News Highlights:
- Federal Government’s Anti-Cybercrime Initiatives Showing Results
- National Cybersecurity Conference Set for July 7–10
As Nigeria prepares to host its National Cybersecurity Conference in July, stakeholders in the digital space are rallying around the growing need to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity framework amidst rising global threats, reports Digital TimesNG.
Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa, noted on Monday in Abuja that efforts by the Federal Government to create programmes that dissuade cybercrime and unethical online conduct are beginning to show tangible results.
Speaking during a press briefing ahead of the conference, Inuwa emphasized the significance of the event, which will take place from July 7 to 10 in Abuja.
Organised in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and QNA, a Dubai-based event company, among other partners, the conference will revolve around the theme: “Building a Resilient Digital Future.”
Inuwa highlighted that while the digital age has unlocked unprecedented opportunities for economic advancement and innovation, it has also ushered in complex cyber threats that demand urgent attention.
He cited projections that place global cybercrime damages at $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, a drastic rise from $3 trillion in 2015. For Nigeria, the risk is particularly pronounced, with increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks, many driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), posing a serious challenge to national security and economic stability.
“To address these issues sustainably,” Inuwa said, “we must invest in equipping our youth with digital skills and channel their energy into positive innovation. This way, we can transform what has often been a problem area into a platform for national development.”
A key feature of the upcoming conference will be the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, which aim to recognise and encourage individuals and organisations making significant contributions toward securing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Also addressing the media, Mr. Saad Abubakar, National Cybersecurity Coordinator at ONSA, stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to cybersecurity.
“We must acknowledge that a significant portion of online threats, ranging from cyberbullying to sextortion, affects both the young and old. If we are committed to providing online services, we must equally be committed to protecting users,” he said.
Mr. Mohammed Lawal, Director of NITDA’s Cybersecurity Department, added that Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda cannot succeed without fortifying the nation’s digital infrastructure against disruptions and breaches.
According to him, building resilience into every layer of the country’s digital operations is now a national imperative.