NBS allocates ₦35m for cybersecurity after website hack
In its 2025 budget proposal, the National Bureau of Statistics has allocated 35 million for "Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Data Centre Management."This move comes after a cyberattack on the agency's website on December 18, 2024, which exposed vulnerabilities in its systems.
The funding is intended to improve staff training, strengthen cybersecurity measures, and protect critical national data.
The breach, which was publicly announced via the bureau's official X (formerly Twitter) account, prompted a warning to the public to ignore information on the platform until the issue was resolved.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the bureau's digital infrastructure, which plays a critical role as Nigeria's primary source of statistical data.
Beyond cybersecurity, the NBS's 2025 budget proposal includes a number of initiatives aimed at increasing operational efficiency, modernising infrastructure, and improving service delivery.
The allocations include ₦55 million for the National Agricultural Sample Survey, ₦20 million for Tourism, Education, Health, and Natural Resources Satellite Accounts, ₦50 million for tracking the implementation of the 8-Point Agenda, and ₦50 million for the System of Administrative Statistics Reports.
Other significant allocations include N60 million for the National Integrated Survey of Establishments, N45 million for Reform and Service Delivery Capacity Building, N35 million for SDG Tracking, and N30 million for the Revision of the Statistics Act.
The NBS's 2025 budget allocates 25 million for Financial Management and Sustainable Procurement Capacity Building, as well as 10 million for improving skills in creating infographics and statistical reports. The proposal includes a significant project, the Labour Force Survey, with a budget of ₦500 million.
The budget includes ₦60 million for calculating quarterly GDP based on production, expenditure, and income. The Nigerian government has allocated ₦15 million for the Waste Generated Statistics Report and ₦10 million for the NBS Annual and Quarterly Progress Reports.
N80m has been set aside for the National Consultative Committee on Statistics, an initiative that facilitates collaboration among stakeholders in the national statistical system.
The Annual Abstract of Statistics has received N15 million, and the Production of Demographic Statistics Bulletin has been allocated N9 million.
The NBS, a key government agency tasked with collecting and disseminating statistical data on Nigeria’s economy, governance, and development, plays a vital role in shaping public policy and decision-making.
The recent cyberattack demonstrates the growing vulnerability of government institutions to digital threats.
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