Nigerian cybersecurity expert gets global recognition at 2023 picoCTF competition

A young Nigerian cybersecurity expert, Sunday Jacob Nwanyim, has made the country proud on the global stage. His work was selected for the 10th Annual picoCTF Hacking Competition, organised by Carnegie Mellon University in the United States. Three of Sunday’s cybersecurity challenges—MatchTheRegex, HideToSee, and ReadMyCert—were chosen to feature in the competition. This is a significant milestone, as picoCTF is one of the world’s most prestigious and widely respected cybersecurity events.

The picoCTF competition, which boasts over 200,000 active learners, is celebrated for its role in helping students and early professionals build essential cybersecurity skills. It is completely free and has earned support from global tech leaders such as Cisco. The competition is also used in national initiatives like the NSA GenCyber Teachers’ Programme.

Sunday’s selected challenges focus on areas such as web exploitation and cryptography—critical domains in today’s digital security landscape. His work will help train and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity experts globally.

In an exclusive interview with TribuneOnline, Sunday shared his thoughts on the recognition: “I hope that my challenges will stand the test of time in educating the next generation in cybersecurity and tech in general, empowering them to tackle future digital challenges with confidence.”

His challenges are now being used as part of the learning experience for thousands of participants, who will work through real-world hacking scenarios designed to develop their technical problem-solving skills.

Carnegie Mellon University, the host of the competition, is renowned as a global leader in technology and engineering. For a Nigerian to have their work featured on such a platform is a huge honour in the cybersecurity world.

Sunday’s success sends a powerful message that talent can come from anywhere and, with the right platform, it can shine. “We have so much talent in this country. We just need the right platforms to grow and be seen,” he told TribuneOnline. “I hope my journey encourages more young Nigerians to explore careers in cybersecurity.”