Regulators, fintech companies, and banks from across Africa are set to gather in Lagos on October 22, 2025, for the ThinkNnovation Cybersecurity Conference, organised by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) in partnership with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).

The event, themed around building digital trust and resilience, comes amid growing concerns over escalating cyber threats targeting Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

According to the African Union’s Cybersecurity Outlook 2024, cybercrime costs the continent an estimated $4 billion annually, with Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa accounting for more than half of the losses.

FITC’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Chizor Malize, emphasised the need for collective action to safeguard Africa’s financial systems.

“As Africa moves boldly into the digital age, its economic future depends on one word: trust,” Malize said. “ThinkNnovation 2025 is not just another conference; it is a platform for urgent dialogue and concrete action. We must design cyber resilience into every layer of our systems—payments, identity, regulation, and infrastructure—if Africa is to secure its digital tomorrow.”

The conference will bring together regulators, bank executives, chief information security officers, fintech founders, policymakers, and global experts to deliberate on emerging cybersecurity challenges and best practices.

Key sessions will feature simulation exercises replicating real-world cyberattacks on financial networks, panel discussions on zero-trust frameworks, insider threats, and AI-driven risks such as deepfakes, as well as strategic talks on financial crime trends and cybersecurity regulation.

Organisers say the conference seeks to strengthen collaboration across Africa’s financial ecosystem, ensuring that stakeholders can share intelligence, improve response capacity, and coordinate defences against increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals.

In a joint statement, FITC and NIBSS underscored that cybersecurity must be treated as a shared responsibility.

“A coordinated approach is essential, as a single breach can undermine public confidence and threaten the growth of the digital economy,” the statement read.

The ThinkNnovation Cybersecurity Conference has become one of Africa’s premier platforms for addressing digital risks, driving innovation, and shaping policy toward a secure and trusted digital financial future.