With the rising spate of cyber attacks on Nigeria’s digital economy, the time has come to call for partnership with every meaningful individual and organisation towards combating this menace.
The rapidly-growing sector according to the minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Pantami, is being threatened by cyber attacks.
He says there is an urgent need for protection.
Professor Pantami made the request while addressing stakeholders on Tuesday, at the opening of a two-day cyber security capacity-building workshop.
The event was organised by the ministry in partnership with the World Bank in Abuja.
According to him, cyber threats have become constant problems for businesses and organisations in our ever-evolving world of technology.
Pantami, therefore, called for collaboration with the relevant industry players.
he wants them to contribute meaningfully in order to strengthen Nigeria’s cyber security space.
“It is important to note that cyber security is a global issue and collaboration between organisations is essential to combating cyber threats,” the minister said.
“In Nigeria, the digital economy is rapidly growing, and with that growth comes the need for heightened cybersecurity measures and robust partnerships like the one with the bank.”
A Growing Digital Economy
Quoting a recent report by the Africa Cybersecurity Report, Pantami said, “cyberattacks in Africa had increased by 300% over the last year alone”.
“This trend is particularly worrisome given that Africa’s digital economy is on the rise,” he said.
“The World Bank has predicted that Africa’s digital economy could be worth $180 billion by 2025, representing a significant opportunity for growth and development across the continent.”
Also, Pantami said having a robust cyber security strategy cannot be overstated. He emphasises that it is essential to protect Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, businesses, and citizens.
He appreciated the World Bank for its various interventions in Nigeria toward the full implementation of a digital economy.
Again, Pantami emphasised that a secured cyberspace requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society organisations and academia.
“This is because the task of securing our cyberspace cannot be achieved by the government alone,” he said.
