Adebayo Shittu, Nigeria’s communications minister, has said every year, Nigeria loses about N127 to cybercrime. He made the remark at the opening of the 26th National Conference and Exhibition of the Nigeria Computer Society.
Based on this observation, the minister submitted that the country’s growing dependence on digital infrastructure introduces and poses grave threats to national security. According to him, many Nigerians now had access to internet facilities; using the enormous opportunities this digital infrastructure had brought to work, transact business, campaign, communicate, learn, interact and relax.
To address emerging cyber threats, the minister said Nigerian government has set up computer emergency response teams through the Office of the National Security Adviser and NITDA.
To further improve the nation’s preparedness to secure cyberspace, the Cybercrime Advisory Council has also been inaugurated. The council is expected to facilitate the implementation of the Cybercrime Act, 2015, as well as the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy.