The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of Nigeria has allocated N35 million ($22,000) for cybersecurity training and data center management in its 2025 budget proposal. This funding comes at a crucial time following a significant cyberattack on the NBS website, which occurred on December 18, 2024. The breach led the bureau to issue a public warning via its official social media account, advising users to disregard any information on the platform until the situation was resolved. This breach has raised significant concerns about the vulnerability of the bureau’s digital infrastructure, given its role as the country’s primary source for official economic, governance, and development statistics.
As the NBS works to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, the allocated N35 million ($22,000) will be used to enhance the agency’s defenses against digital threats. The NBS’s cybersecurity efforts will play a vital role in ensuring the security of the data it collects and disseminates, especially as the nation increasingly relies on digital systems for governance and policy decisions. This allocation is part of a broader effort within the bureau’s 2025 budget, which also includes other initiatives to improve operational efficiency and modernize infrastructure.
In addition to the cybersecurity budget, the NBS’s 2025 proposal includes several other noteworthy allocations. N55 million ($35,000) has been earmarked for the National Agricultural Sample Survey, while other initiatives focused on tracking the implementation of national development agendas and compiling various economic statistics have also received funding. A significant portion of the budget is dedicated to personnel costs, with N6.65 billion ($4.3 million) allocated for this purpose, reflecting the importance of the NBS’s staff in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the country’s statistical data.
The NBS’s cybersecurity breach and the subsequent allocation for capacity building highlight the increasing threat of cybercrime in Nigeria, where cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. The latest 2024 African Perspectives on Cyber Security Report by Check Point Software Technologies indicates that Nigeria faces an average of 3,759 cyberattacks weekly. These attacks have increasingly targeted critical sectors, including government institutions, which have become prime targets for ransomware and botnet activities. The NBS’s response to these challenges is a step towards securing its operations and ensuring that the country’s statistical data remains protected from cyber threats.
