The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, has revealed that the agency’s service portal was targeted by more than 2,000 cyberattacks within a single week, underscoring the increasing cybersecurity risks confronting government institutions amid Nigeria’s ongoing digital transformation.
Olatunji made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during a Technical and Organisational Drill on Data Protection Measures for IT Administrators across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, organised by the NDPC.
He said the volume of attacks underscores the urgent need for government institutions to bolster their cybersecurity frameworks and develop the skilled workforce necessary to safeguard sensitive data and critical digital infrastructure from evolving cyber threats.
He said, “Within one week, we experienced more than 2,000 attempts on our service portal.
“More than 2,000 within one week. You can imagine what that means.”
Olatunji noted that the Federal Government’s ongoing digital transformation drive has heightened the need for robust cybersecurity measures across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to protect public data and critical systems.
He explained that Nigeria’s digitalisation journey gained significant momentum following the introduction of the National Information Technology Policy in 2001, which laid the foundation for a series of digital initiatives and strategic frameworks implemented across government institutions.
According to him, the government is accelerating efforts to achieve full e-governance, with the goal of enabling seamless interactions among citizens, businesses and public institutions through secure and efficient digital platforms.
According to him, the government is intensifying efforts to achieve full e-governance, aimed at enabling seamless interactions among citizens, businesses and public institutions through digital platforms.
“A major announcement was made last week that will get 35 ministries fully digitalised in Nigeria within the next few weeks. Efforts are already ongoing. Some are fully digitalised already, while others are being encouraged to come on board. Over 100 agencies of government are already being involved in this,” he said.
Olatunji noted that several government agencies have already deployed online platforms that allow citizens to access public services remotely, reducing the need for physical visits to government offices and improving service delivery.
He cited the commission’s own digital services, noting that applicants seeking licences from the NDPC can now complete the entire process online, including application submission and payment.
However, the NDPC chief cautioned that while digital integration improves efficiency and access to services, it also significantly increases exposure to cyber risks, making stronger safeguards and continuous vigilance essential.
“The truth is that all these integrations are driven by a lot of technologies developed by private sector organisations. When you move to full integration or when you interact, there is every likelihood that bad actors will target your network,” he said.
To address these challenges, Olatunji called for the development of “cyber warriors” capable of defending government systems and safeguarding citizens’ data from emerging threats. He said the training initiative aligns with key pillars of the commission’s strategic roadmap, including human capital development, strengthening the technology ecosystem, and enhancing inter-agency collaboration.
The NDPC boss also outlined the stages of e-governance maturity, ranging from agencies that merely provide information through websites to those that offer fully interactive and integrated digital services that enable end-to-end transactions.
