FG announces creation of Cyber Diplomacy Unit within Foreign Ministry

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar on Tuesday announced the creation of a Cyber Diplomacy Unit within the ministry as part of the efforts to keep the nation’s diplomatic cycle abreast of happenings in the cyber and digital space.

Tuggar noted the unit is to coordinate Nigeria’s cyber and digital-related foreign policy and ensure Nigeria’s voice becomes influential in international cyberspace governance.
He noted this has become imperative in the evolving technological space, which has come to redefine the foundations of diplomacy.

The minister spoke at the seminar on anticipatory cyber, digital diplomacy organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; an initiative designed to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture and equip diplomats with the necessary tools to confront the challenges of the emerging digital age.

He said: “In the spirit of this forward-looking vision, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a dedicated Cyber Diplomacy Unit. The Unit’s mandate is clear: to coordinate Nigeria’s cyber-related foreign policy across all diplomatic platforms, build capacity for cyber negotiations, champion ethical and inclusive digital governance, foster public–private partnerships for national cyber resilience and ensure that Nigeria’s voice is influential in global cyberspace governance.”

He explained that: “We are living through a historic transformation. The convergence of disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitical alignments, and deepening digital interdependence is redefining the foundations of diplomacy.

“From artificial intelligence and quantum computing, to the geopolitics of data and the militarisation of cyberspace, the very nature of statecraft is being rewritten before our eyes.
“Nigeria must not be a mere bystander, we must act with purpose, to position ourselves as a principled, capable and forward-looking actor in the evolving global digital order.”

The minister further stressed that the new global order as orchestrated by technology “requires embedding anticipatory, cyber and digital diplomacy into the core of our foreign service, our national security architecture and our multilateral engagements.”

Tuggar noted that “anticipatory diplomacy provides us with the ability to detect early warning signals, foresee systemic shocks and plan strategically for the future, whether in the global race for critical minerals, the regulation of artificial intelligence, or the restructuring of global supply chains.”

He therefore stated the nation’s “diplomats must be trained, not merely to react, but to influence events before they unfold.”

The minister stressed that cyber diplomacy is about how we reach global standards to combat cybercrime and cyberwarfare, “how we balance national sovereignty with bilateral treaties and multilateral co-operation.
“It is how we engage with our partners to tackle malicious activities, protect critical infrastructure and support the integrity of elections and other interests vital to peace, stability and progress.

“Cyber diplomacy is about how we work together on data privacy, internet freedom and control over information. It is about working together on capacity building and sharing expertise. We hear a lot about AI.”

He added that “The purpose of cyber diplomacy is to help systems to catch up, to promote the best technology can do to accelerate growth, stability and freedom.”
He therefore said that the country can learn from parallel initiatives, such as the 2018 Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace, or the EU’s Cyberdiplomacy toolbox.

He also disclosed that the challenges confronting the country are urgent, and delicate; with state-sponsored hacking, as well as criminal and non-state actors, which has brought the country into the global equation mix.

“As we seek greater influence within ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations, our engagement must be anchored in sovereignty, trust, and innovation.

“We must lead Africa’s digital future, training a new generation of cyber negotiators, expanding regional incident response capabilities, and championing African-led solutions to global digital challenges. This includes advancing climate-conscious data practices and ethical AI development,” he added.

The minister described as Nigeria’s digital gift to the world the launch of the Anticipatory, Cyber, and Digital Diplomacy Masterclass Series for diplomats from Africa and the Global South.
He said it is an open platform designed to build a globally competitive diplomatic corp.

On his part, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi said the Federal Ministry of Justice has a crucial role to play in this new diplomatic paradigm, to ensure legal frameworks are updated to address these emerging challenges.

He assured that the ministry is committed to collaborating with security agencies, foreign affairs officials, the private sector, and civil society to build a comprehensive and effective strategy.
Fagbemi said: “You will agree with me that the 21st Century has introduced a paradigm shift in the nature of conflict, communication, and cooperation, demanding a fundamental transformation of traditional statecraft.

“The rise of a globally interconnected digital landscape presents both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges, rendering traditional diplomatic methods insufficient.
“As Nigeria’s Chief Law Officer, the Ministry of Justice is positioned to address this new reality with strategies that are proactive, technologically astute, and ethically grounded.”