The Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) has called for the review of Nigeria’s 2015 Cybersecurity law.
CSEAN said the rising cases of cybercrimes across the globe calls for review of the country’s cyber laws.
It said the integration of technologies in everyday life of Nigerians come with risks that threaten the cyber space in the country.
President of CSEAN, Mr. Remi Afon, disclosed this during a Webinar session in Lagos.
The president also announced a forthcoming Cyber Secure Nigeria 2021 conference to hold in October 6 and 7.
The theme of the coming session is “The Future of Cyber Security in Nigeria’s Digital Transformation.”
“The Conference has gained a reputation as an important platform where conversations on Cyber Security in Africa are shaped.”
Also, “policy directions are debated and partnerships forged for action,” reveals the association’s portal.
Why the review:
Meanwhile, the president said, “Cybercrime and cyber-attacks are on the rise in Nigeria while organisations and government are becoming helpless.”
According to him, “Cybercrime and cyber-attacks are on the rise in Nigeria while organisations and government are becoming helpless.”
“At this rate, we are creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day thus the need for big data analytics.
He said “Ransomware damages” “cost the world $20 billion by 2021.”
ALSO READ: Interpol Launches Initiative To Fight Cybercrime In Africa
“With the pandemic ravaging global economy, adoption of remote working, reliance on IT, the recent acceleration in ransomware attacks; it becomes important to understand the role of cybersecurity in digital transformation.
Afon said it is important to review the cybercrime law to address current technological areas not covered by the law.
He said “Since the law was passed, Nigeria and the entire world have witnessed new cyber threats, like fraud in cryptocurrency.”
He added saying “fraud using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)” have also increased.
Afon averred that Nigeria suffers “fake news, hate speech, kidnapping and ransom taking, among others.”
Twitter as case study:
Citing the case of micro-blogging cite, Twitter and its ban in Nigeria, he said regulation is the solution.
According to him, Nigeria needs no new laws to regulate Twitter and other tech giants in the country.
He noted that Nigeria already has a regulation in the country’s Cybercrime Law to address cyber issues.
He said reviewing “the law will address those areas that were not covered.”
The review, he said, will “make the Cybercrime Law more effective.”
The cyber security expert, however, revealed that the discus will suggest ways organisations can safeguard their assets while implementing digital transformation agenda.
Digital Transformation:
Afon explained that “Digital transformation is the adoption of digital technology to transform services.”
He added that the transformation could be to transform “businesses, through replacing non-digital or manual processes with digital processes.”
He also said that the transformation could be by “replacing older digital technology with newer digital” ones.
Promises of coming conference:
Explaining how impactful the conference would be, Afon said it is “an assembly of cybersecurity industry practitioners, business owners and academia.
The expert noted that “This year is the seventh of its kind and promises to invoke a collaborative effort.
He added saying others are “industry, government, military, and law enforcement agencies “who will come together “to identify areas of common interests.”
He said the stakeholders will also “proffer inter-workings on ways to tackle cybercrime.”
The expert lamented saying poor implementation of existing cybercrime laws affecting Nigeria greatly.
Cybersecurity Advisers should replace National Security Advisers:
He revealed that while presidents of developed countries have cyber security advisers, that the National Security Adviser plays that role in Nigeria.
Therefore, “This compelling two-day high profile event will attract the best in the cybersecurity Industry globally.”
It will also “feature rich cybersecurity contents of informative and educational value,” he said.
“2021 cyber-secure Nigeria conference will focus on how organisations can safeguard their assets while implementing digital transformation agenda.”
Found this interesting? Share!
and then