By BONIFACE AKARAH

Cybersecurity experts, lawmakers and international partners have called for stronger global cooperation to tackle emerging cyber threats driven by artificial intelligence (AI), warning that the rapidly evolving digital landscape requires countries to rethink how they protect citizens, institutions and economies.

The call was made on Tuesday, October 27, at the opening ceremony of the International Cybersecurity Conference (ICSC 2026) in Abuja, where stakeholders highlighted the growing sophistication of cyberattacks and the need to strengthen human awareness, institutional resilience and international collaboration.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, said the increasing use of AI by cybercriminals had created a new dimension to cybersecurity, requiring organisations to deploy advanced technologies to anticipate, detect and counter attacks.

He explained that cybersecurity and cyber resilience were complementary but distinct, with the former focusing on preventing attacks and the latter on an organisation's ability to recover when an attack occurred.

Inuwa warned that the growing sophistication of AI had made it necessary to extend cybersecurity strategies beyond computer systems and digital infrastructure to include the human mind.

According to him, cybercriminals increasingly exploit human weaknesses because manipulating people can be easier than breaching sophisticated technological systems.

He said the conference would examine how individuals and institutions could strengthen their defences against technological attacks as well as attempts to manipulate human behaviour.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, described the conference as an opportunity to advance technology diplomacy and strengthen Nigeria’s international partnerships in the digital sector.

He said the participation of legislators from other countries demonstrated growing international interest in Nigeria’s technology initiatives and reinforced the country’s potential as a destination for business and collaboration.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Stanley Olajide, also called for stronger international cooperation, describing cybersecurity as a constantly evolving challenge that required continuous learning and adaptation.

He warned that strategies effective today might no longer be sufficient tomorrow because of the speed at which artificial intelligence was changing the methods and capabilities available to cybercriminals.

Olajide stressed the need for cybersecurity practitioners, policymakers, diplomats, judges and heads of government agencies to work together, noting that cyber threats did not respect national or continental boundaries.

He said, “Countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America need to recognise cybersecurity as a common challenge requiring coordinated international action.”

The Chair of the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Convention Committee, Pedro Verdelho, drew attention to the gap between the rapid adoption of digital technologies and public understanding of the risks associated with them.

He observed that artificial intelligence and other digital tools had become integral to everyday activities, including travel planning, online searches and commercial transactions, while awareness of the dangers accompanying their use remained inadequate.

Verdelho called for greater cybersecurity awareness among government institutions, private-sector organisations and ordinary citizens.

He also highlighted the importance of the Budapest Convention, an international treaty designed to facilitate cooperation against cybercrime and improve access to electronic evidence, welcoming the participation of countries in the region in the framework.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said cybersecurity was essential to building public confidence in digital transformation, warning that increased connectivity also created greater exposure to cyber risks.

She noted that Nigeria’s digital transformation offered significant opportunities for innovation, economic growth and inclusion, with Sweden and Swedish companies supporting the country’s digital development.

•PHOTO: Director General NITDA Kashifu Inuwa CCIE flanked by House Committee Chair on Cybersecurity & ICT Hon Adedeji Stanley Olajide and other guests at the ICSC 2026.