A team of cybersecurity professionals has launched PhishInsight, a free anti-phishing solution designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Nigeria combat email scams and cyber fraud.
The tool, unveiled at the Cybersecurity Nigeria Initiative in Abuja recently, is the brainchild of AgainstPhishingNigerians, a group of cybersecurity analysts led by Ayokunmi Ogundapo, Head of the Digital Workplace team at Interswitch. Ogundapo was joined by Mobolaji Aina, a DevOps & Infrastructure Engineer, and Bowale Osunsanya, as they introduced the platform aimed at reducing business email compromise and scam impersonation.
“Nigerians are being targeted by cybercriminals through phishing emails and fraudulent phone calls at an alarming rate,” Ogundapo said. “Many businesses either don’t know how to protect themselves or believe cybersecurity is too expensive. With PhishInsight, we’re changing that, providing an easy-to-use, no-cost solution tailored to the unique challenges Nigerian businesses face.”
The AgainstPhishingNigerians initiative was born out of growing concerns about the increase in email phishing and vishing (voice phishing) in Nigeria. The team recognized that while many organizations send cybersecurity awareness messages to their customers, this approach alone is not enough.
Aina explained that awareness campaigns are helpful but need to be targeted, adaptive, and based on actual vulnerabilities. He emphasized that businesses must go beyond just telling customers to be cautious and implement security measures that make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate them in the first place.
At the event, the team demonstrated how PhishInsight works by leveraging DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), a globally recognized email authentication standard. Ogundapo explained that the solution detects cyber threats by identifying scammers who impersonate businesses in phishing emails. It also finds misconfigurations in email systems that leave customers vulnerable to fraud and provides actionable intelligence that businesses can use as evidence when reporting scams to law enforcement.
With financial fraud rising amid Nigeria’s economic challenges, Osunsanya stressed that businesses have a duty to secure their communications. “When criminals exploit a company’s identity to deceive customers, it damages trust and leads to financial loss. It’s time for businesses to take responsibility and implement the security tools already available to them,” he said.
One key advantage of PhishInsight is its accessibility. While similar tools exist, many focus solely on email deliverability and reporting, neglecting the threat intelligence aspect crucial for ongoing security. Ogundapo noted that security shouldn’t be a privilege of large corporations with big budgets. He emphasized that PhishInsight ensures that even the smallest businesses can protect themselves from cyber threats at no cost.
PhishInsight is available for free download at the group’s website, and the team is welcoming collaborators to help improve and expand the tool. The project also offers bi-weekly cybersecurity awareness updates, tailored to reflect the latest social engineering tactics targeting Nigerian businesses.
Aina explained that with PhishInsight, they are not just providing a tool but building a community of informed, resilient businesses. He urged Nigerian business owners to take advantage of the solution, stressing that cybersecurity should not be an afterthought but a priority in today’s digital economy.