The programme targets hospitals, schools, non-profits, helplines, media organisations and other institutions that provide essential services but lack the resources to defend against growing cyber threats. 

The initiative will begin in Nigeria and Kenya, before launching in Ghana and South Africa later this year, covering 200 organisations in its first phase.

Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley, said the project was designed to close the gap between awareness of cyber risks and real action.

“What happens is that the conversation drops off where it gets to the point of taking action,” she said. “One of the major reasons we’ve seen with that is not just the lack of will, it’s also the lack of financial budgets to cover the cost.”

She explained that Resilio Africa will provide more than 10,000 hours of cybersecurity consulting at no cost to participating institutions, support she said would normally cost over one million dollars.

“That is all being provided by the best of experts in those four countries for free, and that’s what Google.org has helped us offset as a load,” she said.

Staveley stated that the foundation remains a non-profit focused on supporting vulnerable organisations and communities across Africa, adding that the initiative is intended to strengthen digital trust and protect services people rely on every day.

During her welcome address, she pointed to growing cyber activity across sub-Saharan Africa, citing data that showed over 95 million malware-based attacks in the first half of 2025, with spyware, password-stealing malware and backdoor tools among the most common threats.

Staveley said many community institutions operate with outdated systems, limited staff and little or no cybersecurity budget, leaving them exposed. “Attacks are not a matter of if, it is when,” she said.

The keynote address, delivered by Anna Collard, senior vice president for Content Strategy at KnowBe4 Africa, described cyber resilience as a people-centred issue rather than a purely technical one.

“When we think about resilience or cyber resilience, we often think about technology and firewalls and maybe viruses, but actually it’s about people,” Collard said. “We’re doing this to protect people and to ensure we deliver critical services to our people.”

She warned that community institutions such as hospitals and schools are attractive targets because they usually lack the budgets and skills of large financial institutions, but the impact of attacks on them can be severe.

Collard called for cybersecurity to be treated as a shared responsibility and a common good, comparable to public health.

“You can’t just expect one institution to solve those problems by itself,” she said. “We need to ensure that everyone gets up to a certain level of baseline protection.”

Google.org’s support for the initiative was outlined by Haviva Kohl, senior programme manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“Resilio Africa isn’t just another training workshop,” Kohl said. “It is a holistic resilience programme designed specifically for organisations that lack the resources to sustain a complex security programme.”

She elaborated that Africa recorded a 23% increase in ransomware attacks in 2023, with public and non-profit institutions among the most affected. Many of these organisations, she said, operate with zero security budget and outdated systems.

“This is why Google.org has committed a grant to support the launch of Resilio Africa,” she said.

Introducing the programme in detail, Cybersafe Foundation Programmes Lead, Success Tawo, said the initiative is built to meet institutions “where they are” and not impose one-size-fits-all solutions.

“Resilio Africa is a project dedicated to helping critical community institutions just like yourself,” she said. “The goal is not perfection. The goal is risk reduction, stronger systems and long-term resilience.”

Tawo said participating organisations will receive cybersecurity health checks, phishing simulations, staff training, incident response playbooks, real-time threat intelligence and access to a regional support network.

She stressed that the programme aims to help protect the records of at least two million people across the four participating countries and build a community of institutions that can share information and support each other.

“We are protecting 200 organisations, which means you have access to 199 other organisations that are similarly positioned like you,” she said.

A panel discussion followed, focusing on shared responsibility between governments, technology partners and community institutions.

Panellists included Gbolabo Awelewa, chief business officer at Essentry; Joylynn Kirui, head of Information Security at Prime Bank Africa; Dr Bright Mawudor, founder of CyberGuard Africa; Confidence Osein, founder of Internet Safe Kids Africa; and Juliet Ohahuru-Obiora, executive director of the Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Initiative.

Speakers agreed that cyber resilience must be driven from leadership but embedded across entire organisations, from management to frontline staff.

“It doesn’t sit with the experts and it doesn’t sit with any department,” Osein said. “It’s something that is shared across teams.”

The Resilio Africa programme will run for three years, with plans to scale to additional countries subject to funding. Cybersafe Foundation said the initiative is free for participating institutions but stressed that sustainability will depend on continued support.

Applications for eligible organisations are now open in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa.

The launch is the centerpiece of a broader set of Africa-focused AI initiatives announced today to accelerate innovation and close the continent’s critical skills gap.

The announcements come as Africa stands at a pivotal moment. The continent, home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, shows immense potential for AI-driven economic growth.

However, new research highlights a significant challenge: while optimism for AI is exceptionally high, reaching 95% in Nigeria and 76% in South Africa, 55% of firms across the continent report needing AI talent more than financing. Closing this skills gap is key to unlocking Africa’s opportunity.

“Africa’s AI moment is now, and Google is committed to being a partner for the long haul,” said Doron Avni, Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy. “The AI Skilling Blueprint provides a clear roadmap for governments to build the workforce of the future. By also investing in AI-ready data and expert local organisations and partners, we are helping build the interconnected ecosystem needed for a prosperous, AI-driven future for the continent.”

A Policy Roadmap to Build an AI-Ready Workforce 

The Google AI Skilling Blueprint for Africa provides governments with a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to formulate national skilling strategies.

This blueprint focuses on developing three critical cohorts: AI Learners, who will gain foundational AI literacy; AI Implementers, professionals upskilled to integrate AI tools into their work; and AI Innovators, deep technical experts dedicated to building the next generation of AI solutions.

New Commitments to Data Infrastructure and Skilling Organisations 

As part of its broader initiatives, Google also announced $2.25 million to support projects building trustworthy public data sets for AI by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and PARIS21.

This contribution will help national statistical offices modernize their infrastructure and empower decision-makers with the reliable data they need to address challenges from food security to economic growth.

“For Africa to drive sustainable development, evidence-based policymaking is indispensable. This requires accessible, reliable, and AI-ready data,” said Claver Gatete, executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa. “This effort is a crucial step forward. By building a Regional Data Commons, we can empower African institutions with the data and tools they need to make strategic choices that will drive growth and prosperity.”

Finally, building on its $7.5 million Google.org Skilling Fund commitment, Google announced the first set of expert social impact organizations who will receive funding to execute on projects consistent with its skilling mission, including: FATE Foundation and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), which will embed advanced AI curricula into universities; and JA Africa and CyberSafe Foundation, which will advance crucial work in online safety and digital literacy.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with the African Institute of Management Sciences on the Advanced AI UpSkilling Project, with support from Google.org. This groundbreaking initiative is a direct response to the urgent need for deep AI competencies in Africa, empowering tertiary institutions, lecturers, and students in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This strategic support aligns perfectly with FATE Foundation’s mission to foster innovation and sustainable economic growth across the continent, ensuring Africa is fully equipped to lead in the global technological future.” – Adenike Adeyemi, executive director, FATE Foundation 

“We live in an age defined by rapid technological change and our mission at JA Africa is to ensure that African youth are not left behind. However, even as we engage our youth in more digital programs and encourage AI literacy, we are fully aware of the harmful effects of unchecked online exposure and, therefore, invest equally in protecting their data, physical safety and mental wellbeing,” said Simi Nwogugu, President & CEO, JA Africa.

“Through this support from Google.org, we will give young people the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.” 

The CyberSafe API (Application Programming Interface) Security Training Program is a 12-week intensive learning experience designed to equip aspiring cybersecurity professionals with the skills to secure APIs.

Participants gain hands-on training in API fundamentals, authentication, encryption, and advanced penetration testing techniques.

Through expert-led instruction and practical labs, learners build technical expertise and develop the confidence to thrive in global cybersecurity careers.

Speaking on the next Cohort, Confidence Staveley, executive director, CyberSafe Foundation, disclosed that, unlike the first Cohort, this next Cohort will accommodate, not only the CyberGirls Alumni Community, but all interested women.

She announced:

“Looking ahead, this October, Applications will reopen for our API Academy. And for the first time, we will be admitting women, not only from the CyberGirls Alumni Community,but from anywhere in the world, from ages 20-40, who want to master the art of securing APIs. So keep an eye out for our Call For Applications, until then, stay Cyber Safe.”

