The Nigeria Customs Service has distinguished itself at the 2024 ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon, securing a top position among the region's leading teams.
The event, organized by ECOWAS in collaboration with Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA, brought together cybersecurity experts from across West Africa.
Deputy Comptroller General of ICT/Modernization, Kikelomo Adeola, explained that the hackathon is divided into two phases, designed to identify and promote the most skilled cybersecurity teams in the region.
Phase 1, held online from August 6 to August 31, 2024, involved a Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge on the Sec-Dojo platform. Participants tackled a series of complex cybersecurity tasks remotely.
Phase 2, scheduled for October 14-16, 2024, will take place in Abuja, where participants will engage in an in-person CTF competition, encouraging collaboration across borders while testing advanced technical skills.
"The outstanding performance of the NCS teams highlights their strategic approach and determination in solving sophisticated cybersecurity problems," Adeola remarked.
The NCS team, led by Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Abubakar Mustapha Jauro, competed against 340 teams from ECOWAS member states. Scoring 1,100 points, the NCS team excelled in areas such as cryptography, steganography, reverse engineering, web exploitation, and binary analysis.
Armed with tools like Kali Linux, BurpSuite, and Metasploit, the team’s success demonstrates the critical importance of equipping cybersecurity professionals with advanced resources to tackle growing threats in the digital landscape.
"The ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon has not only sharpened the skills of NCS officers but also reinforced the importance of regional cooperation in bolstering cybersecurity across West Africa," Jauro emphasized. With further investment and support, the NCS is poised to play an increasingly vital role in securing Nigeria's digital infrastructure.
As the final phase approaches, expectations are high for the conclusion of the competition, where top-performing teams will be recognized for their cybersecurity expertise.
