Tuesday, October 29, 2024 – The National
Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said there have been increased threats of
attacks on telecommunications systems, banking platforms, power and energy
grids, and military networks in Nigeria.
Ribadu stated this during a workshop on critical national information
infrastructure protection and resilience, which the National Cybersecurity
Coordination Centre in ONSA organised for policymakers and sector regulators.
He also listed transportation systems, national databases, elections,
digital systems, and other critical assets experiencing such heightened
threats, adding that it was high time for all stakeholders to join hands and
address this.
When declaring the workshop open, the NSA said the threats are coupled
with other risks, such as defacement of government websites, breaches of
sensitive personal data, and compromise of confidential government
communications.
“Any failure or disruption to the operation of these critical assets can
significantly impact our security, national public health and safety, and
Nigerians’ social and economic well-being. Therefore, protecting these assets
is a significant priority and a vital national necessity for all of us.
As our adoption of technology is increasing across the country, so is
the increase in cyber threats and risk to our critical national information
infrastructure. We are now confronted with heightened threats of attacks on our
telecommunications systems, banking platforms, power and energy grids, military
networks, transportation systems, national databases, elections, digital
systems, and other critical assets.
We are also confronted with threats of online financial scams and fraud
perpetuated by nefarious individuals and groups within and outside the country,
persistently denting our economy and our international image.
These threats are coupled with other risks such as defacement of
government websites, breaches of sensitive personal data, and compromise of
confidential government communications. We have also observed the persistent
rise in the launch of online platforms by unscrupulous elements for illicit
fundraising and disinformation to incite violence and cause apprehension”he
said
Ribadu said a country like Nigeria cannot exist if telecommunications,
electricity, banking platforms, and other critical infrastructures are no
longer functioning.
“To get to where we are today, critical infrastructure is everything in
the country. That’s it. If you don’t have it, nothing else. You don’t have a
country. It’s what provides everything, whether electricity,
telecommunications, or services. We depend on those infrastructures
So, to protect them and make them work matters a lot, maybe more than
anything else. We’ve done fairly good work so far to get to where we are today,
and I think today is the beginning of many things ahead of us in ensuring that
it works in our country.” he said
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