She further noted:

“At cybersafe Foundation, we envision a future where every woman trained at our API Academy, is not just skilled, but empowered to lead, innovate and transform the way APIs are secured across industries.”

Reflecting on past cohorts, Staveley disclosed that the programme has been highly impactful and successful, especially going by the testimonials of the participants from across Africa.

She said:

“The journey has been nothing short of transformative. In fact, a participant shared that although she was employed in a GRC role, she was recently tasked with testing a web application with API calls. Thanks to the training we provided her, she identifies dozens of vulnerabilities that have now been remediated by her company.

Several other participants who had never touched API testing tools before, are now working at expert level proficiency, and some others have even decided to pivot their careers into application securities building on the solid foundation this programme has given them.”

According to Staveley, to achieve this result, students went through an intensive hands-on journey covering API security fundamentals, OWASP API Security Top 10, Authentication, Documentation best practices, securing API servers, Gateway Security best practices, PCI Compliance, APIs Security for connected cars and fleets, penetration testing, securing LLM and NLP APIs and API products management.

“This was, no doubt, a high pressure, high accountability programme where every participant submitted weekly technical reports on their security tasks. So today, I am super proud to celebrate the incredible women who successfully completed the programme,” she concluded.

Also speaking, CyberSafe Foundation Trainer and CyberGirls Alumna, Damilola Abiona said:

“Leading the CyberSafe API Academy has been a deeply rewarding experience. Watching women who started with little to no offensive security background grow into confident vulnerability hunters in just twelve weeks shows how powerful structured and hands-on learning can be.

This program is not only breaking barriers in cybersecurity education but also positioning Africa as a hub for the next generation of API security leaders.”

Aside the CyberSafe API Security Training Program, CyberSafe Foundation also organises CyberGirls+, an advanced professional development program by CyberSafe Foundation, in partnership with the SANS Institute, designed exclusively for CyberGirls Fellowship alumni.

Other programmes in the Foundation’s kitty are:

• CyberGirls Fellowship, a free 1-year cybersecurity training, mentorship, and placement program for young African women, which has empowered 1500+ girls and women from 27 African countries with globally sought-after cybersecurity skills, positioning them to start a career in cybersecurity.
• The PCI DSS Academy, a flagship women practitioner bootcamp and capacity building hub across emerging markets, empowering businesses, cybersecurity professionals, and payment ecosystem stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to achieve and maintain global payment security standards.
• The HerAI Fellowship, designed to close the gender and opportunity gaps in emerging tech fields, is an initiative aimed at equipping 5,000 underserved young women across Africa with advanced skills in AI and cybersecurity, including AI development and governance.

Launched in 2019 with its flagship initiative #NoGoFallMaga, CyberSafe Foundation has in recent past launched cybersecurity awareness campaigns reaching over 20,000,000 people, organised cybersecurity awareness training for over 4000 SMEs, educating over 11000 employees of these organisations, upskilled over 17,000 women and girls in 27 African countries, launched Africa’s first storified cybersecurity awareness handbook and possibly Africa’s first afrobeat cybersecurity awareness song.

These, and many more contributions to technology education and empowerment, have earned it global recognition.

“Through hands-on training, strategic partnerships, and community engagement, we are building a safer, more equitable future, ensuring that no one is left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. By equipping underserved communities with the knowledge and tools to excel in cybersecurity and AI, we are fueling local innovation, expanding career pathways, and strengthening digital resilience across Africa, Asia, and beyond,” a statement from the Foundation reiterated. The Foundation will announce the application and opening dates for the API Academy.

The UK Government’s investment in women in Nigeria has been described as the means to accelerating progress, considering that a recent USAID report indicates, 90% of jobs worldwide will have a digital component in the near future and without digital skills, women are automatically disadvantaged and do not have the confidence to participate in the digital workforce or the digital economy at large.

Speaking at International Women’s Day (IWD) Digihubs Awards held in Lagos on March 08, 2024, in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, British deputy high commissioner in Nigeria, pledged the commitment of the UK Government to close the digital divide in the country.

He said the Government has been a leading partner in working with the Nigerian people to close the digital gender divide in Nigeria.

