Nigeria is aligning itself to become a principled, capable, and forward-looking actor in the evolving sphere of global digital diplomacy, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The ministers made this commitment on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of a two-day high-level seminar themed “Anticipatory, Cyber and Digital Diplomacy”, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The seminar, which runs from Sept. 2 to 3, is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s foreign policy framework and equipping diplomats with tools to address challenges in the digital age.
Tuggar said the world was undergoing a historic transformation driven by disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitical alignments, and deepening digital interdependence, all of which were redefining 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 right 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,” he stated.
He stressed the need to embed anticipatory cyber and digital diplomacy into Nigeria’s foreign service, national security architecture, and multilateral engagements to improve early warning systems and strategic planning. Tuggar also called for training of diplomats in cyber diplomacy and integration of the Nigerian diaspora’s expertise into the country’s digital diplomacy strategies.
On his part, Fagbemi emphasised the role of legal frameworks in tackling cybercrime, saying stakeholders would introduce punitive measures to deter future offences.
According to him, digital diplomacy must be proactive, with legal and policy frameworks that anticipate challenges posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data governance, and cybersecurity.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, disclosed that the UK’s cyber diplomacy partnership with Nigeria had expanded under a new Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). He said the two countries recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cybersecurity, which has enhanced collaboration in areas such as cyber threat intelligence, critical infrastructure protection, and response planning.
Prof. Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo, a Professor of Law and Technology at Leeds Law School, in her keynote address, praised the initiative as timely, stressing that nations that adapt quickly and engage globally with innovative diplomatic tools would lead in the 21st century.
“As Africa’s largest economy and one of its fastest-growing digital hubs, the choices Nigeria makes today in cyber and digital diplomacy will shape its global influence and national resilience in the years ahead,” she said.
The event drew participants from the diplomatic corps, military and paramilitary institutions, as well as stakeholders from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice.
