TECHDIGEST – The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, has advised university lecturers to involve students in problem-solving from their first year in the university as this would prepare them to become employers of labour.

He said Nigeria must go beyond using research for requirements to graduate and obtain a degree if the country wants to move forward.

He spoke on “Research, Innovation, and Sustainable Development,’ at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, during the first annual lecture, unveiling the model of the Africa Centre of Excellence design studio and commissioning of Incubation Centre and Researchers’ lodge in the university.

He noted that the future is no longer dependent on natural resources but on knowledge-based, and research must lead students to gain innovative ideas that would make them graduate as potential employers.

READ ALSO: Pantami Calls For Contributions To National Digital Skills Strategy

“Research must be linked up with innovation. Students should partake in problem-solving. They should be engaged in critical thinking. Research should go beyond the requirements to graduate. They should be given topic three years before graduation so that they can come up with creative ideas.

Innovative ideas can make student graduate as potential employers.

“There is a need for reorientation and changing of perception about research.

We have talent in Nigeria but we don’t think of improving on what we have achieved. Research should go beyond the requirement of graduation. Otherwise, we are heading to an era where certificates will not be meaningful,” Pantami added.

The leader of ACE, Prof Ganiyu Aderohunmu, explained that the OAK park was to aspire to stimulate creativity and excellence in research and innovation and expand learning opportunities for OAU staff, students and other researchers from the region.

“To develop the next generation of scientists, researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and product developers through appropriate practice-anchored capacity building measures, including industrial immersion schemes. This will entail the production of a critical mass of much-needed manpower for research and innovation,” he added.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of OAU, Owelle Udoji, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebayo Bamire, said OAU is committed to promoting all programs and activities in her pursuit of attaining and maintaining the full stature of a world-class university.

Source: sunnewsonline

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TECHDIGEST – The Gambian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ousman A. Bah has at the weekend lauded the innovative efforts of the Nigerian Start-ups as he described the Nation’s tech ecosystem as progressive.  

The Gambian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, His Excellency, Ousman A. Bah gave the commendation after a tour of the National Centre for Artificial intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), a special purpose vehicle of NITDA, led by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE and the National Director of the NCAIR, Engr Ya’u Garba.  

According to Mr Bah, the Nigerian Startup Tech Ecosystem is impressive.

He said, “For the last four days I have been in Nigeria, I have been really impressed, I have  lived in the United States of America for 32 years, I have done a lot of tech stuffs, manage a lot of tech people in my life but what I have seen here is phenomenal; the commitment, the drive, and the innovativeness of young Nigerians is unspeakable”.

While affirming that members of his team have greatly learnt a lot from the experiences and knowledge gathered, especially from the digital skills workforce of the country, the Minister noted that they hope to replicate the ideas to boost The Gambia’s digital economy. 

“Going back to The Gambia, we have a lot to take from here and put it into practice as well as starting our own digital transformation in The Gambia”

“Nonetheless, continue to do what you are doing; as your Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali  Ibrahim (Pantami) said , the reward for good work is more work, so you guys have a lot of work to do and we have a lot to learn from you and I really appreciate this”, Bah maintained.

He also challenged African leaders to technologically change the story of the continent for good so as to also take pride in solving the vast amount of problems facing humanity.

READ ALSO: Global Blockchain Market to Hit $39bn by 2025 – Kashifu

“I think we Africans and as leaders, we need to encourage, empower and motivate ourselves towards taking the front seat in critical areas of the world’s economy, we can do it if we make it a collective effort. If they can do it in the West we can do it here”, he averred. 

He assured the Nigerian team that plans are ongoing to have the two countries start engaging in mutually beneficial collaborations, particularly in the digital economy sector in order to encourage technology transfer and support each other to reap the benefits of emerging technologies and grow the digital markets. 

“I suggested that we do a collaboration, hopefully sign an MoU and engage others in areas we can mutually benefit. I think that Will definitely be the next step”, Bah assured. 

During the brief tour of the Centre, The Gambian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy who came to Nigeria to attend the maiden edition of “Digital Nigeria Conference and Exhibition” at different times was pleasantly surprised at the quality equipment and innovations of startups in the facility.

