The need to be cybersecurity-conscious to guarantee online safety for Internet users is said to be everyone’s business and not reserved for a group of people,
The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta made the remark during at an event held in commencement of series of enlightenment and awareness campaign activities being embarked upon by the Commission for this year’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
Internet users across mobile networks in Nigeria, according to Danbatta, currently stand at 149.8 million as at August, 2020. He noted that more users are expected online as services in different sectors of the economy are becoming digitalised.
He called on individuals and corporate internet users to exhibit greater responsibility in protecting themselves against cybercrimes, especially with the increase in digital financial transactions for e-commerce activities.
Speaking on the Commission’s activotoes on various policy initiatives to drive pervasive broadband penetration to achieve increased digital inclusiveness, Danbatta notes that NCC is not unmindful of those who use Internet to carry out nefarious and dubious activities in the cyber space.
“To keep the genuine individual and corporate Internet users’ safe, the NCC, as regulator of the telecom sector, annually joins the rest of the world to create a lot of enlightenment around cybercrime in the month of October every year. We ensure that consumers are empowered through awareness and sensitisation campaigns, by providing information on both the positive and negative potentials available online, and measures required to safeguard themselves and their loved ones.
“Security is not reserved for a group of people, it is truly everyone’s business; bringing competence and knowledge to help build a safer and more inclusive information society”, The EVC said.
Danbatta however restated NCC’s commitment to continually embark on policy initiatives to enhance online security as well as educate and equip the consumers of telecoms services with information they need to be protected online.
In October every year, the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) holds globally, aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity, and to provide the public with general knowledge and tools required for online safety.
