IGP Partners Fintech Sector to Boost Nigeria’s Cybersecurity

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, on Thursday reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to strengthening national cybersecurity as a driver of economic growth, pledging deeper collaboration with the financial technology sector and other key stakeholders.

Egbetokun made the pledge while hosting the Special Assistant to the President on ICT Development and Digital Innovation, Tokoni Peter Igoin, alongside top executives from fintech giants PalmPay, OPay, and TrikaHealth, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. The meeting focused on leveraging advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to combat cybercrime and secure Nigeria’s digital space.

According to the IGP, safeguarding financial technology platforms is central to protecting citizens, businesses, and the nation’s economic stability. “With sustained collaboration, the deployment of advanced technological tools and resources by fintech companies will greatly enhance our capacity to combat cybercrime and respond effectively to emerging security threats,” he said.

The visiting delegation pledged full support for the IGP’s vision, noting ongoing projects such as the soon-to-be-commissioned NPF National Cybercrime Centre in Bayelsa State. The facility is part of the Police Force’s decentralisation strategy to tackle cybercrime more efficiently and provide greater protection for the fintech industry and financial institutions across Nigeria.

Commending the Police for creating an enabling environment for fintech growth, the group highlighted how progressive policies under Egbetokun’s leadership have boosted investor confidence and encouraged responsible technological advancement.

In a related development, the IGP also received Ph.D. holders and postgraduate researchers from the Centre for Peace and Security Studies Alumni Association, Al Hikmah University, Ilorin. The delegation, comprising his former postgraduate colleagues, praised his achievements in community policing, crime reduction, technology adoption, and police–community relations.

Egbetokun described both the fintech sector and academic researchers as “vital partners in progress,” stressing the Police Force’s readiness to maintain collaborations that strengthen public trust and support the government’s reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.