, speaks about the need to address the existing cybersecurity gap through AI-powered tools and expert-driven Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solutions, which provide world-class security regardless of in-house expertise. Agnes Ekebuike presents the excerpts:
What inspired Sophos to host its channel partner event in Lagos, and how does it align with your broader strategy for the Nigerian market?
We chose Lagos because Nigeria is a strategic growth market for Sophos, and our partners here play a leading role in regional cybersecurity. This event reinforces our partner-first strategy by investing in training, collaboration, and shared innovation. It’s a platform to align with our partners and co-create the future of cybersecurity in the region.
How is Sophos tailoring its cybersecurity solutions to meet the unique challenges faced by Nigerian businesses?
Our solutions are designed to be powerful, but easy to use and deploy — ideal for Nigeria’s dynamic business environment. Through Sophos Central, we offer unified visibility and control across endpoints, networks, email, and cloud. And with Sophos MDR, we provide expert threat hunting and response for companies that may not have in-house security teams.
Can you elaborate on the role of Nigerian partners in Sophos’ pan-African expansion?
Nigerian partners are not only local leaders but also regional enablers. Many are expanding their service offerings beyond Nigeria and supporting businesses across West and Central Africa. Their expertise, agility, and proximity to key markets make them essential to Sophos’ goal of delivering cybersecurity everywhere, at scale.
What specific support structures or incentives does Sophos offer to empower its local resellers and distributors?
We offer a comprehensive support structure, including, Sophos Partner Care, 24/7 support to help partners manage operations efficiently; Sophos Customer Success, a dedicated team focused on customer onboarding, adoption, and retention, and Certification and enablement programs – to build deep technical and sales capability
Sophos is known for its synchronised security approach. How is this being received in Nigeria, and what adoption trends are you seeing?
The reception has been very strong. Nigerian customers appreciate the efficiency and automation that synchronized security brings. By connecting endpoint, firewall, email, and cloud defenses through Sophos Central, organizations gain real-time visibility and automated threat response. We’re seeing especially strong adoption in financial services, government, and mid-sized enterprises.
With the rise of AI-driven threats, how is Sophos evolving its product suite to stay ahead of the curve?
We’ve made significant advances in AI and machine learning, which now power our detection engines, behavioural analysis, and threat response workflows. Sophos X-Ops, our global intelligence unit, continuously integrates new data into our solutions, allowing us to identify and stop novel attacks, including those that leverage AI themselves. This is a major reason why our MDR service is so effective in the region.
Cybersecurity awareness remains a challenge in many developing markets. What initiatives is Sophos undertaking to educate Nigerian SMEs and big enterprises?
We invest heavily in partner-led awareness campaigns, technical workshops, and executive briefings across Nigeria. Our goal is to demystify cybersecurity and help organizations of all sizes understand practical steps to protect their digital assets. We also provide free tools, like phishing simulators and ransomware protection guides, which are particularly valuable for SMEs.
Are there plans to collaborate with local institutions or government bodies to strengthen national cyber resilience?
Yes. We are exploring partnerships with universities, technical institutes, and government stakeholders to improve cyber resilience. Public-private collaboration is key to developing skills, standards, and awareness. We aim to be a trusted partner in both the private and public sectors as Nigeria strengthens its national cybersecurity framework.
What are Sophos’ key priorities for the Nigerian market over the next 12–18 months?
Our top priorities include: Expanding MDR adoption across sectors; deepening partner enablement and certification; accelerating MSP growth through Elevate, and supporting critical industries (e.g., financial services, healthcare, public sector) with tailored, scalable solutions
We are focused on being not just a vendor, but a strategic ally in Nigeria’s digital and cyber transformation.
How do you see the cybersecurity landscape in Nigeria evolving, and what role will Sophos play in shaping it?
Nigeria is at a tipping point, digital innovation is accelerating, and so are cyber risks. We see the future marked by increased cloud adoption, more targeted attacks, and greater regulatory focus on data protection. Sophos will continue to play a leadership role by providing AI-powered defenses, building local cybersecurity expertise, and enabling partners to deliver world-class protection tailored to local needs
