The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reiterated its plans to strengthen cybersecurity and enhance digital trust in Nigeria.
It recently disclosed this in its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2.0, presented at the NITDA Co-Create West Africa Tech Expo. According to the agency, Nigeria needs to improve cybersecurity among its different government agencies.
Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, said, “In the digital age, cybersecurity is not just a technical necessity but a critical foundation for trust and confidence in digital services.
“As the digital landscape evolves, the threats to data security and system integrity grow more sophisticated. Recognising this, our strategic emphasis on cybersecurity aims to build a resilient digital environment where citizens and businesses can operate with confidence.”
The SRAP, described as a comprehensive blueprint, is designed to position Nigeria as a leader in the digital economy. It hinges its goals on fostering digital literacy and cultivating talents, building a technology research ecosystem, and strengthening policy implementation and legal framework, among others.
NITDA believes that there is a crucial need to enhance cybersecurity with the country’s gradual and continuous development of digital access.
“The increasing digitalisation of Nigeria’s economy and public services presents a unique opportunity to establish robust cybersecurity measures. This move is essential to safeguard our digital assets, protect personal information, and ensure the continuity of critical services, thereby fostering a secure and trustful digital ecosystem,” Inuwa explained.
He further noted that NITDA is taking several practical steps to achieve its goal of cybersecurity awareness in the country. These steps include implementing a national public critical infrastructure to enhance the security of digital transactions and communication among all sectors and launching an e-trust initiative to boost consumers’ confidence in online markets.
“We would also increase the number of partnerships with local and international Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT) by 2025 and improve our cybersecurity awareness strategies,” he added.–
Boluwatife Omotayo