Responding, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE noted that the relationship between the country is not new as the duo have enjoyed some bilateral relations over the years.

Inuwa while expressing delight at the Gambian Minister’s appraisal of Nigeria’s digital transformation enumerated other plans/initiatives the agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is embarking on.

He assured the Minister of Nigeria’s support towards growing the African continent in becoming the destination of choice for digital markets.

The NITDA Boss hoped that the global talent gap would be bridged with Nigerian talented startups rising to the challenge.

“The Start-up Bill which was recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari would address the bottlenecks stifling the growth of the tech ecosystem”, Inuwa confirmed.

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TECHDIGEST – Elders of Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Alumni have distanced themselves from the statement credited to the president of the association on the appointment of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, as a Professor of Cyber Security in the University.

The Elders’ Council in a statement signed by the president, Dr Victor Ijeh, however described the statement as an attempt to misrepresent facts and discredit the Alumni Elders.

“The elders of FUTO ALUMNI Association have individually expressed their views to relevant stakeholders of FUTO. This matter is now in court, and it is wrong to decide for the court. We state therefore that the elders are monitoring the situation and dissociate herself from the publication by FUTO Alumni Association officials. We will remain as cautious and objective as possible, and will not be drawn into any form of mindless activism to satisfy anybody

“FUTO ALUMNI ELDERS is a group of pioneer graduates of FUTO who by their reckoning, experience, number of years of graduation, contributions to FUTO, society at large, and numerical age have attained the status of veterans and elders in our society. This group was formed to synergize and make more meaningful contributions for the sustainable development of our prestigious institution.

Members of FUTO Alumni Elders are also members of FUTO Alumni Association, and there is no ambiguity whatsoever,” the Elders’ statement read in part.

He explained that the re-union event in Lagos as conceived to give members the opportunity to interact and noted that some members of the National Executive Council were invited.

“The re-union dinner held in Lagos on February 18, 2022 was conceived ab initio by Alumni Elders, and solely sponsored by financially capable members of Alumni Elders. The dinner was an opportunity to create a convivial atmosphere for members to interact with one other. FUTO Alumni Association Lagos branch was invited, and Alumni Elders also reached out to some NEC members of FUTO Alumni Association, to which no prior contrary views were expressed. It is therefore, a blatant display of rascality and sheer abuse of office for a few misguided NEC members of FAA to issue such embarrassing and ill informed publication to cast aspersions on the good intentions of the Alumni Elders,” the statement also read.

The Elders’ Council warned stakeholders against going to the Press to embarrass the association over issues they lack the right and complete information to address.

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TECHDIGEST – As Nigeria plans to launch a second satellite (Sat 2) into orbit to boost the nation’s satellite communication capacity, the federal government has charged the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) to inject more innovative ideas into its operations.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, who gave the advice during a one-day working visit to NIGCOMSAT in Lugbe Abuja, told the staff of the company that the innovation in the agency is not enough and needs to be improved upon.

Pantami charged them to turn the institution around in order to justify the suspension of the proposed privatization plan.

He said: ‘‘Core values should be the guiding principle that must be adopted without compromise, to ensure that any institution is successful.  You need to be customer-centric, discover the failure of services before they realize it, fix the problem and come up with innovative ideas. The innovation in the agency is not enough and needs to be improved upon

“You need to change your perception because you are not part of core civil servants, you are a company and should by far be above civil servants. One of the reasons our civil service has been failing is that feeling that we are government employees, we have nothing to lose and whatever happens, we will be paid our salaries.

‘‘There are other companies that are ready to come up and start providing similar services with you. The efforts made to stop privatization of NIGCOMSAT is for the good of the company and for the good of the country.’’

‘‘You need to turn things around through the unique and effective service you are able to provide and revenue you generate for government. It is a difficult task to revive an institution and make it very successful, that you must make. The challenge of reviving NIGCOMSAT is not just a necessity but an obligation for all the staff,’’ Pantami added.

On the planned launch of Nigeria’s second satellite, the Minister said, ‘‘since 2019, I have been so passionate about the success of NIGCOMSAT. Starting with the suspension of the privatization of NIGCOMSAT. As a matter of fact, I have secured the approval of Mr. President for purchasing another Satellite.

