The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made a strong impact at the ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon 2024, emerging as one of the top performers in the highly competitive event. Organized by ECOWAS in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the hackathon drew cybersecurity experts from across West Africa.
Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for ICT/Modernization, Kikelomo Adeola, highlighted the significance of the event, which is being held in two phases. The goal of the competition is to identify the top cybersecurity teams in the region and foster cross-border collaboration. Phase 1 consisted of an online Capture the Flag (CTF) competition via the Sec-Dojo platform, with participants engaging in rigorous challenges from August 6 to August 31, 2024. The second phase, scheduled for October 14-16, 2024, will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, where an in-person CTF competition will further test the participants’ cybersecurity skills.
“The NCS teams’ performance reflects their strategic thinking and resilience in tackling complex cybersecurity challenges,” Adeola stated, noting the exceptional capabilities displayed by the Customs officers during the competition.
Led by CSC Abubakar Mustapha Jauro, the NCS team competed against 340 teams from various ECOWAS member states. The team earned an impressive 1,100 points, showcasing their expertise in fields such as cryptography, steganography, reverse engineering, web exploitation, and binary analysis. Despite using lower-spec hardware, including Intel Core i5 processors with 8GB RAM, the NCS team excelled through the use of advanced tools like Kali Linux, BurpSuite, and Metasploit, proving their technical competence.
Jauro remarked that the hackathon not only sharpened the skills of NCS officers but also highlighted the importance of regional collaboration in fortifying cybersecurity frameworks. “With continued investment and support, the NCS is poised to play a crucial role in protecting Nigeria’s cyberspace,” he added.
As the second phase of the competition approaches, there is heightened anticipation for the final round in Abuja, where the best teams will be recognized for their contributions to cybersecurity across West Africa.
