NITDA: Nigerians Should Apply For ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon

Nigerian youths are urged to apply for the Economic Community of West Africa’s (ECOWAS) cybersecurity hackathon aimed at empowering citizens of the region.

According to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) the Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, organized by ECOWAS and hosted by Nigeria, is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the agency.

While advising Nigerians to register for the competition, NITDA said the program offers an excellent opportunity for beginners and seasoned professionals to immerse themselves into the world of cybersecurity, learn new skills, and network with fellow enthusiasts.

Unlike other hackathons in the tech space, ECOWAS did not specify the rewards for the participants in the regional competition.

“All talented individuals and teams are invited to join this exhilarating competition. Demonstrate your expertise, collaborate with peers, and push the boundaries of cybersecurity.

“Be part of the talent pool driving the security of cyberspace for your country and West Africa as a whole,” ECOWAS stated on the hackathon’s website.

It added that the Cybersecurity Hackathon aims to foster a platform for young technology enthusiasts, enhancing the cyber workforce in the region.

“Member states are encouraged to participate and showcase their brightest minds in this competition,” it said.

Registration for the competition opened on July 18 and it is expected to close on August 5, 2024. According to ECOWAS, participants in the hackathon must meet the following requirements to be eligible:

All participants must be citizens of ECOWAS member countries. Please note that travel tickets will only be provided for participants residing within the region.

Each team must consist of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of four (4) members. Teams are encouraged to include at least one (1) female participant.

Participants must be between seventeen (17) and thirty-five (35) years of age.

What you should know

Despite a steady increase in cyberattacks, Nigeria currently has one of the lowest number of cybersecurity experts in the world.

Meanwhile, according to a recent report by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) there is now a gap of four million cybersecurity jobs to be filled globally.

Findings of the global report which surveyed two African countries, revealed that Nigeria and South Africa have more gaps to be filled as they currently have a lower number of cybersecurity experts compared to other countries.

However, the country is addressing this talent shortage through its 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, where the government aims to train 3 million Nigerians in technical skills including cybersecurity.