The Minister added that he had approved the establishment of some subsidiaries under NIGCOMSAT, as part of the ongoing effort to revive the institution back to the part of progress and productivity.
Speaking on the revolution in NITDA, Pantami said through innovative policies and implementation, he succeeded in raising NITDA revenue from N7 billion to N19 billion annually, an agency that was supposed to be scrapped according to Orosanaya Report.

‘‘We revived NITDA and the agency has become a reference point for any IT project.’’

On NIMC, he said they had also secured the approval of N25 billion for the agency infrastructure upgrade.

‘‘Look at NIMC and what we have achieved, the NIN environment since the inception of National Identity Card to 2020 when I assumed supervision of the commission even after billions have been spent was below 30 million, and this is direct enrollment without leveraging on any database.

‘‘Before I assumed supervision, the annual enrollment used to be around 1.5 to 2million but between October 2020 and December 2021, we increased the NIN environment by 30 million in using the obsolete infrastructure.

“Mr President has approved N25 billion for the infrastructure but till today, no money has been released from October 2020 to date but we are still doing the work. That is why thinking outside the box is necessary.

‘‘The achievement of this one year has been better than the previous 10 years and within that 10 years there was a time N100 billion was released but this one no single Kobo was released to us. As the DG of NITDA, I increased the revenue generation of NITDA from N7 billion annually to N19 billion. Leverage the opportunity and turn things around.

‘‘Before I became the Minister, there was an Orunsanye report that recommended that NITDA should be scrapped and that the IT clearance should be given to Galaxy Backbone but today nobody is talking about the scrapping of NITDA because the institution has turned things around.

‘‘If you turn things around, you will go back and sleep but if you fail, you will be struggling So the challenge is on your table, the earlier you use 2022 and make NIGCOMSAT better the better for all of you but if you fail to do that, many people are there waiting for me to go so that they can execute their agenda.
‘‘2022 is the best year for you to turn things around but if you fail to do that, it will be the worst year for you I don’t pray for that, I pray for the best for you but you must get your priority right,’’ he said.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Dr Abimbola Alale said the coming of the Minister has raised the hope and confidence of the staff and management of the agency through his unprecedented support and increase in yearly budgetary allocation.

She expressed delight for the support being given to the agency by the Minister and assured him that her staff would take up the new challenge and ensure that they deliver on the mandate given by the Minister.

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TECHDIGEST – The Federal Government of Nigeria has further extended the deadline for the National Identification Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) data verification to the 31st of March, 2022 as reports suggests the database has exceeded 71 million enrolments.

Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, conveyed the FG’s approval of the NIN – SIM extension in a joint press release signed by Dr Ike Adinde, director Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Mr Kayode Adegoke, head of Corporate Communications at National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The stakeholders have applauded the Federal Government on the significant growth in the number of NIN enrolments and the increased drive to enlighten Nigerians and legal residents across the country.

As of 30th December 2021, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued over seventy-one million (71m) NINs with over fourteen thousand (14,000) enrolment centres set up across the country.

Furthermore, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has also set up enrolment centres in over thirty-one (31) countries to cater for Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The unprecedented growth in the National Identity Database to over 71 million unique NINs in such a short period, with about 3 to 4 SIMs linked to a NIN, reflects the concerted effort of the Federal Government, the Nigerian populace and legal residents and this is truly commendable.

“Following the request by stakeholders, including citizens, legal residents and Nigerians in the diaspora, the Federal Government has extended the deadline of the exercise to the 31st of March, 2022.”

“This extension would enable the Federal Government to consolidate the gains of the process and accelerate the enrolment of Nigerians in key areas like the remote areas, diaspora, schools, hospitals, worship centres, and the registration of legal residents”, the Minister said.

Pantami also implored Nigerians and legal residents to enrol for their NINs and link with their SIMs during this period of extension as more services will be requiring the NIN for identification.

He also reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to support the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in ensuring that the objectives of the exercise are achieved.

“The Honourable Minister, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director-General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, wishes to thank all Nigerians and stakeholders for their commitment and support towards the success of the project.”

