Senate panel seeks measures to curb cybercrime

Senate Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has raised the alarm over the high rate of cybercrime in the country, calling for mechanisms to save the nation from the menace.

Chairman of the committee, Yakubu Oseni, who spoke during a visit of members to Datasixth Cybersecurity Consulting in Lagos, said the oversight findings of the team revealed that Nigeria was suffering from activities of cybercriminals.

He expressed worry that the gains the nation has made in the ICT revolution were being dampened by the rapid evolution of the cybersecurity threat landscape, with a dramatic rise in cybercrime.

According to Oseni, there is a wide margin between the rate at which the country is challenged and its readiness to mitigate the challenges.

“Our committee has been engaging stakeholders to address the challenges.

We have, accordingly, hosted three conferences, bringing together experts from all over the world to discuss the way forward. Arising from such engagements, a lot of legislative frameworks are being put in place to put Nigeria ahead of the cybersecurity challenge,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of Datasixth Cybersecurity Consulting, Michael Anyawu, urged the Federal Government to provide cybersecurity that would contribute positive digital transformative changes in projecting the country as one of the pioneers and sponsors of cyber resilience.

He said that unless the government provides an enabling environment for cybersecurity, Nigeria might continue to lose recognition in the ICT market.

Anyawu said it was high time the government provided leadership and foresight by creating an enabling environment where stakeholders and participants will deliver value, employment and contribute their quota around cyber resilience to the nation.

He also suggested that the government should build cyber defence centres where people would be trained to increase cyber resilience and protect what is critical, rather than participating in the same ecosystem for self gains.