Baxter said: “We have championed inclusion for women and girls into the digital economy through projects such as DigiGirls. This is because we know that the data says that inclusion leads to an increase in economic power.

“We know that women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate change, natural disasters and conflict because they exacerbate existing inequality and barriers in accessing services and support.

“Yet women are critical front-line responders when crisis hits and are crucial voices in decision making processes – if given the space to be heard”.

He noted that, the participation of civil society groups, including women’s organisations, makes a peace agreement of 64% less likely to fail, and “we know that the benefit of reducing conflict in other countries is felt in many other countries of the world.

“Gender inequality is particularly entrenched for women and girls who face multiple-discrimination, because of their age, religion, disability, sexuality, race or other difference,” he added.

Mr. Baxter while reflecting on the Digital Access Programme in Nigeria expressed the UK’s commitment to being a global science and technology partner, working with others to develop solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, including on digital skills.

He said the UK firmly believes in the future growth story of Nigeria’s digital sector. “To continue to drive this growth, Nigeria needs a combination of increased access to safe, affordable, faster and better-quality internet, an encouraging regulatory environment, a skilled talent pool, and access to investment and partnership opportunities.

“Our in-country digital strategy focuses on working with both the government and private sector to improve infrastructure, build cyber resilience, reduce barriers to digital innovation, drive the upskilling of a digital workforce and improve policy and regulatory frameworks.

“Through the Digital Access Programme, we work with the Federal Government, State governments and policy makers as well as the Private Sector on removing systemic barriers to connectivity expansion”.

One of such programmes is the DigiGirls programme where last year on International Women Day, the UK launched a 10-year Women and girls’ strategy which showcases its commitment to tackling gender inequality across the globe.

“The first two cohorts of the DigiGirls programme saw the training and upskilling of 6,800 women and girls. While that might look like a large number it was only 6.3% of the people that applied for the opportunity to be trained for free.

“For us, it felt like we needed to do more. We thought about how we could make this project reach more people and have a wider impact yet still be sustainable.  We then decided to experiment with using local technology hubs to deliver upskilling to women and girls. This would strengthen the hubs as well as provide a physical space where women and girls could learn undisturbed.

“Our experiment paid off and in this present phase of the project Cybersafe was able to train 59,900 women and girls. We did this with support of 200 volunteer Alumni DigiGirls called DigiChampions and a partnership with 60 hubs across 22 states in Nigeria.

“We believe that this programme has helped in addressing the digital inequality in Nigeria – and we will continue to support programmes like this,” he stated.

On her part, Mrs. Confidence Staveley, founder and executive director of CyberSafe Foundation highlighted education as the true means to getting more women into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and a door to innovation.

In her words, “Inclusion of women will not happen by chance, it will take intentional, tailored and targeted investment in women to accelerate progress that we so desperately need”.

Continuing Mrs. Staveley said, “Investing in women also includes not just investing in implementing impactful progranms like DigiGirls. We need to mainstream solutions through the vehicle of policy. We must mainstream digital skills especially for women in our school curriculums, we must address discrimination and gender-bias practices in hiring processes…making them illegal.

“We must take a stand on educating men, our allies on what the challenges are and getting them on our side of this war against exclusion.

“The lack of women’s inclusion in technology comes at a massive cost. Infact, women’s exclusion from the digital worid has shaved US$1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade – a loss that will grow to US$1.5 trillion by 2025 without action according to a 2022 Gender Snapshot report.

“But today, we celebrate the resilience of women like Azeez Omowunmi, a DigiGirl in our third cohort, who faced the classic challenge of electricity blackouts and economic constraints. These blackouts were standing in the way of her enjoying the free training we provided directly to over 60,000 women in this cohort. Azeez found a clever way to navigate these challenges. She made the tough decision to spend all her weekends sleeping over in church where she will have access to electricity to charge her computing device, consume our on-demand learning content and do her assessments throughout the programmme.

“We celebrate our Digichampions who in true spirit of generosity and service that Women are known for, they are ach after getting trained by us, training 100 women each in their local community…creating an organic ripple effect of digital skills transfer

“We celebrate the nursing mothers at our hubs and our excellent hub partner in Kaduna who brought their children to the Hub so their gift of motherhood does not deny them the digital skills required for today’s technology driven workplace”.

