First Bank has reassured customers of its commitment to privacy, data protection and cybersecurity through sustained investments in technology, personnel, operational processes and customer awareness initiatives.

Harrison Nnaji, the group chief information security officer (GCISO) of the bank, gave the assurance on Friday in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) 11th Conference in Abuja.

Mr Nnaji said that cybersecurity has become a strategic component of modern banking operations, requiring institutional commitment, continuous innovation and coordinated protection measures across every operational level within organisations.

According to him, cybersecurity should not be treated as a mere regulatory obligation or a limited technical responsibility, but as an integral organisational strategy driven by both top-down and bottom-up approaches.

“Cybersecurity is not just an activity performed within the regulatory environment or specific organisational layers.

“It is a strategic component of the institution’s aspirations and operational sustainability,” he said.

Mr Nnaji said the bank had continued to invest significantly in people, technology and operational processes to strengthen cybersecurity maturity and improve resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks targeting financial institutions globally.

“At the technology level, we have invested in different combinations of technologies designed to guard against multitudes of cyber attacks confronting the bank and our digital infrastructure,” he said.

He added that the bank has also prioritised targeted recruitment, capacity-building and specialised training programmes to ensure adequate cybersecurity expertise exists across different operational workstreams and service delivery units.

“The institution has established centres of excellence within various operational divisions to strengthen professional competence, improve response mechanisms and ensure effective cybersecurity decision-making across the organisation.

“On processes, we have focused on development of centres of excellence across different workstreams to ensure we have the right people asking critical questions and providing the right professional answers,” he said.

The group chief said that cybersecurity awareness initiatives were extended beyond technical teams to all employees through structured communication, regular training programmes and institutional awareness campaigns across departments and operational units.

“The bank also conducts quarterly cybersecurity awareness sessions for customers, including existing and prospective clients, aimed at improving digital safety knowledge and strengthening fraud prevention consciousness nationwide.

“That awareness was also extended to customers through educational materials to help them understand evolving threats and guide their actions appropriately while using digital banking platforms,” he said.

Mr Nnaji noted that the bank regularly distributes informational flyers and security updates highlighting emerging cyber risks, suspicious activities and preventive measures customers should adopt to protect sensitive financial information.

He assured customers that the institution would continue to deliver secure, reliable and user-friendly banking services while sustaining public trust, operational efficiency and stronger digital protection systems across its banking ecosystem.

“At the end of the day, our priority remains ensuring customers enjoy secure, reliable and easy-to-use services while being served efficiently, effectively and securely across every banking channel,” he said.

(NAN)