Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as the top priority for global companies seeking to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure and close widening cyber talent gaps, according to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey released yesterday.
The report, which polled 3,887 business and technology executives across 72 countries, revealed that AI investment now leads corporate cyber budgets, surpassing traditional areas such as cloud and network security. PwC noted that as cyber threats grow more sophisticated, organisations are turning to AI-driven tools for faster detection, prevention, and response.
However, the survey also found that confidence levels remain low among cybersecurity and operations leaders — only about half believe their organisations are “very capable” of defending against cyberattacks, while a mere six per cent feel adequately prepared across all critical areas.
Among the weakest links identified were authentication and access controls (55 per cent), vulnerable connected devices (48 per cent), legacy systems (45 per cent), and supply chain exposures (43 per cent).
PwC Nigeria’s Consulting and Risk Services Leader, Femi Osinubi, stressed that as Nigerian firms push deeper into digital transformation, the need for robust cyber resilience has become paramount.
“AI offers a transformative opportunity to reinforce cyber defences, but success depends on closing the skills gap and integrating AI into broader risk frameworks,” Osinubi said. “Nigerian businesses must pair technology investment with talent development to safeguard the nation’s digital economy and critical infrastructure.”
Globally, Sean Joyce, PwC’s US Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader, described the current environment as a “tipping point” shaped by emerging technologies and a highly interconnected digital ecosystem.
“The most successful organisations are those where cybersecurity leaders have a seat at the decision-making table,” Joyce noted. “Resilience comes from foresight, not hindsight. Companies must invest in AI and upskilling their cyber teams to anticipate, rather than simply react to, evolving threats.”
According to the survey, nearly 78 per cent of organisations plan to increase their cybersecurity budgets within the next year, with about one-third expecting hikes of between six and 10 per cent. AI investment leads the spending priorities at 36 per cent, followed by cloud security (34 per cent), network security (28 per cent), and data protection (26 per cent).
Almost half (48 per cent) of respondents said their firms are prioritising AI-powered threat-hunting capabilities, while 35 per cent are focusing on agentic AI autonomous systems capable of detecting and mitigating risks without human intervention.
PwC’s findings also show that more organisations are now using cyber risk quantification to estimate the financial impact of attacks. Half of respondents say they apply this approach to a significant degree, up from 44 per cent in 2024.
Despite rising investment, workforce shortages remain a major obstacle. Fifty per cent of organisations cited insufficient knowledge of AI applications in cybersecurity as a key barrier, while 41 per cent pointed to a lack of skilled personnel to deploy and manage advanced cyber defence tools.
PwC warned that the combination of expanding digital ecosystems, AI-driven threats, and persistent talent gaps demands urgent action from both business leaders and policymakers. As AI becomes a cornerstone of cybersecurity strategy, firms that invest early in both technology and people are likely to lead the next phase of digital resilience.
