UMAR Danbatta, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said that the African Regional Internet Registry, AFRINIC, has contributed a lot in providing platforms for internet development in Africa. He said internet users on the continent has increased from about 4.5 million internet users in 2002 to more than 388 million users in 2017. Source (http://www.internetworldstats.com)

In his address at the 27th session of AFRINIC, in Lagos on Tuesday, November 28, on the topic, ‘Taking the African Internet to the Next Level through Policy, Collaboration and Education,’ Danbatta said the growth of the internet industry in Africa, nevertheless, had come with the challenge of sustaining its development to ensure that the industry could maintain global relevance and contend with challenges of low internet penetration.

The NCC boss said to stimulate the growth and harness the opportunities of technological advancement, massive investment in internet infrastructures would be needed, particularly broadband, which would enable job creation, economic growth, and global competitiveness.

He argued: “This can be achieved through sustainable policies and collaborative efforts.

“As the internet evolves, so also does cybercrime. This remains an immense challenge for internet development in Africa and the entire world, crucial collaboration within sub-regional and regional needed and this is the key in preventing and mitigating cyber attracts.

“Nationally, NCC is partnering with relevant agencies to provide proactive measures in mitigating cybercrime. The commission is setting up a sectorial Computer Security Incident Response Team, CSIRT, centre that will collaborate with the ngCERT (domicile in the office of the NSA), in tackling issues that relate to the telecommunications industry in the fight against cybercrime.

“On the international level, Nigeria through NCC, is partnering with International Telecommunications Union, ITU, to set up Africa Regional Cyber security Centre, RCC, in Abuja. The centre will be used for Africa Regional Cyber security information sharing (cyber-attacks, threats, malwares and viruses etc) and also to train countries within the Africa sub-region on cyber security related issues”.

– Nov. 29, 2017 @ 12:36 GMT