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Understanding online security is not just important for young people but essential to fueling innovation due to the increasing level of dependence on the internet in carrying out daily activities, the Director General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kachifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has said.
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“The sustainability of innovation itself is ensured by security as the most cutting-edge platforms can collapse in an instant without strong security measures,”
Abdullahi noted while speaking in Abuja at the recent Nigeria Teen Cyber Festival 2023 organised by the Child Cyber Protection (CCPro) initiative in collaboration with NITDA and other stakeholders including the Baze University, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), National Orientation Agency (NOA). Knowhow Media and Market Intelligence International (KMMIIL) and the UNICCON Group of Companies among others.
One highlight of the event was the unveiling of the 2023 Nigerian Teen Cyber Awareness Report by CCPro with a Forward by the National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji.
“We really must include cybersecurity and digital literacy in our curricula. Not only should young people learn how to code, but also how to keep themselves and their work safe online,” the NITDA boss stressed. He was represented by Mohammed Kabiru of the agency’s Cybersecurity Department.
The fest with the theme ‘Cyber Safety, Promoting Young People & the Power of Innovation in a Digital Economy’ sought to also ignite innovations & exchange of ideas among young people and to foster a healthy online culture. By educating participants on issues of cybersecurity and online privacy.
Abdullahi that while individuals bear responsibility, tech giants and governments are also responsible for safeguarding digital space through more proactive measures, partnerships and collaborations.
His words: “NITDA has been at the forefront of addressing cybercrime and online security with the role it played in the drafting of CyberCrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015. This Act provides a unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory, and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution, and punishment of cybercrimes in Nigeria.
“This Act also ensures the protection of critical national information infrastructure and promotes cybersecurity and the protection of computer systems and networks, electronic communications, data and computer programs, intellectual property, and privacy rights.”
He said young people “are not just consumers but are leading the digital revolution across the globe since they produce applications, platforms, and solutions that millions, if not billions, of people use every day.”
How Abdullahi argued for responsibility among both users and producers of tech solutions. “But immense power also entails great responsibility. The same technologies that link us across continents also have the potential to be exploited against us. Cyber threats have advanced significantly, ranging from deep fakes to identity theft. Every click, like, and share has the potential to reveal personal weaknesses.”
The digital economy has the potential to be both a playground and a fortress for young brains with the correct balance of innovation and security, he added:
“Let us encourage innovation as we go through this digital era while keeping a close eye on internet safety. Give our youth the skills, knowledge, and fortitude they need to guide us into a future where technology is not just about convenience but also about trust, safety, and collective advancement.”
