- Second edition of programme targets students, women and vulnerable groups statewide.
The Kogi State government on Monday marked World Cybersecurity Day 2026 with a cybersecurity awareness programme at GYB Model Science Secondary School in Adankolo, Lokoja. The programme was extended to 105 schools across the state’s 21 local government areas.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, was held under the theme “Secure Today, Safe Tomorrow, Building a Cyber-Resilient Generation.” It was the second edition of the annual programme.
Addressing students, school administrators and other stakeholders during the 2026 World Cybersecurity Day celebration at GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo, Lokoja, on Monday, the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Helen Adebiyi Aderibigbe said the initiative was meant to raise digital safety standards among young people and support Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s development agenda.
She defined cybersecurity awareness as an understanding of online threats and the daily habits needed to guard personal and organisational data. He listed spotting phishing attempts, using strong passwords, handling sensitive information securely and keeping software updated as core practices.
The commissioner cited projections from research firm that global cybercrime damage would reach $8 trillion in 2023 and $10.5 trillion by 2025. She also pointed to job displacement, privacy concerns and weak security measures as risks that leave internet systems exposed.
She said the state had set up the Kogi Innovation and Technology Hub (KITH), a skills centre that can train or examine 100 candidates at a time and accommodate more than 50 people in artisan skills.
He thanked the Internet Society (Nigeria Chapter) for financial and technical support. He also thanked the Kogi State Senior Secondary Education Board (KGSSEB), the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), GYB Model Science School and the programme’s 105 focal persons across the state.
In a goodwill message, Dr. Habiba Suleiman, executive chairman of the Kogi State Senior Secondary Education Board (KGSSEB), commended the ministry for the initiative. She said students face risks including cyberbullying, online fraud, identity theft and harmful content, and called cybersecurity education “not merely desirable but essential.”
Suleiman was represented at the event by Elder Shaibu Moses.
In her message, she urged students to protect their passwords, avoid sharing sensitive details with strangers, verify information before circulating it and report suspicious activity to trusted adults and the authorities. She asked teachers and school administrators to make digital safety part of school life, and parents to guide their children’s internet use.
She also praised the ministry for extending the programme to young people, women and other vulnerable groups, and said KGSSEB would keep supporting efforts to promote digital literacy.
“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and our collective vigilance is our strongest defence,” she said.
