Digitnomics 
ESET Nigeria has concluded a cybersecurity awareness and capacity-building programme for staff of Lagos State Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as concerns grow over the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks targeting public and private institutions.
The training, themed “Cybersecurity in 2026: Defending Against Modern Threats in a Digital Workplace,” brought together government employees from various MDAs at the Staff Clinic Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, to strengthen their understanding of emerging cyber risks and modern defence strategies.
The programme focused on cybersecurity threats expected to dominate the digital landscape in 2026, including artificial intelligence-driven attacks, deepfake-enabled fraud, advanced phishing campaigns, ransomware, identity theft, cloud security vulnerabilities and supply chain compromises.
Participants engaged in practical sessions, case studies, interactive lectures and scenario-based exercises designed to improve their ability to detect, prevent and respond to cyber incidents.
Speaking during the programme, Strategic Partnership Manager and Cybersecurity Awareness Evangelist at ESET Nigeria, Olabanji Soledayo, stressed the growing importance of human awareness in defending against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
According to him, while organisations continue to deploy advanced security technologies, cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting human vulnerabilities through social engineering tactics and AI-powered deception techniques.
He noted that employee awareness remains one of the most effective layers of defence against modern cyberattacks and commended the Lagos State Government for sustaining its cybersecurity partnership with ESET over the years.
The training also featured technical sessions on email security, endpoint protection, ransomware mitigation, threat detection and other cybersecurity practices relevant to government institutions operating in a digital-first environment.
Deputy Director at the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, Kadri Shamusideen, said cybersecurity awareness has become increasingly important as government services continue to undergo digital transformation.
He noted that the growing digitisation of public services has expanded the attack surface available to cybercriminals, making continuous staff education essential.
“While technology provides the necessary security controls, our employees remain the first line of defence against cyber threats. Continuous education and awareness are therefore essential in ensuring that staff can identify emerging threats and respond appropriately,” he said.
Shamusideen described the training as timely, noting that cyber threats are evolving rapidly in both complexity and sophistication. He also commended the participation of staff from various MDAs and emphasized the importance of collaboration between government institutions and cybersecurity industry stakeholders in strengthening national cyber resilience.
ESET Nigeria said the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to improving cybersecurity readiness across organisations through awareness programmes, training and advanced security solutions.
The company noted that as cybercriminals increasingly leverage artificial intelligence, social engineering and identity-based attacks, building a cyber-aware workforce remains critical to reducing organisational risk and protecting digital infrastructure.
Industry experts have consistently warned that human error remains one of the leading causes of successful cyber breaches, making cybersecurity education an increasingly important component of enterprise and government security strategies.
