Experts want FG to protect cyber infrastructure

Everest Amaefule, Abuja

 the Federal Government needs to take urgent steps to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyberthreats and attacks, some experts in Information and Communications Technology have said.

Speaking in Abuja on Monday at a press conference to announce a cybersecurity summit, the President of Integrated Cybersecurity Solutions Limited, Mr. Michael Oseji and Representative of Advenica, Sweden, Mr. Andreas Linde, said the increasing connectivity of devices and infrastructure across the country exposed the country to enormous cyberthreats.

Oseji said, “We now have more than 100 million mobile phones; over 60 per cent of those phones have Internet connection. Many of our citizens now have driving licence. If you don’t have that, you may have ATM card. So, the exposure and the threat are huge.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria recently reported that N40bn had been lost to cyberattacks. The electricity companies and infrastructure need to be protected against attack. There have been countries where data have been stolen with fingerprints.”

Oseji said it was also imperative to deploy cybersecurity protocols to protect the nation against terrorism since terror groups were relying on the cyberspace to carry out their nefarious activities.

Speaking on the nation’s cybersecurity law, Oseji said most of the provisions were aimed at punishing cybercriminals when the act must have been committed rather than preventing the crimes from happening.

He said, “Most laws are reactive. There is a need to take holistic measures in order to prevent the crimes from being committed. You must catch the criminal before you prosecute them. Even while prosecuting, it is difficult to prove.”

Meanwhile, the African Organisation of English Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions as part of its activities to mark the 13th annual Governing Board meeting has visited and commended NIGCOMSAT Limited after a tour of the ground control station in Abuja.

The board, led by the Governing Board Chairperson, Lara Tayla, the Auditor-General of Sierra Leone, said NIGCOMSAT is a huge asset to Africa and called on sub-Saharan African countries to patronise the infrastructure.

The Governing Board members which consist of 26 National Audit Offices of the English -speaking African countries were conducted round the ground facility of the company.

Also contributing, the Auditor General of Nigeria, Mr. Ukura Samuel, who was the host of the event congratulated NIGCOMSAT Limited for sustaining the work.

The Annual Governing Board Meeting is an event where all Auditors-General of 26 National Audit Offices of the English-speaking African countries meet to chart a course for the development of the audit profession. Nigeria hosted the board meeting for the first time in the West African sub-region.

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