Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy has proposed the enactment of a legislation to criminalize any one that vandalizes equipment identified as a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).
This is following President Buhari’s approval for the protection of relevant telecommunications infrastructure across the country and directed the security agencies to protect all national infrastructure across the country, Dr Isa Pantami, minister of Communication and Digital Economy, said recently at the 2021 Cybersecurity Conference that was organised by in collaboration with the American Business Council, USTDA and some private sector partners, recently.
Meanwhile, between October 2020 when the transfer of the supervision of NIMC to Ministry of Communication was completed and now, the minister said the number of enrolments into the national identity register has been increased from 42 million to 60 million.
“Since then we have recorded an unprecedented increase in enrolments, with more than 18 million new enrolments!”
“As we pursue digital transformation and adapt to a world where digital devices, services, and banks interact with customer’s data, it is important to promote digital identity and a stronger user authentication as important parameters towards improving cybersecurity.”
Speaking during the virtual conference, Dr Pantami, said the development of a legal and regulatory framework to protect society and promote a safe and secure digital environment is key and should be at the outset of any national efforts in cybersecurity, reason he said made the government to develop the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.
“We are currently in the process of extending beyond the NDPR subsidiary legislation to developing a principal legislation that will be an Act of the National Assembly. We have reached an advanced stage in the process,” he stated.
Cybersecurity experts at the forum called for a community-based approach to digital safety that can protect children and minors from exploitation, especially sexual exploitation. They said there is urgent need to deal with the menace of digital .
