November 4, 2021

The Federal Government has renewed its plans to safeguard Nigeria’s digital economy from cybercrimes, while building more trust among strategic stakeholders in the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman,  Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this known at the 2021 annual Cybersecurity Conference, on Wednesday, in Abuja.

The conference was organised in conjunction with the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), for strategic stakeholders to discuss Cybersecurity issues.

The theme of the conference is: ”Building trust in the digital economy through cybersecurity and sensitisation on the Implementation of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) 2021’’.

Danbatta, who was represented by Mr Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management at NCC, said that the Commission was interested in issues that would enhance, protect and boost Nigeria’s digital economy.

According to him, trust and confidentiality will promote a healthy digital environment, as enshrined in global best practices to guarantee the privacy and integrity of digital data.

The digital economy should be built on trusted technologies and partnerships, to ensure strong cybersecurity that rides on public confidence, security, privacy and safety, to bolster responsive regulations, transparency, accountability and digital governance.

He said that the pace at which technology advanced, acceleration of innovations and enterprise in the digital space amplified vulnerability opportunities, which malicious parties were quick to exploit, thereby slowing down the gains of digital economy.

Danbatta also said that a strong cybersecurity would reduce the surface of vulnerabilities in the digital economy that could be exploited.

The NCC Executive vice chairman called on all cybersecurity stakeholders to key into the NCPS, 2021, to accelerate the adoption of its various components, citing it as a collective responsibility since no single government, business or individual was immune or could do it alone.

“NCC is in the forefront of ensuring a sound cybersecurity culture that is built on people, process and technology.

“The launching of NCC’s sectoral CERT is a testament of our resolve to promote a healthy digital environment.

“Our various cybersecurity awareness initiatives and campaigns are helping the public understand the risks in the digital space and how to reduce the vulnerability opportunities that adversaries can benefit from.

“Our collective resolve is to continuously boost trust and confidence in our digital economy, by ensuring adherence to sound cybersecurity culture and hygiene, internally and with external partners, as well as other stakeholders.

Brig.-Gen. Samad Akesode, Director of communications at ONSA, who spoke on strengthening the country’s security, told the participants that the office was building stronger collaboration with major actors in the security sector to guide the digital economy in Nigeria and beyond.

Akesode said that several workshops being organised were in line with the vision of the present administration to ensure that the issue of security was taken more seriously at all levels. (NAN