Due to the growing rate of dependence on technology and the increasing rate of cyberattacks, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is organising a National Cyber Security Awareness Virtual Summit 2020 with the theme “Cyber-Aware Citizenry: A Foundation of the Digital Economy,” to empower all Nigerians on how to stay safe and more secure online.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi director-general of NITDA, while delivering his welcome address, cautioned Nigerians to stay safe online. He said, “If we connect to the Internet, we have the responsibility to protect it, which is why the objective of the summit is to empower Nigerians to own their role in protecting their own part of cyberspace.
“If we all do our part, implementing stronger security practices, raising community awareness, educating vulnerable ones, or training employees our interconnected world will be safer and more resilient for all of us.”
Abdullahi added that, “It is part of the agency’s unprecedented effort to promote safe online behaviour and practices, because more and more Nigerians are using new technologies and spending more time online. Our growing dependence on technology, coupled with the increasing threat of cyberattacks, demands greater security in our online world.
“We are sharing simple, easy-to-understand resources and tips to help you ensure your safety and security online. The campaign involves sharing resources to help you with the skills you need to make more informed decisions when using the Internet.
“Cybercriminal activities are counterproductive to our efforts to create national economic prosperity through exploiting digital economy. Developing a digital economy hinges on trust and safer cyberspace, therefore, at NITDA we embarked on this annual campaign to build trust in our journey to a digital Nigeria.”
The summit is in commemoration of the global Cyber-Security Awareness Month. It targets four strata of the society: public organisations, parents and children, youth, and corporate organisations. The contents are focused on sensitising Nigerians to stay safe and avoid criminality while online.
The activities are: October Month Cyber Security Campaign; Capacity Building on Cybersecurity for Legislative Officers; Cybersecurity Sensitization Summit; Nationwide Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign; and a Webinar series.
