Nigeria’s cybersecurity industry recorded a major milestone on 18 August 2026 as Digital Encode unveiled DEPAS AI, the country’s first autonomous artificial intelligence powered penetration testing platform. The innovation is designed to help organisations detect and respond to cyber threats by automatically identifying vulnerabilities across digital systems before hackers can exploit them.
Unlike conventional security assessments that depend heavily on human experts, DEPAS AI uses intelligent automation to simulate real cyber attacks, evaluate weaknesses, and generate detailed security reports within a much shorter period. This makes vulnerability testing faster, more consistent, and more accessible to businesses that require continuous protection of their digital infrastructure
The launch comes at a time when Nigeria is witnessing a rapid increase in digital transformation across banking, telecommunications, government services, and electronic commerce. As more organisations migrate sensitive data to cloud platforms and online services, cybersecurity experts argue that automated defence systems are becoming essential rather than optional.
Industry analysts believe the development also demonstrates the growing maturity of Nigeria’s indigenous technology ecosystem. Rather than relying exclusively on imported cybersecurity solutions, local companies are increasingly building advanced products capable of competing within the global digital security market
Digital Encode noted that the platform is expected to support enterprises, financial institutions, public agencies, and critical infrastructure providers in strengthening cyber resilience against increasingly sophisticated AI driven attacks. The company described DEPAS AI as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a leading digital economy in Africa.