From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Musiliu Oseni, has called for greater collaboration and stronger cybersecurity compliance across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), warning that, cyber threats now pose significant risks to the power sector globally.
Oseni spoke on Thursday, during a cybersecurity awareness seminar held in Abuja, where he was represented by the Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Yusuf Ali, who emphasized that increasing digitization has made cybersecurity critical to power operations.
According to him, “Cybersecurity threats are no longer confined to the financial sector alone. They have become a major concern for the electricity sector and continue to expand globally.
“We are only as strong as our weakest point because a cyber attack does not need to target a major node before it affects the entire system,” he said.
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He stressed that the interconnected nature of power systems requires all stakeholders to improve compliance and strengthen sector-wide resilience, noting that for Nigeria the stakes are particularly high as it strives to achieve reliable and sustainable electricity supply.
“Cyber resilience can no longer be viewed solely as an ICT issue; it must be integrated into every aspect of business operations and strategic decision-making within the power sector,” Oseni added, while calling for the establishment of a sector-wide emergency cyber response mechanism to enhance preparedness and information sharing.
The seminar which featured expert presentations on cybersecurity risks facing Nigeria’s power sector, protection of critical national information infrastructure, AI and emerging technologies, and lessons from the telecommunications sector on establishing a sectoral Computer Emergency Response Team.
The event aligns with Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026 and NERC reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with government agencies, security institutions and operators to safeguard electricity infrastructure and ensure reliability and sustainability of the nation’s power sector.
