Open to opportunities

Hassan Nitto Fornah

@hassannittofornah

Message

Certified IT Auditor and cybersecurity specialist driving risk reduction and IT governance.

Sierra Leone

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek senior cybersecurity/GRC roles where I can lead IT audit, strengthen security governance, and deliver measurable risk reduction.

I am a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), CHFI-certified investigator, and ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor with over six years of hands-on experience across banking, NGOs, and international organizations. I focus on IT audit, cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance.

I have led more than 50 IT audits and implemented ISO/IEC 27001 programs that reduced critical security vulnerabilities and aligned security projects with central bank requirements. I drive security modernization projects including biometric access, centralized CCTV, and alarm systems to improve operational efficiency and incident response.

My technical background includes database administration (Oracle, MS SQL), SOC monitoring, SIEM analysis, and incident response guided by NIST. I have also led core banking migrations (Finacle, BASIS) with zero downtime while ensuring compliance and business continuity.

Outside of banking, I found and lead cybersecurity and engineering initiatives to promote awareness and sustainable tech solutions. I am committed to continuous professional growth, currently registered for the CISM exam to strengthen my information security governance expertise.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Senior IT Auditor

Current

GTBank Sierra Leone

Apr 2024 - Present (1 year 6 months)

Lead IT audits and compliance for core banking systems, reducing critical security vulnerabilities by 30% through ISO 27001 and COBIT-based recommendations and ensuring regulatory alignment during Finacle and BASIS migrations.

IT Audit ISO 27001)Finacle ITGC Vendor Risk Management Incident Response Database Administration ISO 27001

Lecturer - Satellite Comm

UNITECH University

Dec 2022 - Apr 2024 (1 year 4 months)

Taught satellite communications and computer systems courses, developing curriculum and delivering lectures to undergraduate students to strengthen technical competencies.

Systems Curriculum Development Teaching Technical Instruction

ICT4D Assistant

Ministry of Health

Jan 2023 - Feb 2024 (1 year 1 month)

Supported ICT4D initiatives with CRS to improve health information systems and digital delivery, assisting implementation and stakeholder coordination for public health projects.

Health Information Systems Digital Inclusion Monitoring & Evaluation

Database Analyst

Wakalabs Company

Jul 2018 - Aug 2023 (5 years 1 month)

Managed database development and analysis, supporting applications with query optimization and data management practices to improve system reliability and performance.

SQL Performance Tuning Data Modeling Query Optimization Database Management

Lecturer / HOD

United Methodist University

May 2019 - Nov 2021 (2 years 6 months)

Delivered lectures and led the department, teaching courses and supervising academic activities to enhance student learning and departmental delivery.

Teaching Academic Leadership DataBase Systems Curriculum Development Mentoring

Database Administrator

GTBank Sierra Leone

Administered Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server environments, executed RMAN and SQL-based backup/recovery and tuned queries and indexes to meet RPO/RTO and improve transaction processing efficiency.

Oracle Microsoft SQL Server Oracle RMAN Backup SQL Tuning High Availability Performance Optimization Database Security

SOC Analyst

GTBank Sierra Leone

Monitored SIEM, firewall and IDS/IPS logs to detect and investigate security incidents, following NIST incident response practices and supporting containment and recovery efforts to reduce breach impact.

SIEM IDS Incident Response Malware Analysis Security Monitoring

E-Settlement Officer

GTBank Sierra Leone

Processed cross-border payments via SWIFT and Finacle, reconciled international transactions and resolved failed settlements to ensure timely and accurate international payments.

Swift Finacle Settlements Transaction Monitoring

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Schwartzman College of Computing (Simplilearn)

Master in Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity

Completed a master's level cybersecurity program through Simplilearn in partnership with MIT Schwartzman College of Computing focused on advanced cybersecurity concepts and practices.

IIT Guwahati - E & ICT Academy (Edureka)

Master in BI/Data Science & ML, Business Intelligence / Data Science & Machine Learning

Completed a master's level program in Business Intelligence, Data Science, and Machine Learning through E&ICT Academy, IIT Guwahati in partnership with Edureka.