IWD Digihubs Awards

Five hubs were recognized at the auspicious event among 60 of the hub partners, spread across the geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Award Categories:

1. Mission Champion Award (A.K.A Overall Best Hub)

Award Recipient: Development Hub, Borno – Abbas Baba

The award recognized Development Hub with the highest retention rate and a strong commitment to the sustainability of the digital skills training for women in the long term.

“The hub implemented effective methods for monitoring progress and evaluating the impact of the training and has the highest number of graduating fellows”, the Cybersafe Foundation ED said.

2. Impact Amplifier Award

Award Recipient: Guru Innovation Hub, Cross River – Oyo Effiom

This awards Guru Innovation Hub that demonstrated a strong commitment to the vision and enrolled the greatest number of fellows. The nominated hub exceeded the number of enrollments they initially pledged.

3. Inclusive Excellence Champion Award

Award Recipient: NHub Incubator, Plateau – Shamsiyah Bashir

The award recognized the hub that has created the most supportive and inclusive learning environment for the participants.

According to the organisers, this hub implemented innovative and effective training methods to enhance the learning experience for the beneficiaries.

4. Community Engagement and Outreach Award

Award Recipient: Dignity International Consults, Imo – Ihemegbulem Chukwuebuka Gerald

“The award recognizes the hub that excelled in community engagement and outreach, reaching, and positively impacting a broad audience.

“”The nominated hub did this by opening two hubs for the training to enable them to reach more people”, Mrs. Staveley said.

5. Outstanding Community Impact Award (A.K.A Grassroot Empowerer Award)

Award Recipient: Jbest ICT, Kaduna – Anna Tanko (Female Led Hub)

This awards a hub in an underprivileged or severely disadvantaged neighborhood that has showcased remarkable achievements in fostering positive change within their local community.

“Their exceptional problem-solving abilities have been instrumental in ensuring that their community participates in the training”, she explained at the DigiGirls programme.

The collaboration aims to empower young women in Africa by equipping them with essential cybersecurity skills and knowledge through the innovative CyberGirls program.

At the heart of this partnership lies Check Point’s SecureAcademy program, which offers cutting-edge cyber educational content. This collaboration will integrate SecureAcademy’s courses into Cybersafe Foundation’s CyberGirls initiative, a one-year free program meticulously designed to provide technical skills to women aged 18 to 28. 

Cybersafe Foundation, dedicated to promoting cybersecurity awareness and ensuring digital safety, has tailored the CyberGirls program to bridge the gender gap in the industry. The initiative not only imparts hands-on training but also offers mentorship, certification preparation, and opportunities for internships and shadowing placements. 

Through this program, Cybersafe Foundation aims to uplift women in underserved African communities, improving their socio-economic status while addressing the escalating threat of cybercrime.

Confidence Staveley, the Founder and Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are extremely proud of the impact our programs have had on the lives of many of our fellows, helping young women gain access to life-changing opportunities. Our partnership with Check Point will contribute immensely to our disruptive educational model by providing free quality cybersecurity training to the CyberGirls community.”

Pankaj Bhula, Regional Director, Africa at Check Point, reiterated the role of education in combating cybercrime. He stated, “Education is fundamental to combating the increasing volume of cybercrime both at home and abroad. Partnerships such as this one are key in closing the skills gap and helping to create a future employee pipeline in the cybersecurity sector. We are thrilled to be partnering with an organization that has had so much success in not only this aspect but also one which has made a real impact on the lives of their fellows through upskilling and education.”

Through SecureAcademy, Check Point is already collaborating with more than 160 academic partners, benefiting over 45,000 students in over 60 countries. This initiative addresses the staggering 3.5 million cybersecurity job vacancies existing globally. Check Point’s partnership with Cybersafe Foundation marks a significant step towards a more secure digital future, ensuring that the next generation of cybersecurity professionals is well-equipped to face the challenges of our ever-evolving digital landscape.

The campaign, aimed at creating public awareness about cybersecurity, brought together high-profile dignitaries from both the public and private sectors to champion the cause, with Broda Shaggi, the popular Nigerian Comedian, being the brand Ambassador to simplify awareness, making the initiative as inclusive as possible. 