“They also applaud the efforts of the respective staff in ensuring a seamless NIN-SIM linkage and urge citizens and legal residents to complete the process of enrolment, verification, and SIM linkage on or before 31st March 2022,” the statement reads.

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TECHDIGEST – Our pen would simply have to continue to dry up by the day because daily happenings appear enough to suggest how much work there is to be done to ensure a sane society full with love, consideration and sense of brotherhood.

Just yesterday, there was a fight between artistes Portable Omolabi and Poco Lee after the former accused the latter of siphoning $2200 dollars of the $3000 dollars that Wizkid spread him on the stage while performing. The accusation by Portable led his manager by name Kogbagidi to send him packing from the apartment and company. However, Olamide intervened by reminding Kogbagidi that life has no manual and that people only learn from their mistakes and so he should forgive Portable. Kogbagidi took the advice and readmitted Portable and everyone has become friends once again.

I felt proud to see young Nigerians exhibit so much understanding and love that depict what brothers should be seeing exhibiting. The act was somewhat surprising to me because it’s not an everyday occurrence in our clime, we daily have to live with us attempting to drag one another down for political reasons or most times none at all.

This makes it mandatory that if you wish to succeed in Nigeria, you would have to master the art of understanding such fact as ignoring your detractors because you will have a lot of them. Their number is dependent on the depth of your level of success. I am so glad the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Pantami, has mastered such art and has left his very hypocritical detractors to some of us to continue to school for perhaps a chance when they will someday understand the need to formulate strategy in politics as against brigandage and slander after all it was pure self strategy and knowledge acquisition that got the minister to that feat.

How could any sane person assume that anyone on planet earth would go public against their employer when they have got an unfettered access to convey advice officially or otherwise. Are they not also aware that even when you give credible advice to your principal, you don’t go public with such information.

Furthermore, where is it on planet earth where one would be judged on a subject other than the one primarily assigned to him. None of these hypocritical individuals has attempted for once to equally appreciate how much he has delivered on his given mandate, they’d rather prefer him to answer for mandates that are not his.

Pantami decided out of his conviction to air his opinion on happenings in the past and I had spoken about that in my earlier article of 16th June 2020 titled ‘Pantami and his Citizen Right to Political Opinion’

In the article, I had highlighted how the happenings at the time informed his opinion and so much has passed under the bridge since then which must have make him see things differently now. I can bet you that some of the critics of today would behaved differently should they find themselves in situations where their loyalties are to be tested, few would be able to pass the test. It’s this level of understanding that’s expected of the citizenry. The ability to develop some high sense of emotional intelligence that would afford them the ability to place themselves in people’s shoes before finalizing on issues. The fact that Pantami is performing in his own given responsibility is more than enough to attract such understanding from the detractors. It would have been something different if the criticisms are objective, one would have been constrained to accept them and heed appropriate lessons if any.

Democracy is indeed a practice where people are free to air their views and opinions but some of us are seriously arguing and encouraging that such criticism and opposition should come with decorum and tact. Such will go a long way in advancing our image of a brave people capable of conquering whatever negativity. We’re currently mostly utilizing such energy in disparaging ourselves and most times the best of us. Where is the room for mistakes, learning and relearning? When did we have any assurances that we were a country made of only angels who don’t make mistakes nor have a need to learn through life as is with every human being?

Pantami has grown over time to become a competent professional that would perform in any assignment given to him as a negation of the things that used to happen when he publicly complained about people’s incompetence to manage the security and conflict situations at the time. He should rather be celebrated for his integrity in service to nation as against criticism that are beginning to tend towards condemnation laced with envious hypocrisy.

God bless Nigeria

Hashim Suleiman
oneheartnaija@yahoo.com

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TECHDIGEST – No fewer than 151 students, staff and security operatives of the Gombe State University, GSU, have received a capacity-building training on autonomous and intelligent drones’ operations.

This was during a series of workshop and training exercise held from 22nd to 27th of November, 2021.

The training was geared towards boosting security via drones’ operation, this newspaper learnt.

The training program was organized by a lecturer at the Gombe State varsity, Mr. Sagir Yusuf Muhammad.

