LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos State Government has unveiled a comprehensive set of cybersecurity guidelines designed to strengthen digital safety across businesses, public institutions, and residents in Africa’s largest city, officials announced on April 20, 2026.
Okay News reports that Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, disclosed the new framework in a statement, positioning the initiative as part of efforts to establish Lagos as a secure and globally competitive digital hub.
The announcement comes as Nigeria records annual losses to cybercrime estimated at $500 million, approximately N250 billion, according to figures cited by the state government.
The framework was developed with input from the Lagos State Cybersecurity Advisory Council, chaired by Fene Osakwe. The guidelines are available at the state government’s official portal and are aligned with key national regulations including the Cybercrime Act (2024) , the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023) , and the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (2021) .
“While Lagos is rapidly evolving into a SMART City, this progress brings heightened vulnerability to cyber threats,” the government said in the statement. “The newly issued guidelines outline clear, practical, and scalable cybersecurity best practices for small businesses, medium and large enterprises, and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).”
The guidelines place significant responsibility on small and medium-sized enterprises. Organisations are expected to adopt data minimisation principles, implement secure storage systems with encryption, and develop clear incident response plans to address potential breaches.
Entities are also required to report incidents to relevant authorities, including ngCERT, within 72 hours, and to notify the Nigeria Data Protection Commission as well as affected customers where breaches occur.
The government emphasised that the guidelines are not mandatory regulations but serve as tools to help stakeholders adopt effective cybersecurity practices. Organisations were also advised to assess the cybersecurity posture of third-party vendors, cloud providers, and service partners as part of broader risk management.
Tubosun Alake, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, was acknowledged for driving the initiative.
Lagos is widely regarded as Africa’s fastest-growing digital economy, with more than 22 million residents actively using digital platforms and a startup ecosystem valued at approximately $15.3 billion.
Globally, the average cost of a data breach stands at about $4.45 million per incident. Nigeria has recorded more than N1.1 trillion in cybercrime losses over the past three years, with N53.4 billion lost in 2024 alone.
