Nigeria has established a Cyber Diplomacy Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to position the country as an active player in global digital governance and cybersecurity diplomacy.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, announced the initiative on Tuesday during a seminar on anticipatory cyber and digital diplomacy. He explained that the unit will coordinate Nigeria’s cyber-related foreign policy, strengthen capacity for cyber negotiations, foster public–private partnerships, and ensure Nigeria’s voice carries weight in international cyberspace governance.
Tuggar emphasized that rapid advances in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and the militarization of cyberspace are reshaping diplomacy, warning that Nigeria cannot afford to be a bystander.
“We must act with purpose, to position ourselves as a principled, capable, and forward-looking actor in the evolving global digital order,” he said. “Cyber diplomacy is about setting global standards to combat cybercrime, protect critical infrastructure, safeguard elections, and promote data privacy, internet freedom, and ethical use of technology.”
He added that Nigeria must lead Africa’s digital future by training cyber negotiators, expanding regional incident response capacity, and championing African-led solutions to global digital challenges. The launch of the Anticipatory, Cyber, and Digital Diplomacy Masterclass Series was described as Nigeria’s digital gift to Africa and the Global South.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also pledged his ministry’s support, stressing the need for proactive and technologically astute legal frameworks to address the complex challenges of the digital age.
