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Cybersecurity Foundations

Protect your money, your phone and your business — and open a door to a security career.

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About this course

Learn to defend yourself and your customers against the scams Nigerians actually face — phishing, SIM-swap, WhatsApp takeover, fake bank and NIN/BVN messages — using strong passwords, 2FA, locked-down devices and good backups. You'll run a real audit of your own phone, laptop and small business, fix what you find, and finish with a clear hardening plan — plus a map of free paths into a paying cybersecurity career.

Cybersecurity isn't about computers and jargon. It's about protecting your money, your data and your peace of mind from people who want to take them through a screen — no gun, no mask, just a few clicks.

What you'll learn

Course syllabus — 7 lessons

  1. Why security matters: your money, your data, your peace of mind10 min
  2. The scams Nigerians actually face: phishing, smishing & social engineering14 min
  3. Account takeover: SIM-swap, WhatsApp hijack & impersonation13 min
  4. Passwords done right: strong passphrases + a password manager13 min
  5. Two-factor authentication: the second lock that stops most attacks12 min
  6. Lock down your devices: phone, laptop, safe browsing, updates & backups14 min
  7. Protecting your business, surviving a hack & building a security career14 min

Your project

Personal & Small-Business Security Audit and Hardening Plan

A link to a Google Doc (set to 'anyone with the link can view') containing your completed audit (phone, accounts, and business or second device), a clear list of what you FOUND, exactly what you CHANGED (before/after), and your hardening plan with a timeline for the rest. Do NOT include any real passwords, OTPs, BVNs or account numbers in the document.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cybersecurity Foundations free?

Yes. Cybersecurity Foundations is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Cybersecurity Foundations take to complete?

5 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 7 lessons, about 2 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Cybersecurity Foundations?

Beginner-friendly. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Cybersecurity Foundations?

You will build practical skills in Spotting phishing, smishing & social-engineering scams, Strong passwords + a password manager, Two-factor authentication & authenticator apps, Locking down phones and laptops, Safe browsing, updates & backups, Protecting customer data (NDPA basics), Incident response & getting into a security career. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Cybersecurity Foundations?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Personal & Small-Business Security Audit and Hardening Plan and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

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It's free, it's self-paced, and it ends with something you can show an employer.

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