Nigeria urged to move faster, steadily on cyber security
The notion of cyber security and protection of privacy rights under the Nigerian cyber law has been described as a journey and not a destination.
Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),Professor Umar Danbatta, made this assertion while contributing as a panelist at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference (AGC) in Lagos, in a paper titled: ‘The Business Of Cyber Law, Internet Policy And Privacy Rights’.
Danbatta urged all stakeholders to make Nigeria move faster and steadily in the journey of cyber security and protection, adding that rapid developments in the ICT sector and the attendant challenges of security and privacy rights demand greater collaboration of all stakeholders to deal with all threats.
He lamented that despite the provisions of extant laws and regulations, including initiatives and interventions by NCC and other agencies in the ICT and other sectors, Nigeria lost 127 billion naira to cybercrime in 2015, ranking third highest after United States and the United Kingdom.
Danbatta explained that the promise of ICT as an enabler of development, gave prominence of the promotion of ICT Innovation and Investment Opportunities in the NCC’s Management’s 8-Point Agenda.
According to him, the item 5 of the Agenda, which speaks to the centrality of Strategic Collaboration and Partnership highlights NCC’s readiness to forge alliances with relevant institutions on all fronts connected to its mandate.
Danbatta urged NBA and other advocacy groups to support the awareness campaigns toward the speedy passage of a harmonised data protection law for Nigeria.
He recommended data end-to-end encryption and back up; as well as the strengthening of the capacity of agencies in the security sector and in the administration of justice to monitor and enforce the existing laws.
