Abuja: Some stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector have urged the public and private sectors to collaborate and build a secure and resilient digital ecosystem in Nigeria. The stakeholders made the call at the monthly DevsInGovernment programme organised by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to commemorate Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the theme of the event was: 'Strengthening Cyber Resilience in the Public Sector: Awareness, Skills, and National Initiatives.' Babagana Digima, Head of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), emphasized the need for embedding security into Nigeria's digital ecosystem from the coding phase to the user experience. He highlighted the importance of upskilling the workforce, institutionalizing secure-by-design practices, and fostering a culture of cyber awareness at every level of public service.
Digima further mentioned that the Cyber Resilience Framework for Nigeria's Communications Sector (CRF-NCS) developed by the NCC is structured around key pillars such as Governance and Compliance, risk management, cybersecurity posture, incident response, management and resilience, and capacity building.
Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa at Meta, pointed out that Meta platforms employ advanced technology and collaborative partnerships to detect and remove harmful content, including disinformation. She explained that Meta combines Artificial Intelligence detection, user education, and partnerships with experts to enhance resilience against digital threats.
Mr. Abba Moukhtar, a Network and Cyber Security Engineer at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), stated that the agency is actively promoting digital literacy and cybersecurity awareness through capacity building and collaboration with internationally certified learning platforms.