Cybersecurity matter of national survival — Rep Olajide

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Digital, Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, has issued a clarion call for the urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s digital protection laws and frameworks, describing cybersecurity as “a matter of national survival.”

Olajide made the call while delivering a goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the maiden National Cybersecurity Conference 2025, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

The federal lawmaker, who represents Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency of Oyo State, revealed that the National Assembly is already working on proactive legislative reviews to match the fast evolving digital terrain and to empower institutions with the tools required to anticipate and respond to complex cyber risks while also stressing the need for collaborative synergy among government institutions, the private sector, civil society and academia to proactively combat emerging cyber threats.

He outlined the National Assembly’s readiness to support robust legislative actions aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital security infrastructure.

“Our laws, institutions and frameworks must evolve as rapidly as the threats confronting us.

“We must prioritise not only the prevention of cybercrimes but also the creation of a digitally secure ecosystem that inspires trust.”

“Together, we can build a secure digital environment that promotes innovation, protects national assets and safeguards the rights and privacy of all Nigerians,” he said.

Olajide assured stakeholders present at the conference of the unwavering commitment of the 10th National Assembly, particularly the House Committee on Digital, ICT and Cybersecurity, to provide legislative backing to all national cybersecurity policies, especially those that foster innovation, digital inclusion and sustainable development.

“Cyber threats are no longer speculative; they are real, dynamic and increasingly sophisticated,” Olajide warned. “Cybersecurity today is not merely a technical issue; it is a national security imperative, an economic lifeline and a critical citizen protection responsibility.”

Hon. Olajide commended the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, and his team for their foresight in convening what he described as a “landmark event” in Nigeria’s march toward a secure digital economy.

The National Cybersecurity conference, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), with the theme, “Building a Resilient Digital Future,” had in attendance, high level stakeholders from across the digital and security spectrum and is expected to produce a national communiqué that will shape Nigeria’s digital security architecture and policy priorities in the years ahead.

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