Sagir, a recipient of the Nigerian Communications Commissions’ (NCC) 2020 academic institutions’ research grants, and a robotics expert, said the workshop was geared towards staging a robotics research center, as well as creating awareness for the general public on how to apply drones.

He said: “This initiative is a step towards establishing a robotics research center and awareness for the general public on how to apply drones in various activities such as civil surveillance, farming, photography, and research.

“This will, in turn, create jobs and support the digital economy policy of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under the able leadership of Professor Isa Ali Pantami.”

As part of the initiative is to create awareness on the usage of drones and their importance, Sagir said a webinar series will hold on 4, 11, and 18 December 2021, with physical practical drones operation at Gombe State University, between 20th and 21st of December 2021, from 9 am to 10:30 am (joining link: https://bit.ly/3o3hz4H).

He however, noted that the training will be extended to the Nigerian Police, the Military, and other Paramilitary institutions in order to boost their capacity in tackling current security challenges in the country.

Mr. Sagir hails from Gombe state and obtained his bachelor degree in computer science from Gombe State University with first-class honours, emerging as the ‘Best Graduating Student’ of his set.

He then proceeded to the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, for a direct Ph.D. programme (without a master’s degree).

The 27-year-old have lectured at the University of Birmingham, UK, and served as a research assistant and programmer at the University College London and De Montfort University Leicester.

He received both national and international awards such as the best graduating student awards; best postgraduate research image award of 2019 at the University of Birmingham, UK; best paper and presentations awards of international conferences, national and international research grants awards, and the prestigious Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) doctoral consortium sponsorship, among others.

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TECHDIGEST – Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, has said that embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other innovative technologies will facilitate a timely dispensation of Justice by Nigerian Courts.

Pantami made this statement at a seminar on ‘Banking and Related matters for Judges’ held at the National Judicial Institute Abuja.

The seminar with the theme: “Strengthening the Quality of Judicial Systems and Banking Operations Through Innovations”, aims at equipping judicial officers and other stakeholders, featured technical presentations on ‘Cyber Security and the Courts, Safeguarding the Banking and Judicial Processes, as well as Contemporary Legal issues in Electronic Commerce in Nigeria’.

Speakers’ presentations were focused on how Judges can effectively handle cyber security and scam cases especially with regards to E-commerce.

It was believed that skills building in this sphere will help reduce the sprout of scammers and cyber criminals.

Pantami, who was represented by Mallam Kashifu Inuwa, the director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), noted that the choice of the theme and timing of the seminar is apt, considering the recent increase in cyber and financial crimes in the country, hence the need for increased knowledge and skills acquisition for Judges especially on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other related innovations.

He said AI is currently doing what human beings can do, adding that “Before, human can think and make decisions but today we have systems that can make decisions like the way we do by using available data.

The Minister said “We live in a world that is increasingly integrated with technology, and it is very difficult to separate our online life and offline life, and everything we do is being captured, processed and stored by this big tech companies. So we need utilize our time to develop new ideas that will improve our court proceedings.”

Pantami said people go to social media to buy things, and big tech companies use Artificial Intelligence to advertise products which users have interest in, that clearly showed another method of changing the way people live and interact.

He added that, “Artificial Intelligence has powers, and these powers can be used against or for social Justice, criminal justice and many more. So we need to design a system with legal minds that can solve courts challenges.”

“By 2025, China will commence the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in its judicial system”, he said. The participants’ attention was drawn to the way ICT is taking over everything and the need to leverage on the vast opportunities it provides in commerce, financial services and our legal system”, he added.

Speaking on NITDA’s statutory mandate, Prof. Pantami said NITDA Act of 2007 is to develop the regulations of electronic governance and monitor the use of electronic data interchange and other forms of electronic communication transactions as an alternative to paper-based methods in government, commerce, education, and other field, where the use of electronic communication may improve the exchange of data and information.

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TECHDIGEST – Since the advent of the internet and the ever-expanding wave of digital transformation it continues to initiate, the concept of cybersecurity has become an integral part of our professional and personal lives.

Cybersecurity is one of the significant challenges in the contemporary world, due to its complexity, both in terms of political usage and technology.

