The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has warned that a cyberattack on any single weak point could compromise the entire power system, urging operators across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to tighten cybersecurity compliance and work more closely together.
NERC, in a statement posted on its X handle on Friday, said the warning came from its Chairman, Dr. Musiliu Oseni, at a cybersecurity awareness seminar on Thursday. He was represented by NERC’s Vice Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Ali.
Dr. Oseni said the growing digitisation of electricity infrastructure has made cybersecurity central to power sector operations and national development. He noted that cyber threats are no longer limited to the financial sector and are now a major global concern for electricity providers.
“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 cyberattack does not need to target a major node before it affects the entire system,” he said.
He stressed that because power systems are interconnected, all stakeholders must take deliberate steps to improve compliance and build resilience across the sector.
“For Nigeria, the stakes are particularly high as we strive 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,” he said.
Dr. Oseni also called for consideration of a sector wide emergency cyber response mechanism, which he said would improve preparedness, enable faster responses to incidents and encourage information sharing among industry players.
The seminar featured expert presentations on several issues: Cybersecurity risks facing Nigeria’s power sector, including current threats and emerging trends, Protecting critical national information infrastructure in the power sector, covering regulatory expectations, threat reporting and sector coordination, Artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and the new cyber threat landscape, and Establishing a sectoral Computer Emergency Response Team for the power sector, with lessons from the telecommunications sector.
The event aligns with the goals of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026, which focuses on countering AI driven cyber threats, improving workplace readiness and strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure.
NERC reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies, security institutions, operators and other industry stakeholders to protect Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure and ensure the reliability, security and sustainability of the country’s power sector.
