By Prince Osuagwu, Hi-Tech Editor

With Nigeria’s fast pace in digital transformation, the country’s major organizations face a high rate of cybercrime and threat exposures amid limited local cybersecurity resources. Attacks like ransomware and business email compromise (BEC) are common, especially among underserved sectors. 

However, in this chat with the Sales Director for Africa at Sophos, Prish Thaakar said there is nothing much for Nigeria to worry about if the country could just understand how to address the gaps with AI-powered tools and expert-driven Managed Detection and Response, MDR services.

He says MDR provides world-class security, regardless of in-house expertise.

Thaakar says his 18 years of experience in Cybersecurity and businesses he has developed across various geographies like Americas, APAC and Africa are enough to believe in his prescriptions.

Excerpt:

Given the rise in cyber threats globally, what unique challenges do you see in the Nigerian market compared to other regions? 

Nigerian organizations face a unique combination of high threat exposure, limited local cybersecurity resources, and a fast pace of digital transformation. Attacks like ransomware and business email compromise (BEC) are common, especially among underserved sectors. But there is nothing to worry about, Sophos addresses these gaps. 

How do you assess the current state of cybersecurity adoption across Nigerian businesses, especially SMEs? 

We’re seeing growing momentum. Enterprises are investing in managed detection and response (MDR) and advanced threat prevention, while SMEs increasingly recognize the need for affordable, easy-to-deploy solutions. Sophos is uniquely positioned to serve both ends of the market — offering enterprise-grade protection with simplicity and scalability that SMEs can adopt quickly.

How is Sophos supporting Nigerian channel ecosystem, especially resellers and service providers to serve customers better?

We provide 24/7 support via Sophos Partner Care, offer technical training and certifications, and enable growth through marketing funds and business planning support. We’ve also made significant improvements to our MSP program, allowing resellers and service providers to scale with flexibility and recurring revenue models — while delivering real-time protection via Sophos Central and MDR.

Do you plan to introduce any new partner programs, incentives, or certifications tailored to the West African region?

Yes. Our MSP Elevate program, just launched globally, is now available in West Africa. It’s designed to help managed service providers accelerate growth through better incentives, flexible billing, and advanced threat response capabilities. We’re also localizing partner certification tracks and rolling out region-specific rewards to reflect the unique needs and opportunities in West Africa.

Recently Sophos gathered channel partners in Lagos, what were the key goals to that programme?

The event was all about enablement, alignment, and recognition. We’re sharing our product vision, training partners on new tools, and recognizing standout performance. The goal is to empower our Nigerian channel to grow faster, deliver more value to customers, and lead the adoption of modern cybersecurity practices in the region.