The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with Mastercard Cybersecurity Solutions and Threatcasting, has invited executives and cybersecurity leaders across Nigeria’s public and private sectors to request invitations for an executive-led workshop aimed at strengthening organisational resilience and preparing institutions for emerging cyber threats.
The workshop, titled “Nigeria Threatcasting: Turning Future Uncertainty into Decisions Today,” will hold on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
The programme will take place as part of the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition 2026, bringing together technology stakeholders, government representatives and industry leaders to examine the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.
Unlike conventional technical training programmes designed primarily for cybersecurity practitioners, the session targets senior decision-makers responsible for technology, information security, organisational risk and digital transformation.
Its central objective is to help executives anticipate future cybersecurity challenges, assess their potential impact and make informed decisions that protect institutional systems, sensitive information and business operations.
Who Can Request an Invitation?
NITDA and its partners are targeting senior professionals whose responsibilities include managing technology infrastructure, cybersecurity policies and organisational risk.
Those encouraged to apply include Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Chief Risk Officers (CROs), public-sector executives, cybersecurity and technology leaders, directors of ICT, IT managers, compliance executives, fraud leaders and board advisers.
The organisers are particularly interested in professionals with responsibilities for institutional security decisions and the protection of digital infrastructure.
Participation is limited, and submitting the online form does not automatically guarantee admission. Applicants must request an invitation, after which the event team will review their professional details and communicate its decision by email.
Understanding the Threatcasting Approach
A major focus of the workshop is threatcasting, a strategic planning approach that helps organisations examine possible future threats and consider how to prepare for them today.
Rather than concentrating exclusively on cyber incidents that have already occurred, the approach encourages participants to explore how emerging technologies, changing criminal methods, geopolitical developments and new vulnerabilities could shape future security risks.
For Nigerian organisations, this is increasingly important as government agencies, financial institutions, telecommunications companies and businesses expand their dependence on interconnected digital systems.
Potential threats include ransomware, phishing, identity theft, data breaches, digital fraud, supply-chain attacks and the misuse of artificial intelligence to develop more convincing scams.
Threatcasting can help leadership teams consider how such risks might evolve, identify weaknesses in existing security arrangements and develop practical responses before incidents occur.
Why Executive Cybersecurity Leadership Matters
Cybersecurity is no longer solely the responsibility of an organisation’s ICT department. A successful attack can disrupt business operations, expose confidential information, affect customers and damage institutional reputation.
In government institutions, compromised digital platforms can undermine public service delivery and expose sensitive citizen information. In financial services, security failures can affect transactions, customer confidence and the stability of interconnected payment systems.
These risks require senior management to understand cybersecurity as a strategic responsibility rather than an isolated technical issue.
Executives must be able to assess the financial and operational implications of cyber incidents, allocate appropriate resources, establish accountability and ensure that incident-response arrangements are regularly tested.
The NITDA-Mastercard collaboration is expected to provide a platform for senior leaders to examine these responsibilities and exchange perspectives on strengthening their organisations’ security strategies.
NITDA’s Wider Cybersecurity Agenda
The workshop aligns with NITDA’s broader responsibility to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy through improved cybersecurity, digital trust, capacity development and technology regulation.
Under its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 (2024–2027), the agency identifies cybersecurity and digital trust as important priorities for building a secure and inclusive digital ecosystem.
NITDA has also continued to advocate coordinated cybersecurity arrangements across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), warning that weaknesses in one institution can create risks for interconnected government systems.
In July 2026, the agency organised a two-day cybersecurity workshop in Abuja focused on strengthening the protection of government digital infrastructure through capacity building.
During that engagement, NITDA emphasised the importance of regular risk assessments, strong security policies, staff awareness, incident-response planning and continuous improvement.
The agency’s Computer Emergency Response Team also provides cybersecurity support to government institutions, although NITDA has stressed that prevention and preparedness remain essential.
These efforts reflect the growing need for Nigerian institutions to strengthen their defences as digital transformation expands the number of platforms and services exposed to cyber risks.
Why Public and Private Sector Collaboration Is Important
The involvement of Mastercard Cybersecurity Solutions and Threatcasting highlights the importance of partnerships between government institutions and private-sector technology organisations.
Cyber threats frequently cross institutional and national boundaries, making it difficult for individual organisations to address every risk independently.
Financial institutions, telecommunications operators, technology companies and government agencies may face different forms of attacks, but vulnerabilities within one part of the digital ecosystem can create wider consequences.
Collaboration can improve information sharing, strengthen risk awareness and encourage the adoption of security practices that protect interconnected systems.
For Nigeria, this cooperation is particularly relevant as the country expands digital payments, electronic government services, cloud adoption, artificial intelligence and technology-enabled business operations.
However, partnerships must also support local expertise, institutional accountability and sustainable cybersecurity capacity rather than create dependence on external solutions alone.
Workshop Details and Registration
The executive cybersecurity workshop will take place during the Digital Nigeria 2026 conference, with the following details:
- Programme: Nigeria Threatcasting: Turning Future Uncertainty into Decisions Today
- Organisers: NITDA, Mastercard Cybersecurity Solutions and Threatcasting
- Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
- Time: 9:00 a.m.
- Venue: Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja
- Target participants: Senior executives, CISOs, CIOs, ICT directors, risk managers, cybersecurity leaders and other relevant decision-makers.
Interested professionals can request an invitation through the official Nigeria Threatcasting registration portal.
Applicants should provide their professional details for review by the organising team.
Preparing Nigerian Institutions for Future Cyber Risks
As Nigeria’s digital economy grows, the consequences of cyber insecurity will increasingly extend beyond individual computers and networks to affect businesses, government services, financial transactions and public confidence.
The NITDA-Mastercard executive workshop provides an opportunity to place these challenges before senior decision-makers and encourage a more forward-looking approach to cybersecurity.
Its emphasis on threatcasting also reinforces the importance of preparing for risks before they become full-scale incidents.
Ultimately, protecting Nigeria’s digital future will require more than sophisticated security software. It will depend on informed leadership, skilled professionals, effective regulation, institutional cooperation and a culture in which cybersecurity is treated as a shared responsibility.
