Nigerian Companies Must Prioritise Cybersecurity from Day One
Chief Technology Officer of Apex Web Network, David Efemena Ominiabohs, has urged Nigerian businesses to adopt bug bounty programmes and integrate cybersecurity measures during the product design phase to guard against increasing cyberattacks.
Speaking at the Apex Tech Summit in Lagos, themed “The African Digital Economy: Building the Infrastructure for the Next Billion Users,” Ominiabohs highlighted the urgent need for proactive cybersecurity measures in Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
Why Bug Bounty Programmes Are Crucial for Nigerian Businesses
According to Ominiabohs, bug bounty programmes allow ethical hackers to identify and report vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them.
“There’s something called bug bounty programmes where hackers locally can come to your platform, try to infiltrate your system. If they find something, they’ll tell you immediately. That is something we don’t practise in Nigeria,” he said.
Such programmes, he explained, provide an opportunity for companies to patch vulnerabilities early, reducing the likelihood of devastating breaches.
The Need for Early Integration of Security
Ominiabohs criticised the common practice of ignoring security until after a product is launched, which leaves systems exposed. He urged Nigerian businesses, particularly fintechs, to embed cybersecurity protocols from the development stage.
Local Data Storage to Reduce Cyber Risks
The Apex CTO also emphasised the importance of hosting sensitive data in local data centres instead of relying on foreign storage facilities.
“If we have several data centres in Nigeria to store Nigerian-based data… that would reduce the risk of possible data leaks and trust issues,” he noted.
Historically, banks relied on secure on-premise networks, a model Ominiabohs believes can inspire today’s tech companies to strengthen their defences.
Compliance, Regulation, and African Expansion Strategy
Ominiabohs advised startup founders to first build within their local markets before expanding. He acknowledged that while African entrepreneurs face significant compliance challenges, they can quickly test and refine products before meeting full regulatory requirements.
Apex Web Network currently operates in seven African countries but is focused on deepening its presence and understanding local regulations before moving into more heavily regulated international markets.
“There is still a lot of work in expanding in Africa and understanding the compliance fully. We are going into a more regulated market, so we need to be ready,” he said.
Key Takeaways for Nigerian Businesses
- Adopt bug bounty programmes to proactively detect vulnerabilities.
- Integrate cybersecurity at the design stage to reduce risks.
- Invest in local data centres for better control and compliance.
- Understand local regulations before global expansion.
As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, Ominiabohs believes Nigerian businesses must shift from a reactive to a proactive cybersecurity mindset to protect users and maintain trust.
