For many small businesses in Nigeria, growth in the digital space has been both a blessing and a risk. With WhatsApp shops, online payments, and email invoicing now part of everyday trade, entrepreneurs are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks they are often ill-equipped to handle.
This digital dilemma is what sparked a new partnership between Kaspersky, one of the world’s leading cybersecurity firms, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Both organizations have signed an agreement to give Nigeria’s SMEs the kind of cybersecurity guidance that has long been missing from mainstream business support.
Instead of treating cyber risks as a purely technical issue, the partnership is reframing them as a business survival challenge. The plan includes practical training, information-sharing, and awareness campaigns designed specifically for non-technical founders who juggle accounting, marketing, and daily operations.
“Cybercriminals know small businesses lack dedicated IT teams, and that’s what makes them attractive targets,” said Chris Norton, Kaspersky’s GM for sub-Saharan Africa. “By showing entrepreneurs simple, proven ways to defend themselves, we hope to close the gap that criminals are exploiting.”
The move also ties into SMEDAN’s wider mission to equip businesses at all levels—from roadside artisans to tech startups—with the tools they need to thrive. According to its Director-General, Charles Odii, the timing couldn’t be more urgent:
“Covid-19 pushed many Nigerian businesses online, but few adopted cybersecurity practices at the same pace. This partnership ensures that as digital adoption grows, so does digital safety.”
For Kaspersky, this alliance is part of a continental strategy to support underserved sectors that are quietly becoming the new frontline of cybercrime. For Nigerian SMEs, it offers something even more critical: a chance to build digital confidence without the constant fear of invisible attacks.
