Nigeria Immigration Unveils 5-Point Plan To Secure Digital Infrastructure

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Thursday held its 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Seminar with a call for stronger digital vigilance, institutional collaboration, and human-centered cyber defense mechanisms to safeguard national data systems and digital borders.

The event, themed “Securing Our World: Building a Cyber-Ready Nigeria Immigration Service,” took place at the Shehu Shagari Conference Hall, NIS Headquarters, Abuja, as part of activities to mark the 2025 Global Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

The Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, represented by the Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), Works and Logistics Directorate, A.J. Umanah, who declared the seminar open, said cybersecurity has become a national security, economic, and moral priority for the Service and the nation at large.

In her keynote message delivered by DCG Umanah, Nandap said the growing sophistication of cyber threats across the world has made cybersecurity a shared responsibility that extends far beyond technical expertise.

“The rise of cyber threats in recent years has shown that cybersecurity is not just a technical concern — it is a national security issue, an economic priority, and a moral obligation for us to protect the trust of citizens,” she said.

She warned that cyber attacks, if not properly managed, could cripple critical infrastructure, expose sensitive data, and erode public confidence in government institutions.

“Within our borders, the digital transformation of governance, identity management, and border control has made cybersecurity an unavoidable priority. In today’s world, wars may no longer begin on the battlefield but behind keyboards,” she noted.

While highlighting the increasing digitalizsation of the Service’s operations — from the e-passport system to the e-visa platform and e-border management systems, the CG said the establishment of the ICT and Cybersecurity Directorate was a decisive step in ensuring resilience and institutional readiness.

“When the ICT Directorate was first proposed, I had my doubts. But today, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions we ever made. It has helped position the Service as one of Nigeria’s most technology-driven institutions,” she admitted.

Nandap reaffirmed the Service’s determination to build a cyber-ready immigration system anchored on awareness, discipline, and cooperation.

“A cyber-ready NIS translates to officers who understand and apply cybersecurity principles in their daily tasks, systems designed with security at their core, and leadership that prioritizes data integrity as much as physical border integrity,” she stressed.

The CG outlined several strategic goals being pursued by the Service, including:

1. Strengthening internal cybersecurity governance through updated policies and monitoring mechanisms.
2. Building capacity via continuous training for ICT and operational officers.
3. Deepening inter-agency collaboration with defense and security institutions.
4. Investing in secure digital infrastructure and endpoint protection tools.
5. Institutionalizing data protection and privacy compliance in line with national and global standards.

“Cyber threats do not respect boundaries — geographical, institutional, or departmental. They demand a united front,” she said, commending Nigeria’s defense and security partners as well as international organizations such as INTERPOL, IOM, and IRIAM for their technical and operational support.

Nandap emphasised that while technology plays a critical role, the human factor remains the most effective line of defense.

“Every officer, regardless of rank or post, is either a gatekeeper or a weak link in the chain of security. Integrity in the digital domain is as important as integrity at the border post,” she said.

She urged all NIS formations to integrate cybersecurity awareness into daily briefings, internal audits, and training programs, adding that leaders must lead by example in enforcing compliance with security policies.

“We must all see cybersecurity not as a burden, but as a duty — to this country, to our Service, and to the citizens who entrust us with their information,” she said, and declared the seminar open.

DCG Umanah while declaring the seminar open on behalf of the Comptroller General said, “Together, we are building not just a smarter country, but a safer one. Let us go forward with the conviction that our world can be secured, our systems can be trusted, and our Service can be cyber-ready.”

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Deputy Comptroller General (ICT/Cybersecurity), Augusta Obanime, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of cybersecurity as a foundation for national security and institutional survival.

“Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us that securing our world is everyone’s responsibility. For the NIS, this call aligns directly with our mission — ensuring that as we embrace digital transformation, we also secure the systems that power our national identity and border management,” she said.

She noted that the sub-theme, “Building a Cyber-Ready Nigeria Immigration Service,” was a reflection of the Service’s vision to integrate safety, efficiency, and digital intelligence into its operations.

“For an agency like ours, cybersecurity is not just an operational requirement — it is a matter of national sovereignty and institutional survival,” she asserted.

DCG Obanime explained that participants at the seminar would acquire practical skills in cyber hygiene, threat analysis, forensics, and digital ethics, empowering officers to act as first responders in detecting and mitigating cyber risks.

“This seminar comes at a critical time when the world is evolving into a digital ecosystem. While it brings opportunities, it also introduces vulnerabilities that require awareness and resilience,” she added.

In his goodwill message, Lieutenant-Colonel Eyalu Ahmed, who represented the Chief of Defense Administration and the Defense Space Administration, praised the NIS for organizing the timely event and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to collaboration in combating cyber threats.

“We are in a dangerous race where the threats are high, but the opportunities are also immense. This seminar gives us the knowledge to defend and exploit those opportunities responsibly,” he said.

He encouraged participants to make the most of the training and pledged to relay the insights gained to the defense establishment to strengthen inter-agency synergy.

The one-day seminar featured a series of technical papers and interactive sessions led by cybersecurity experts and scholars, including: Dr. Emmanuel O. Okori who took session on “Cyber Threats, Possible Impacts, and Basic Cyber Hygiene for the Nigeria Immigration Service.”

Prof. Peter Olubusola Olayowola delivered a session on “Digital Forensics in Emerging Technologies — IoT and Cloud Forensics,” while Mr. Victor Idonor, handled the topic on “Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure — Tabletop Exercise on Cyber Threat Monitoring, Analysis, and Best Practices.”

Also, SI Efada Adikwu spoke on “Building a Cyber-Ready Nigeria Immigration Service.”

Participants engaged in discussions on the practical challenges of data protection, simulation exercises on cyber incident response, and strategies for integrating cybersecurity awareness into day-to-day immigration operations.