Cyber-security experts and stakeholders in the financial service sector have called on federal government to initiate and implement an efficient cyber-security infrastructure that would provide adequate protection for governments, organisations, and individuals in the country from palpable and ever-present cyber threats and attacks.
Among experts that gave the advice at the event with the theme: “CybertechNX Business launch and Cyber Capability Expose” was a Professor of Information Technology/Security, University of Arizona Global Campus, United States, Professor Austine Ohwobete, who is also a cyber-security expert that provides cyber-security coverage during rocket flight to the moon and back for a rocket manufacturing company in the United States of America.
Meanwhile, the President of the Information Security Society of Africa (ISSAN) and Group Head, Operations and Technology, Ecobank Nigeria, Dr.David Isiavwe, said that evolving and sustaining premium cyber-security is very important because over $7 trillion is available to be stolen worldwide, including Nigeria, on the cyberspace.
“A national cyber-security initiative will go a long way in making sure that there are frameworks and blueprints that people will need to adhere to keep their environment safe.”
Ohwobete, who is also the chief executive office and cyber-strategist at Crypto Forensics Technologies, California, USA, introduced himself as a cyber-evangelist that would do in the country’s cyber environment what evangelists do best.
“So, starting from this point of stepping my foot into the (Nigerian) cyber security environment, I am going to start evangelising and talking to the government and identifying risk areas that governments and organisations need to look into.
“My responsibility, as a citizen, is to help identify gaps that need to be closed and internationally recognised practices and frameworks that are lacking within the Nigerian environment that are needed to be implemented.”
According to him, this has to start from the top. “The tone set at the top and the infrastructure level will determine to what extent organisations at the lower level of the eco-chain will take to make sure that they follow what is being done. So, organisations are responsible for securing their own neck of the wood. But the federal government needs to come up with cyber policies and cyber initiatives that will set the standard that organisations need to follow. That is what I think that will be done,” he said.
Also, Isiavwe, said that there is an urgent need to evolve a strengthened cyber-security system in Nigeria because of growing digitalisation of the country’s economic and social interactions as people now work from home and anyone with a smart cell phone could hop into the cyberspace from anywhere and attack nation states, organisations, and individuals.
On his part, Chairman, CCISONFI, Mr. Abumere Igboa, opined that there was a constant need to address the related challenges of ensuring continuous cybersecurity and data privacy through a strong national cyber-security infrastructure.