The distinguished gathering witnessed an insightful address by Festus Amede, Chairman of the Committee of Chief Information Security Officers of Nigeria Financial Industry (CCISONFI), who set the tone for the event. His welcome speech resonated with the essence of the “NoGoFallMaga, Confam Am Again” campaign, emphasizing the critical role of strategic partnerships with entities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bankers’ Committee, CCISONFI, The Hook Creative Agency and the Cybersafe Foundation in the fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.

“The Financial industry has witnessed an increased adoption of digital/technology platforms in responding to CBN financial inclusion initiatives and post Covid-19 pandemic crisis which in no thanks led digital innovation globally. This increased innovation and use of digital platforms has greatly transformed the cyber & technology landscape thereby giving rise to new risks, especially with sustaining trust and confidence in customers’ ability to communicate, and transact securely within the financial ecosystem.

A loss of such trust and confidence could undermine the benefits of the CBN’s financial Inclusion & cashless economy or the ability to continually leverage technology as an enabler of social and economic development. Hence there is a need to constantly address the related challenges of ensuring continuous cybersecurity and data privacy,” Amede stated.

The Committee of Chief Information Security Officers of Nigerian Financial Institutions (CCISONFI), established to guide and provide advisory services related to Cyber, Data, and Information Security across the Nigerian Financial & Payment Ecosystem, has been a key force in addressing the evolving cyber threat landscape.

Peter Obadare, Chairman of the Cybersafe Foundation, and Sam Ochonma, MD of The Hook Creative Agency, elaborated the importance of building the human firewall through enhanced cybersecurity awareness among the Nigerian populace. 

This sentiment was echoed by Igboa Abumere, Chairman of CCISONFI, who highlighted the need to capture and combat various tactics employed by cybercriminals, thus empowering individuals to protect themselves against cyber threats.

Favour Femi-Oyewole, Group CISO at Access Bank Plc, underscored the goal of reaching the unbanked and underserved, and stressed the importance of collective efforts in the fight against cybercrime.

In her words: “Many people are still falling victim every day, divulging their sensitive information that they will still use to defraud them. Oftentimes, people ignorantly fall victim. We all are fighting the same course and we cannot do it alone.”

The event culminated with a poignant closing remark by Bayo Adeyinka, representing the Financial Literacy and Public Enlightenment Sub-Committee, emphasizing the commitment to dispelling ignorance surrounding cybercrime and fostering a well-informed community.

The “NoGoFallMaga, Confam Am Again” campaign seeks to reach over 40 million customers in its first two years, transcending language barriers with its content available in major Nigerian languages, including Pidgin English.

The public applauds the initiative taken by the Cybersafe Foundation and its partners to create a safer digital landscape for Nigerians. Through collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships, the campaign is poised to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves against cyber threats.

Released on August 12 to align with this year’s World Youth Day, the Investment scam Handbook is an essential tool that would protect individuals and businesses from investment scams. It provides an in-depth look at the warning signs of Ponzi scams and offers tips on how to stay safe.

The objective is for the handbook to continuously educate people on these cybercrime tactics.

The timely release of the Handbook is to align with the theme for this year’s World Youth Day, which is ‘Intergenerational Solidarity’; and the NGFM community wants to encourage people, especially the youth to show solidarity with other generations by educating them about the danger of investment scams.

Since youths are the most active online, more conversant with emerging technologies and energetic, the onus is on them to act as a sort of intergenerational stop gap, protecting other generations from the nefarious activities of fraudsters.

The CyberSafe Foundation’s NoGoFallMaga (NGFM) Community is a group of online security experts who are set to help people protect their money, assets, and identities online.

The cybersecurity community is an initiative of CyberSafe Foundation, an NGO strategically positioned and, on a mission, to ensure inclusive and safe digital access in Africa.

NoGoFallMaga has 142 active Volunteers and has uncovered and exposed over 20 Ponzi Schemes in Nigeria alone. Also they’ve helped SMEs, the aged and people at large by bringing awareness about these schemes.

The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a recent statement had stated that “Ponzi schemes have undermined the reputation of the capital market and dampened investors’ confidence”, a major issue which is affecting the country’s capital market.  

According to a study by Norrenberger Financial Investments Scheme, Nigeria has lost more than N300 billion to pyramid schemes over five years.

It is interesting to know that the first Ponzi scheme was created by Charles Ponzi in 1920. He promised investors a 50% return on their investment in just 45 days. And it worked for a while.

But eventually, the scheme collapsed, leaving investors with nothing. And history has repeated itself over and over again since then.

The NogoFallMaga community, whose primary focus is on digital fraud, has intervened in several cybersecurity cases across the country and had in the past exposed a fake Job Syndicate impersonating the United Nations online.

Enyinna Abazie, NoGoFallMaga Community Manager, revealed what the Community has achieved over the years, which includes the release of “The Phishing Handbook” and “The book of scams” to tackle various segments of scams in the country.

According to him: “Our biggest Ponzi burst so far was getting involved with the “Intelligence Prime Capital Scam.”  The said organization claimed to have a trading bot which used Artificial Intelligence to make a steady stream of profit. Investor-victims were also asked to recruit others into the scheme to earn more. He further said, “a few months after our investigation, and saving countless numbers from joining the scheme, the perpetrators performed an exit scam and disappeared with the funds of investors. Ponzi schemes tend to go undetected for years, and by the time they’re exposed, it’s often too late”.

CyberSafe Foundation, the parent organisation for the NoGoFallMaga Community, has several other initiatives which include the ‘ShineYourEye Cybersecurity Community’ for the elderly, ‘CyberGirls Fellowship’, and the ‘DigiGirls Fellowship’. The organisation has also helped SMEs with the Cybersecurity SME toolkit launch this year.

These women were equipped with deep tech, digital marketing, data analytics, cybersecurity, product management, software programming, and soft skills.

The partnership also aims to tackle the scourge of unemployment by bridging the gender skills gap and helping more women embrace technology.

The 1,000+ beneficiaries of the maiden edition of the Makeathon initiative participated in a four-month free, capacity-building, digital literacy exercise which began in March 2022 and ended in June 2022.

They were equipped with relevant tech skills to build their tech competencies and enable them to contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

The Makeathon initiative goes beyond upskilling girls and women between the ages of 18 to 45 years with requisite tech skills, to seeking internship opportunities for them in leading tech organizations in Nigeria and abroad. Thus far, more than 10 global tech firms have committed to offering some of the beneficiaries, who graduated last week, internship opportunities to put their skills to the test.

Commenting at the graduation ceremony, Gbenga Omolokun, the Managing Director, VFD Microfinance Bank (VBank), said; “We are proud of the graduands and how far they have come to be here today. We are pleased to be associated with an initiative that is committed to helping thousands of women and girls build flourishing careers in tech while simultaneously bridging skills and economic gender gaps in society. It is inspiring to have women with zero tech skills come into the space to learn and showcase their talents. We are committed to this initiative and will continue to do this to help more women achieve their tech goals.”

Also speaking during the graduation ceremony, Ayumi Moore, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Women in Tech Global, said; “These women whom we are celebrating today have been equipped with digital skills they can deploy across sectors. We are proud to have contributed to helping 1,000 women gain employable skills they can use to drive the growth of the tech ecosystem.”

Expressing her fulfillment at the completion of her Cybersecurity program, Grace Emmanuel who was hacked multiple times over two years where she lost her savings said, “In January 2022, I told a friend that I was going into tech, but I wasn’t sure what career path I wanted. Getting into the Makeathon program was a dream come true as I learned so much about information security, networking, web applications, the fundamentals, and levels of cyber protection. The learning was impactful, and I am grateful for this opportunity.”

Another beneficiary, Okosun Elizabeth who got training in Software Programming said; “When I got the opportunity to learn Software Programming, I was super excited because programming was a course, I wanted to learn but couldn’t get the opportunity. At first, I thought I wouldn’t understand the whole magic behind coding but when classes started, coding became a walk in the park. Thank you, Vbank and Women in Tech Nigeria for this wonderful opportunity.”