At the inaugural Cybersecurity Merit Awards, which were held over the weekend in Lagos and were hosted by the Cybersecurity Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was recognized for its efforts to promote a safer Internet.
The Commission received the award ahead of other competing organizations due to its outstanding contributions to safeguarding telecom users from all types of cybercrimes.
Dr. Haru Alhassan, the NCC’s director of New Media and Information Security, accepted the award on behalf of Prof. Umar Danbatta, the organization’s Executive Vice Chairman, and said that receiving such a respectable recognition from peers is motivating given the Commission’s efforts in cybersecurity.
He told the audience that tackling the menace of cybercrime in the country has become even more imperative as the success of the implementation of digital economy policy and strategy depends on a strong foundation of cybersecurity architecture in Nigeria.
In a speech of goodwill delivered on behalf of the CEO of the Commission, Mr. Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs, outlined the Commission’s networking efforts at the worldwide level, including the Global Internet Governance Forum and other programs like Child Online Protection.
He drew the experts’ attention to the guidelines in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020–2030, one of whose eight pillars, soft infrastructure, is built on the idea of using policy and regulatory initiatives to create an environment that will target increased protection for the nation’s consumers of digital goods and services.
“The Commission is committed to ensuring that the Nigerian cyberspace is protected against the nefarious activities of cybercriminals that endanger unsuspecting Internet users in the country,” the EVC said. He also stated that it is in recognition of the strategic role the cyberspace plays in the advancement of digital economy that the Commission created NMIS Department to take charge of several activities, initiatives and programmes pivoted on collaboration to enhance cyber and information security in the Nigerian cyberspace.
“We have continued to be part of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), promote Child Online Protection as well as create awareness on cyber threats through the NCC’s Computer Security Incidence Response Team (CSIRT), which constantly monitors the cyberspace and publishes advisories on identified cyber threats,” the EVC said.
The CMA 2020 was created to honor people, startups, for-profit companies, government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments, for their excellence, innovation, and effective leadership in advancing the Nigerian cybersecurity ecosystem.
