Benedict Ugwuja, Lead Consultant and Director of Technical Services at Cybergon Limited, has underscored the necessity of placing cybersecurity at the heart of Nigeria’s national security and economic resilience, urging the government to invest more in this critical area.
He made this assertion while speaking at the recent live hacking conference hosted by Cybergon, themed “The Last Data Breach.” This impactful event was designed to illustrate real-world cyber threats, practical defenses, and compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
The conference saw robust participation from military personnel, security agencies, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Police Force, NG-CERT, Galaxy Backbone, Jaiz Bank, Police Mortgage Bank, and various other public and private sector organizations—highlighting the growing recognition of cybersecurity as a national priority.
During the event, Ugwuja and his team demonstrated live, real-time cyber vulnerabilities, showcasing how organizations could be hacked in practical scenarios. “You cannot protect what you cannot see,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of hands-on cybersecurity testing over theoretical approaches.
The demonstrations included threat intelligence support, immediate defensive measures, and guidance on compliance with NDPA regulations.
Ugwuja called on the Federal Government to increase funding for practical cybersecurity initiatives, noting that modern warfare has transitioned into cyberspace. He highlighted that countries with robust cyber capabilities possess strategic advantages, stating, “Drones, terminals, ships, and critical infrastructure can all be hacked,” making cybersecurity central to national defense.
He further emphasized the need for military and defense intelligence to adopt real cybersecurity testing and to collaborate more closely with private-sector cybersecurity organizations. “This is how it is done globally,” he stated, cautioning that terrorist groups already possess advanced technical knowledge.
A major highlight of the program was the launch of Cybergon’s Street Hacking initiative—an awareness-driven campaign aimed at bringing ethical hacking directly to the streets of Abuja.