Nigeria steps up ICT expenditure for public safety

In its ongoing battle against the infamous Boko Haram gang, the Nigerian Federal Government has considerably amplified its spending on information communications technology (ICT) resources. This move is partly in reaction to the gang’s highly criticized abduction of nearly 300 school girls from their school in Chibok.

The escalation of government’s security and safety commitment is concretely articulated in that year’s Appropriation Act. The Act has made generous allocations towards the realization of essential security measures like the Public Key Infrastructure for Digital Signature Encryption (PKIDSE) for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) at a budget of N1,594,000,000, and the procurement of the Enhanced Secured Field Communication System (ESFCS) at N3,900,000,000.

Moreover, the Act has allocated resources for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to acquire security gear estimated at N837,307,610; Electronic Jamming Against Bomb System (EJABS) priced at N363,604,547, and the establishment of a Center for Computer Emergency Response (CER) for N2,000,000,000.

Additional budget provisions include funds for a Digital Forensic Laboratory valued at N800,000,000; the expansion of ONSA’s Local Area Network (LAN) at N100,000,000; and the implementation of the National Information, Communication, and Education Programme (NICEP) II Security Elements-Phase II at N1,242,896,000. An impressive N11,000,000,000 has also been earmarked for what the budget delineates as Enhanced and Specialized Security Equipment, Gadgets, and Services.

In the same vein, under the purview of the ONSA, the Directorate of State Security Services (DSSS) was given budgetary clearance to procure Strontium Sky Diligent Recon System at N350,000,000; Static and Mobile Jammers at N412,000,000; Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Passive Off-the-Air Interception System at N359,000,500; Data Retention System priced at N415,000,000; and additional arms and ammunition for service formations at N350,000,000.

Light edits were made in 2025 to improve clarity and relevance.