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According to a report released by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (<a href="https://www.isc2.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ISC2</a>), Nigeria and South Africa are facing a scarcity of cybersecurity professionals. However, while the scarcity is on a global scale, the report highlights that the two countries which were the only African countries considered for the study, are way behind other countries globally. 
Nigeria, in particular, has been identified as having one of the lowest numbers of cybersecurity (CS) experts, signalling a pressing need for enhancing digital security within the nation. According to the global report, as of 2023, Nigeria has a mere 8,352 professionals, while South Africa recorded a more considerable but still relatively low figure of 57,269 experts. 
Per the ISC2 report, there is a staggering global deficit of 4 million cybersecurity jobs that need to be filled, underscoring the growing demand for skilled professionals in this field. 
The report did not specify the exact number of professionals required by each country but emphasized that American and European nations significantly outpace their counterparts on other continents in terms of the number of experts in that field. 
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The United States, for instance, boasted a CS workforce of 482,985, while Brazil reported 231,921 professionals in the field. 
Read also: <a href="https://technext24.com/2023/08/24/africa-cybersecurity-new-report/">Africans still have plenty to learn about cybersecurity, new report finds</a> 
<h4 id="demand-for-cybersecurity-experts-is-rising-globally" data-beyondwords-marker="4790f9b7-2cb6-4887-9710-3666d9e89144">Demand for cybersecurity experts is rising globally</h4> 
The ISC2’s report highlights the stark contrast between the rising demand for CS professionals and the inadequate supply. Although the global workforce expanded by 8.7% year on year to reach 5.5 million in 2023, it is evident that the growth is still unable to meet the soaring demands for cybersecurity expertise. 
The report notes, “ISC2 estimates the global cybersecurity workforce at 5.5 million, representing an 8.7% increase year over year and nearly 440,000 new jobs. All regions saw growth this year, but these gains are particularly high in our two new Middle East countries, Asia-Pacific and North America.“ 
The workforce gap, as calculated by ISC2, signifies the disparity between the number of cybersecurity professionals required by organizations to secure their systems and the number of experts available for hire. This gap continues to widen, increasing by an additional 12.6% in the past year, with the most significant rise observed in Asia-Pacific and North America. 
Despite the urgency for a bolstered CS workforce, the report highlights how the current macroeconomic climate is leading many organizations to implement cost-saving measures, including budget cuts, layoffs, hiring freezes, and promotion freezes. These cutbacks, especially within cybersecurity teams, have far-reaching implications, affecting productivity, job satisfaction, and skill development. 
Read also: <a href="https://technext24.com/2023/09/01/nuc-tech-nigeria-courses/">NUC introduces software engineering, cybersecurity, others to university curriculum</a> 
<h4 id="why-is-the-demand-for-cybersecurity-professionals-rising" data-beyondwords-marker="e2b3d4e8-76e7-43eb-9175-b395bbb72c6a">Why is the demand for cybersecurity professionals rising?</h4> 
The increasing demand for these professionals might not be far removed from the ever-increasing sophistication of cyber threats posing significant challenges to organizations and governments worldwide. 
High-profile cyberattacks, data breaches, and ransomware incidents have underscored the critical need for skilled experts who can protect sensitive information, critical infrastructure, and digital assets. As hackers become more sophisticated, the demand for cybersecurity professionals capable of anticipating, mitigating, and responding to these threats has risen sharply. 
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Also, regulatory requirements and compliance standards are evolving to address cybersecurity concerns, compelling organizations to invest in experts in that space. Privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA mandate strict data protection measures, while industries like healthcare (HIPAA) and finance (PCI DSS) have stringent CS requirements. 
Meeting these compliance mandates necessitates the expertise of professionals who can implement and maintain CS controls to avoid legal repercussions and data breaches. 
Lastly, the rapid digitization of businesses and society, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. The widespread adoption of remote work, cloud computing, and IoT devices has created new vulnerabilities that necessitate robust cybersecurity measures. 
Organizations across various sectors, from healthcare to finance, are recognizing the imperative of securing their digital operations, leading to a growing demand for CS specialists who can safeguard networks, data, and systems. 
The ISC2, a non-profit organization specializing in training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals globally, included Nigeria and South Africa in its 2023 Cybersecurity Workforce Study for the first time. This report serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for these nations to address the shortage of cybersecurity experts to enhance their digital security posture and protect against evolving cyber threats.

Nigeria has only 8,352 cybersecurity professionals as global demand rises to 4 million

Technext.ng

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