ESET, a technology security company, is partnering with the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, to put an end to cyber attacks and reduce online insecurity in organisations and tertiary institutions.  The partnership, according to the company, will provide standards and guidelines in the protection of Nigeria cyberspace and ensure that all ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, of the federal government, secure their information technology infrastructure.

The partnership will enable NITDA, government’s institutions, and IT administrators to have access to periodic cyber security training by ESET experts on emerging threats.

Isa Ali Pantami, director general, NITDA, said, “We are at a defining moment in the evolution and growth of the internet in running day-to-day activities and deliverables of government and schools. Large-scale data breaches, ransomware attack, cybercrime, surveillance and other online threats are eroding Nigerians’ trust on government e-platforms/websites and affecting how they use the internet as a whole.”

Pantami said such security threats would make the partnership highly necessary to provide awareness and education on cyber security and also ensure that all government and private institutions are protected by a tested and trusted Information Technology, IT, security solution provider.

On his part, Olufemi Ake, country manager, ESET, said the company would support and drive NITDA’s role in providing and jointly developing frameworks for data protection and safe cyberspace in Nigeria.

According to him, the partnership is also part of activities to mark the 30th anniversary of ESET, disclosing that the company would provide schools in Nigeria with free internet security on their connected devices through a scheme tagged ESET Secure School Initiative.

Ake said the scheme is designed to sensitise over 70 per cent of the academia in cyber security and the need for proactive protection of research data.

Aug 14, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT