The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) has called on human resource professionals to take a frontline role in safeguarding organisational data and ensuring compliance with cybersecurity regulations.
This message was central to discussions at the 17th Special Human Resource Forum (SHRF) of the institute, which was held virtually on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
The forum, themed “The Role of HR in Cybersecurity and Compliance: Protecting Employee and Organisational Data,” brought together experts in HR, technology, and regulation to explore the evolving responsibilities of HR in the digital age.
CIPM President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, FCIPM, fnli, opened the forum with a strong message on the need for HR to evolve. “When data becomes gold, HR must become the vault,” he said.
Gobir stressed that HR professionals, through their unique touchpoints with every employee, are well-positioned to drive cyber resilience from onboarding to offboarding.
“When HR gets cybersmart, the whole organisation becomes cyber strong,” he added.
The keynote speaker, Linda Rogers—Executive Coach and Founder of Leadership House—emphasised the global risk landscape and the need for HR to integrate cybersecurity practices into everyday operations. She highlighted the Joiners, Movers, Leavers (JML) lifecycle as a critical area where HR must coordinate closely with IT to prevent data breaches and ensure timely revocation of system access.
Rogers also addressed the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace. She urged companies to define approved AI tools, acquire secure domains, and enforce ethical use aligned with organisational policies to reduce data exposure risks.
Representing the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Ayodele Bakare, FIIM, FIBD, who stood in for Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, stressed regulatory compliance. He highlighted the importance of third-party risk assessments and strict adherence to the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), especially when onboarding external vendors.
“Conduct third-party risk assessments to ensure alignment with government and industry frameworks,” Bakare advised, warning that oversight could expose organisations to data management vulnerabilities.
Adeyemi Ajayi, Head of Human Resources at SYNLAB Nigeria, emphasised the role of HR in creating a “human firewall” through awareness campaigns and employee training. “HR must be a collaborator in cybersecurity efforts,” he said, adding that HR departments must ensure access control is monitored throughout the employee lifecycle.
