Some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders have stressed the need for the Federal Government to establish a National Cybersecurity Centre for Nigeria that would be responsible for the control of the country’s cyberspace and protect it from cyber attacks.
The stakeholders, who gathered in Lagos last week at the instance of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella organisation of all ICT professionals in the country, also called on the Federal Government to establish a specialised cybersecurity agency, whose functions will be different from that of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The ICT stakeholders forum, which focused on the country’s cybersecurity challenges, identified the porous nature of the country’s cyberspace, which they said, contributed to the high rate of cybercrime recorded in the country.
In order to checkmate online activities in the country’s cyberspace, with a view to curbing cybercrime, the stakeholders said the proposed National Cybersecurity Centre would be managed by a separate specialised cybersecurity agency that will be responsible for monitoring all online activities on the Nigerian cyberspace.
In one of the panel sessions at the forum, a Cybersecurity Consultant and a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Dr. Morufu Olalere, said: “As of today, no agency of government is responsible for the control of our cyberspace, despite having a National Cybersecurity Law, hence it has become an all-comer affairs where everyone with internet connected device can freely enter the country’s cyberspace without any form of restriction and monitoring. This therefore called for serious concern and the federal government must rise up to its responsibility in addressing the situation.”
Cybersecurity expert, Mr. Abdulhakeem Ajijola, in his lead presentation on the dangers of cybersecurity, advised NCS to collaborate with the academia in designing a curriculum that will make Cybersecurity, a compulsory course for all freshers in all tertiary institutions in the country, Ajijola also stressed the need for NCS to develop cybersecurity solutions for law enforcement agencies and to create basic cybersecurity awareness programme for all Nigerians.
The President of NCS, Professor Adesina Sodiya said the country, especially the financial sector, spent so much money last year in addressing cybersecurity challenges in all financial transactions, adding that universities should have school of computing that would allow Computer Science Departments to stand alone as a full fledge faculty, where computer science courses would be taught in a way that it would produce graduates that would address the country’ cybersecurity challenges.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who was represented by CSP Kayode Emmanuel, said the Nigerian Police needs technology solution to address cybercrime that is perpetrated at the speed of light. He however commended the police for their gallant efforts in combating cybercrime, while calling for support from technology bodies.
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