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| Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani |
This formed the crux of discussions at the 2026 Crisis Management Advocacy Month flagship conference hosted by CMC Connect LLP in Lagos, where government officials, industry leaders and policy experts converged to address emerging digital threats.
Held at the Metropolitan Club, the high-level conference, themed “Crisis Management in the AI Milieu: New Threats, Smarter Responses,” brought together senior executives, legal experts, media professionals and regulators to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping crisis governance and institutional resilience.
Nigeria’s Growing Digital Crisis
Speaking at the event, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, warned that Nigeria is facing “pandemic-level” cyber threats, with over 2,600 attacks weekly targeting the telecommunications sector alone. He disclosed that financial fraud losses hit nearly N150 billion in 2024, representing a 45 per cent increase, as cybercriminals deploy more sophisticated, AI-powered tools.
Tijani further noted that the widespread use of WhatsApp — by about 95 per cent of Nigeria’s online population — has accelerated the spread of misinformation, fake narratives and deepfakes.
“False information now travels faster than verification, shaping public perception before facts emerge,” he said.
Trust Deficit Worsens Crisis Response
The minister also highlighted a growing trust deficit between citizens and institutions, warning that declining confidence in governance structures is weakening crisis response effectiveness.
He cited lessons from the COVID-19 era, where misinformation and public distrust undermined compliance with safety measures.
AI Tools, Policy Reforms Gain Momentum
Despite the challenges, Nigeria is advancing its digital resilience through AI-driven solutions and regulatory reforms.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is enforcing compliance among digital platforms, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established an AI division ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Federal Government is also developing a National AI Strategy and an AI Regulation Bill, alongside amendments to the Cybercrime Act mandating a 72-hour incident reporting window. In a landmark move, Nigeria has launched its first indigenous Large Language Model capable of communicating in major local languages, positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s AI ecosystem.
Crisis-X Unveiled as Africa’s First AI Crisis Engine
A major highlight of the conference was the unveiling of Crisis-X, described as Africa’s first AI-powered crisis intelligence engine.
Developed to enhance early warning systems and real-time response capabilities, the platform is expected to help organisations detect, analyse and manage reputational and operational risks before they escalate.
Industry observers say Crisis-X signals a shift toward predictive crisis management, where data and AI are used not just for response, but for foresight.
Experts Call for Speed, Ethics and Coordination
Experts at the summit stressed that the speed of digital crises now demands faster, more coordinated responses.
Celestin Atchi, CEO of CM Media Communications, said the communications industry has evolved into an era of “engineering trust,” where transparency and accountability are critical. He advocated for “glass box AI” systems that are explainable and ethical, warning that opaque “black box” systems could deepen mistrust.
Also speaking, Femi Adeniran of Airtel Nigeria noted that bureaucratic bottlenecks remain a major challenge.
“Crises now move at digital speed, but organisations still respond at analogue speed,” he said, calling for streamlined approval processes.
Meanwhile, Edemidong Oyo of the British Council emphasised the importance of human oversight, noting that AI lacks emotional intelligence and cultural context.
Infrastructure, Talent Development Key to Future
To strengthen national resilience, the Federal Government is investing in large-scale infrastructure, including a 90,000-kilometre fibre optic network with embedded sensing technology to detect security threats.
The 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme is also underway, targeting the training of Nigerians in digital skills, with a strong focus on AI and machine learning.
Plans are in place to deploy a national data exchange system to enable real-time information sharing across government agencies, improving coordination during emergencies.
Toward a Smarter Crisis Future
Stakeholders agreed that while artificial intelligence presents transformative opportunities, it also introduces complex risks that demand ethical governance, institutional coordination and continuous innovation.
As Tijani noted, the future of crisis management in Nigeria will depend on the ability to act faster, communicate clearly and build public trust.
“The goal is not just to survive crises, but to emerge stronger and better prepared,” he said.