Federal Government has called for concerted efforts to enhance a secured cyberspace to curtail the huge revenue losses the country suffers as a result of cyber insecurity.
Adebayo Shittu, Nigeria’s minister of communications technology, while declaring open a three-day conference on ‘Cyber Security, Technology Optimisation and development’ organised by the Abuja chapter of Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) on Tuesday in Abuja, said drastic measures must be taken to arrest the trend.
According to Shittu, Nigeria experienced a total of 3,500 cyber attacks in 2015, which he noted recorded 70 percent success “and led to a loss of about $450 million.”
Shittu maintained that the ICT sector contributed 12.62% of Nigeria’s GDP in the second quarter of 2016 and announced that federal government was putting together a national broadband policy “to ensure an 18% broadband penetration by 2018, up from the current 6%”.
He charged ISACA to ensure proper use of its applications to enhance a secured cyberspace.
“I am aware of the many strides that ISACA has achieved in the USA with the contributions of the use of its COBIT in the governance and management of public institutions. My personal challenge to ISACA Abuja is to ensure that such efforts are domesticated in Nigeria. We must influence our space, define our space and prepare adequately to defend it. We want to see not just a working technology and applications, but we want to be assured that such technologies are safe and used properly,” he said.
Similarly, Isa Ibrahim, director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said his agency would work in collaboration with ISACA to come out with solutions that will address what he described as the high rate of cyber attacks in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria, as a nation cannot function properly if it is vulnerable to cyber attacks.
The president of ISACA, Abuja chapter, Chimenka Ezeribe said ISACA was committed to promoting positive usage of technology to improve the quality of life for individuals and organisations.
“While we do not downplay the realities of security incidences, we want everyone to achieve the full potential of technology. The tasks before us are enormous but very possible and we must provide practical steps to assist individuals, organizations and the society at large realise the benefits of technology,” Ezeribe said.
ISACA is a global IT based association that is present in more than 180 countries and undertakes certification in IT security applications.
