The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has announced the shortlist for the prestigious National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA), featuring Olusegun Olugbile, President of the Global Network for Cybersolution, as a Finalist in the Cybersecurity Advocate category.

Olugbile, a distinguished IT practitioner and digital policy advisor, has been recognized for his extensive contributions to cybersecurity, data protection, and emerging technologies over more than two decades.

The NITMA is an annual event organized by the Nigeria Computer Society to acknowledge and celebrate exemplary individuals and organizations in the Information Technology (IT) industry. The awards aim to honor those who have significantly advanced the IT profession in Nigeria.

As the Founder and President of the Global Network for Cybersolution, Olugbile has led innovative initiatives to enhance cybersecurity awareness and capacity building. Among his notable achievements are organizing the inaugural National and International Conference on Cybersecurity and Cybercrime, as well as the National Cybersecurity Forum, both of which have been crucial in advancing Nigeria’s discourse on cybersecurity.

Olugbile has also played a vital role in shaping Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) across three different administrations. His efforts have contributed to the establishment of essential cybersecurity legislation and institutional frameworks, including the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center and the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT).

Furthermore, he initiated the Nigeria Child Online Protection (NCOP) initiative and established the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Emergency Readiness Team (NIPOCERT). His leadership was instrumental in formulating the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s Strategic Action Plan for 2023.

Olugbile’s expertise and unwavering commitment to cybersecurity have earned him numerous accolades and esteemed positions, including being a founding member of the National Cybercrime Advisory Council, serving on the Advisory Board of the Global Skills Development Council (USA) for cybersecurity, and receiving recognition as an Honorary Ambassador for Internet Governance from the United Nations in 2014. He has also served as a Multi-stakeholder Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on cybersecurity issues, among other honors.

The NITMA awards not only celebrate excellence and innovation within the IT industry but also inspire individuals to contribute to the technological advancement of Nigeria.

Previous NITMA award recipients include distinguished figures such as Leo Stan Ekeh, Founder of Zinox Technologies, and Funke Opeke, Founder of MainOne.

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TECHDIGEST – The Nigeria Computer Society has honoured the Director General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, with the IT Gold Merit Award at this year’s National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos.

NITMA is a flagship award of the Nigeria Computer Society aimed at recognising, celebrating, and rewarding outstanding excellence and exceptional contributions of individuals and organisations in the Information Technology field in Nigeria.

The IT Gold Merit Award is in recognition of Kashifu’s exceptional strides in positioning NITDA on the global regulatory and digital economy map and successful implementation of various strategic initiatives that is making positive impacts on Nigerians and the overall digital economy.

The award was received on behalf of the DG by Dr Mohammed Agbali, the Chief Research Officer at NITDA.

Kashifu, a versatile IT professional, strategist and transformation manager with experience spanning the private and public sectors in IT operations has applied himself and excelled in several positions with proven capacity in the past 16 years.

A graduate of Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Kashifu is a thoroughbred IT professional and the first Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in Nigeria’s public sector.

He is also a Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT Sloan – trained strategist and has participated in various Leadership and Management courses in Harvard University, Cambridge University and IMD Business School, Switzerland, among others.

Following professional stints at Galaxy Backbone Limited, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and sterling performance as the Technical Assistant to the then DG, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Kashifu as DG of NITDA in August 2019.

Other categories of awards at NITMA 2021 included IT Personality of the Year; IT Company of the Year; Digital Governor of the Year; Young Innovator Award; and the Youth Innovation Award.

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