The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, has emphasised the need to build a formidable cybersecurity team across all sectors of the economy to protect the nation’s digital transformation.
Pantami stated this at a multi-stakeholders sensitisation workshop on the implementation of Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) 2021 for Telecom Sector on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The minister said the country had evolved in digital transformation journey, adding that it had led to the rising in the percentage of contribution by the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in recent time.
He said the digital economy was the fastest growing sector in the country according to the National Bureau of Statistics looking at the report of 2021 and the first quarter of 2021.
He said that in the second quarter of 2021, ICT sector contributed 17.92 per cent to the nation’s GDP which is the highest ever in the history of this country.
And, furthermore, you will discover that our Internet subscription is increasing in Nigeria.
“It is today, we have 140,257,475 subscribers as at the end of September 2021 while our broadband subscription was over 74 million.
“This is a clear indication that our digital economy is growing and at the same time our Internet subscription is growing.
“So there is urgent need for us to ensure that we safeguard our cyberspace and this workshop creating awareness bringing stakeholders together is key to the success but we are going to record.
“I commend ONSA for organising this workshop because awareness is prerequisite in ensuring that out cyberspace is secure and our national digital economy is growing in Nigeria,” he said.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT, Sen. Yakubu Oseni, commended ONSA for the initiative to engage stakeholders on the Implementation of the nation’s cybersecurity policy and strategy.
Oseni said the cyber criminals had taken advantage of people who were not aware of the internet of things to perpetrate criminal acts, saying that digital transformation came with serious consequences.
He urged stakeholders to close rank and ensure that all hands are deck to safeguard the nation’s cyber space from the menace of cyber attacks.
The lawmaker pledged the commitment of the Senate to the fight against cyber attacks and the development of the nation’s digital economy.
The workshop is being held across seven sectors of the economy which include Telecommunications, Defence and Security, Education, Finance and capital market, energy, professional organisations, the private sector and Judiciary.
