In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the World Bank has begun capacity building for stakeholders in the digital economy sector to enable the country to effectively address cybersecurity challenges.
Nigeria recorded about 12.9 million cyber threats, originating from both within and outside the country, during the presidential and national assembly elections, and 3.8 million threats during the governorship/state assembly elections.
The government stated that there is an urgent need for action to protect its infrastructure and citizens, with a focus on investing in cybersecurity and increasing awareness of cyber threats and their potential impact on businesses.
Isa Ali Pantami, Communications Minister, said Wednesday at the start of a two-day cybersecurity capacity-building workshop in Abuja that cyber threats have become a constant threat to businesses and organizations in the ever-changing world of technology.
He observed that in Nigeria, the digital economy is growing rapidly, which calls for heightened cybersecurity measures and robust partnerships. He added that the World Bank would support Nigeria to develop digital cutting-edge skills.
He said: “Attempts that were recorded included Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), email and Internet Protocol Spoofing (IPS) attacks, SSH Login Attempts, brute force injection attempts, path traversal, detection evasion, and forceful browsing. These statistics are alarming and they highlight the need for urgent action to protect our infrastructure and digital economy.”
The Minister said the importance of having a robust cybersecurity strategy could not be overemphasized, adding that the workshop aligned with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, which identifies cybersecurity as a priority area.
Pantami said the Ministry is partnering with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and other institutions to ensure that cyberspace is secure.
Digital Development Specialist, World Bank HQ, Washington DC, Hyea Won Lee, said that the capacity building was to ensure that Nigeria secures its cyberspace.
