By 
By MARTIN EKPEKE
The need for collective effort of all stakeholders toward effective
cyber security in order to enhance and sustain the socio economic
development of Nigeria was put in the front burner recently by the
director general of National Information Technology Development Agency
(NITDA), Prof. Cleopas Angaye during the Titans of Technology
conference organized by Technology Africa.
Despite the enormous benefits of information technology, a major
challenge threatening the benefits of electronic transaction has been
in the area of cybercrimes which encompasses any criminal act dealing
with computers and networks.
Experts believe that necessary mechanism to be taken to contain the
threat posed by cyber attack would include capacity building in the
area of network security, passage of necessary enabling laws on
electronic transactions, deployment of appropriate infrastructure and
creating awareness on threat involved in cyber crimes.
According to the NITDA’s boss, “there is every need to protect our
cyberspace with cyber security which involves the development of
reliable and safe behavior in the use of information technology as a
way of protecting online information and transaction by preventing,
analyzing and resolving attacks”.
In Nigeria, proliferation of activities in both the IT and
telecommunication sector in the past ten years has led to considerable
increase in the number of regular internet users in the country from
less than 200.000 users in 1999 to over 23.000.000 by 2010. With the
above reality, operations of both public and private entities to a
large extent are currently dependent on the cyberspace.
Angaye also advised that it requires the collective responsibility of
all stakeholders to achieve success in the area of cyber security for
a country. He said on the part of Nigerian government, a cyber
security unit has already been establish under the office of the
national security adviser, and various initiatives are currently
ongoing to address issues associated with cyber security in Nigeria.
