In order to prevent potential cyberattacks during the 2023 general election, the federal government has established a committee to coordinate the actions of computer security centres in the ICT sector.
The committee will advise the Federal Government on appropriate steps to take to protect the nation’s cyberspace and ICT infrastructure from potential attacks, especially during the 2023 general election, according to the president, who was represented by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Pantami.
He stated that Prof. Adeolu Akande, chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, will be in charge of the committee.
He said at the committee’s inauguration on Thursday in Abuja that the committee’s work will help the nation have a free, fair, and credible election because of the rising importance of ICT in online activities and its role in the conduct of the 2023 polls.
“Our main responsibilities in this committee are more of advisory.
“Firstly, when it comes to intercepting potential attacks that may come to our cyberspace. The committee will coordinate the NCC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team at NCC; the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team at the National Information Technology Development Agency, and the Galaxy Backbone National Cybersecurity Centre.
“These three centres must work together, complement each other and ensure they intercept any potential attacks on our cyberspace, particularly on our critical infrastructure during the election so that we could either take action or provide necessary advice to the government.” Pantami said
Pantami stated that the committee will collaborate closely with organizations like the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, mobile network operators, among others, to jointly protect the nation’s cyberspace from potential attacks or cases of vandalism and fiber cuts during the election. The statement was signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Muoka.
“The challenge of protecting our cyberspace is a collective national responsibility; it is a national assignment. As a sector, we would play our own responsibility objectively and professionally. We would work collectively rather than working individually as agencies since we are in the same sector.” He added.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, are members of the committee. He added that they will work nonstop from Friday, February 24, 2023, through Monday, February 27, 2023.
