Cybersecurity: British High Commission Calls for Collaboration Between Nigeria, UK

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The British High Commission has called for collaboration between the United Kingdom (UK) and Nigeria, in curbing cybercrimes.

The Commission’s West Africa Cyber Lead, James Carroll, made the call Wednesday in Abuja at the monthly Devs in Government discourse, organised by the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, and supported by Galaxy Backbone and the World Bank. 

The event, with the theme ‘Secure a World: Building a Safer Digital Future for Nigeria’s Public Sector’ fosters collaboration and learning among government bodies and sectors.

Carroll said: “In tackling borderless and faceless threats to the cyberspace, by working together and building a strong foundation, Nigeria and the UK can effectively address cyber crime challenges.”

He noted that organised networks operate like businesses, complete with recruitment, training, finance and luxury, adding that to combat this, international collaboration and mastering basics like good passwords, system updates and firewall maintenance were crucial.

“The UK’s strategy focuses on engaging its young, tech-savvy population to teaching digital skills, promoting cyber security careers and creating a digital pipeline.

“Nigeria, with its youthful demographic, can adopt similar approaches like educating kids on cyber security, encouraging tech enthusiasm and developing digital literacy,” he stressed.

In his opening remarks, the Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) of the ministry, Samuel Okoye, said as Nigeria’s digital landscape evolves, cyber security remains crucial.

He noted that government agencies and public sector organisations hold sensitive data and deliver essential services that impact lives of Nigerians.

Okoye stated that by protecting these digital assets from growing, cyber threats was a collective responsibility.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that these digital assets and systems are protected against the growing array of cyber threats.

“The cyber security awareness month provides us with an ideal opportunity to reinforce our commitment to this mission.

“As we gather here today, we are reminded of the critical importance of cyber security in our rapidly evolving digital landscape.

“Every day, government agencies and public sector organisations hold vast amounts of sensitive data, connect countless systems, and deliver essential services that impact the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

Nigeria, he explained, can fortify its digital infrastructure and ensure a secured and resilient public sector, adding that the cybersecurity awareness month is an opportunity for all to learn from each other.

The Manager, Cybersecurity Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Zareefa Mustapha, in a panel session said so many government organisations do not believe when NITDA tries to identify some vulnerabilities in their systems.

Mustapha called for collaboration between government agencies and be opened to more information sharing.