The Director General of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has urged African countries to keep up their resolve in the fight against cyberattacks.
Inuwa made the call during the current GISEC Global in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Government official stressed the need to fight cybercrime during his presentation on “Strategies for Raising Africa’s Cyber Resilience” due to the harm it causes to the infrastructure, national security, economy, and reputation of African nations.
The NITDA DG said that to protect citizens and assets and genuinely harness the benefits of an increasingly complicated digital reality, Africa cannot afford to be apathetic towards cybersecurity. With the right strategies and approaches, Africa can enhance its cybersecurity posture and build resilience against cyberattacks.
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He said that: “African nations must work collaboratively to build and implement robust, inclusive, and proactive cyber resilience methodologies and comprehensive approaches to the identification and mitigation of critical vulnerabilities.
“This includes encouraging the exchange of collective knowledge and intelligence on cyber threats and promoting international cooperation in responding to cybercrime,” he added.
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Africa’s Experience With Cyber Attacks In 2022
Inuwa emphasised the importance of his submissions by referencing the CheckPoint Research 2022 Report, which shows that African countries experienced an average of 1,848 cyberattacks weekly per organisation in 2022, in comparison with the 1,164 global cases.
With over 100 million internet users, the most populous African nation, Nigeria, accounted for the largest number of users. Egypt followed with 76 million while South Africa accounted for 41 million. However, these countries, along with Kenya, also account for 60% of the $4 billion annual cost of cybercrime in Africa.
According to the DG, “despite these challenges, Africa’s digital transformation projects are gaining momentum, with online shoppers reaching almost 390 million and social media users reaching over 380 million in 2022.
“This growing accessibility is due to increasing mobile device adoption and improved telecommunication systems. However, the increasing threat of cyberattacks puts our socio-economic security at risk locally and internationally.”
Inuwa highlighted that it is of utmost importance that all governments prioritise cybersecurity and deploy the necessary measures to boost their digital defences. This he said would protect citizens from the threats posed by online attacks.
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Boosting Cybersecurity In Africa
Citing the Africa Center for Strategic Studies Report, Inuwa said “Only 15 African countries have completed national cybersecurity strategies, which lay out strategic objectives and assign government-wide responsibilities for cyber threat monitoring and response.”
He said that for Africa’s cyber resilience to be strengthened, countries must incorporate several key strategies including; understanding the current cybersecurity landscape in Africa; create and implement comprehensive and multi-stakeholder policies and legal frameworks to ensure accountability and incentivise investments in cybersecurity measures; and close the cybersecurity talent gap.
The Nigerian Government official explained that this could be achieved when governments invest in training and development programmes to equip our workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to protect themselves and our organisations against cyber threats.
“Both the government and private sector must play a role in providing institutional support for cybersecurity, including the creation of dedicated cybersecurity agencies and units, as well as public-private partnerships that allow for the sharing of resources and expertise.
“We must prioritise regional partnerships and cross-border cooperation to combat cyber threats, as they do not respect geographical boundaries. This can include African countries working together to formulate and implement effective responses to cyberattacks and share best practices.
“Finally, national cyber-response plans and specialised Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for critical infrastructure sectors are essential in ensuring cyber resilience. These plans should outline the procedures and protocols,” he said.