The ever-expanding reliance on computer systems, the internet and wireless networks, the growth of smart devices, mobile phones, and the numerous devices that constitute the Internet of Things (IoT), have heightened exposure to cybercrime.
Given the increasing level of digitalisation and virtual connectivity, cybersecurity and cyber threats have become inevitable issues confronting everyone who ventures into cyberspace. Cybercriminals are exploiting the opportunity to launch cyber-attacks on individuals, organisations, and vital public infrastructure.

Cybersecurity refers to the protection of internet-connected systems, such as hardware, software, and data from cyber threats. It is used by individuals and enterprises to protect against unauthorised access to data centres and other computerised systems.

In other words, it is the practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks, disclosures, theft, or damage to hardware, software or electronic data.

Africa, like the rest of the world, is witnessing a rise in reports of digital threats and malicious cyber activities, because the COVID-19 crisis has forced more people to become more reliant on the internet than ever before.

With over 104 million active internet users, Nigeria holds a vast potential for the digital transformation of its economy, as it stands among the leading Information Communication Technology (ICT) markets on the continent.

The country’s digital revolution has spread rapidly into virtually every area of the economy, with a huge impact on the commerce, health, education, banking and finance, and governance sectors.

Because of this burgeoning number of Nigerians connected to the internet, the federal government recognises that cyber fraud, cyber terrorism, and other internet vices, constitute a severe threat to the security of the country’s cyberspace and digital economy.

Nigeria, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has commenced a strategic cybersecurity sensitisation campaign across seven most vulnerable sectors, on the modalities for implementation of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS) 2021 with a focus on the protection of Critical National Information Infrastructures (CNII).

These sectors include telecommunications, defence and security, education, finance and capital markets, energy, professional organisations, the judiciary, and the private sector operators of the economy.

The objective of the NCPS 2021 is to strengthen cybersecurity governance and coordination, foster a trusted cyber environment that optimises Nigeria’s cybersecurity readiness and coordination capacities towards mitigating the nation’s cyber risk exposure.

To effectively deal with the dynamic nature of threats within its cyberspace, the policy identifies major cyber threats to include cyber-terrorism, cybercrime, online child abuse, election interference, online gender exploitation, and pandemic-induced cyber threats.

As a plan of action designed to improve the security and resilience of national infrastructure and services, the policy establishes a range of national objectives and priorities to be achieved within a specific timeframe.

Through the policy direction of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has shown its determination to enhance cyber security incident management and strengthen a robust regulatory framework to promote a thriving digital economy.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mallam Isa Pantami, has relentlessly demonstrated commitment to the promotion of issues of cybersecurity for the protection of the nation’s cyber space.

Only this week, Pantami restated the value of cybersecurity as a critical tool for developing a sustainable digital economy and providing stability to Nigeria’s economy in a lecture at the 2021 International Conference on Computing and Advances in Information Technology held at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

The NCC inaugurated its Computer Security Incidence Response Team (NCC – CSIRT) in alignment with the structure of the NCPS, to ensure continuous improvement of processes and communication frameworks that guarantee the secure and collaborative exchange of information to facilitate prompt response to cyber threats within the sector.

Overall, the CSIRT aims to address incidences of cybercrimes, protect telecoms infrastructure and encourage more players to participate in the digital economy. Its initial areas of focus are monitoring, incident management, communication, and alert and warning.
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, reaffirmed its avowed determination to be at the forefront of ensuring an inclusive cybersecurity culture built on people, processes, and technology, to strengthen the digital economy in Nigeria.

He also pledged that the Commission is irrevocably committed to boosting the nation’s digital economy through responsive regulations.

Danbatta spoke at the Commission’s 2021 annual cybersecurity conference, themed “Building Trust in the Digital Economy through Cybersecurity, and Sensitisation on the Implementation of the NCPS 2021”.
He noted that: “Our various cybersecurity awareness initiatives and campaigns are helping the public to understand the risks in digital space and how to reduce the vulnerabilities that adversaries can benefit from.

“Our collective resolve is to continuously boost trust and confidence in our digital economy by ensuring adherence to sound cybersecurity culture and hygiene, internally and with external partners as well as stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, the National Information Technology Development (NITDA) had earlier established its own Computer Emergency Readiness Response Team (CERRT) in 2014, in response to the increase in the rate of cybercrime and fulfillment of the requirements of the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
Without doubt, the collaborative efforts of NITDA and NCC in promoting strong cybersecurity will ensure that the digital economy is sustained on trusted technologies and partnerships where public confidence, security, privacy, safety to responsive regulations, transparency, accountability, and governance dominate.

Inyene Ibanga is Editor TechDigest and writes from Wuye District, Abuja.

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TECHDIGEST – The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele and Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy recently described Nigeria as attractive investment destination at the Paris peace forum in France

The CBN governor said Nigeria has the largest economy and population in Africa, and it is being projected to be the third-largest population in the world by 2050.

“If you think about investing in Africa, Africa holds the best frontier for development in the world today, and your yield from investments today is the highest in Africa,” Emefiele said.

People are saying Nigeria should take the lead. I am saying to you the foreign investors if you think about Africa for the opportunity and investment, you don’t have a choice you will have to look at Nigeria.

“Nigeria has the largest economy and population in Africa, and it is being projected to be the third-largest population in the world by 2050 — if you do think about investing in Africa — join us in developing Nigeria and Africa continent.”

He said the CBN had projected that the economy would grow by about 2.9 percent in 2021 as oil prices surge in the global market.

“And the possible outlook is due to the high oil price which today is above $80 per barrel, the implementation of the economic sustainability plan which was put in place during the period of the pandemic and a rebound in our manufacturing activities and economic activities in Nigeria,” he said.

He also said that the country’s inflation which was “as high as 18.17% during the pandemic” and is “about 16.6% today” should be able to moderate to about “15.35% by December 2021 and further down to about 14.91% by February 2022.”

On FG’s diversification plan, Emefiele said that the present administration is providing access for players in the manufacturing industry to access loans with single interest.

Before the president came on board in 2015, a couple of our textile industries, some of our manufacturing industries due to certain challenges they faced in the economy closed down,” he added.

“We are now looking forward to making sure that we reposition and reopen these industries again.

“We are making granting of credit easy for these industries so that they can embrace and attract cheap credit, long term credit and I can say in a long time in the history of the financial system in Nigeria, manufacturing sectors can access credit at single digit interest rate of no more than 9%.”

He said the Dangote refinery would help conserve foreign exchange, save the cost of logistics and transportation — and the price of petroleum products in Nigeria can be more competitive and more affordable for Nigerians.

In his own remarks at the forum, Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, said the national identification number (NIN) will become the foundation of Nigeria’s security.

He said the federal government intends to establish the country’s security foundation on NIN to ensure that the identity of citizens and legal residents who log into the internet is known.

“Some of these initiatives that happen to be the foundation of even our economy is the introduction of the national identification number. Nigeria has joined the global community by making the use of national identification numbers for both citizens and legal residents mandatory,” he said.

“This is going to be the foundation of our economy and also the foundation of our security that whoever happens to go online, his identity will be known by the federal government and also by our security institution.

“As in our constitution 1999 as amended section 14(2)(b), that the primary responsibility of government is security and safety of its citizens, it is because of this that President Muhammadu Buhari is very passionate about that and he has been pushing that we establish the foundation of our economy and the foundation of our security on the national identification number so that identity of our citizens and legal residents will be known,

“As it is today, the enrollment has been over 67 million and most importantly we are able to capture the most important category of people that come out to do businesses.”

He added that NIN has now become a prerequisite to enjoying government services and so potential investors should have “peace of mind” doing business in Nigeria.

He assured investors of the government’s efforts in making Nigeria more secure, saying the country will soon deploy robotics to improve on its cybersecurity.

“So it becomes a prerequisite to enjoying government services and I believe this will bring more peace of mind to potential investors to know that the government has been doing something significant in that regard,” he said

“Recently the country has also launched and commissioned a national center for artificial intelligence and robotics that focuses more on research and coming up with innovative solutions in the area of security and now the center in collaboration with security institutions is in the process of developing robots and many more that are going to be deployed to make our country safe and sound.”

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