Why Nigerians must avoid the use of pirated software – Pantami

Fri, Feb 21, 2020
By publisher
2 MIN READ

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THE federal government has warned against the use of pirated software by Nigerians and listed the associated dangers in such devices. Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, said, however, that the government would continue to show commitment in strengthening cybersecurity in the country.

Pantami, while delivering a keynote address at the recent Annual Cyber Security Conference, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in Abuja, said the volume of money being lost to cybercriminals globally explained the government’s commitment to securing the country’s national telecommunications infrastructure through necessary technical, legal and policy initiatives.

He affirmed that the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS, unveiled by President Buhari in November 2019 was aimed at deepening access to digital services for a more efficient and effectively run of the economy. Accordingly, the minister, the sixth of the eight pillars of the NDEPS thematically focused on ‘Soft Infrastructure, conceptualised to improve the cybersecurity architecture in the country.

“So, as we deepen access to digital services in the country, I have to say that people need to know that once they are online, they are exposed to risks. For instance, just opening an email that you are not sure of the sender exposes your system and data to risks. Also, using pirated software should be avoided and we must update our software regularly to avoid being the target of cybercriminals,” Pantami said.

On his part, Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman, NCC, said the maiden annual cybersecurity summit was in recognition of the importance and centrality of collaborative efforts in the advancement of cybersecurity measures to provide precautions and protection of critical communications infrastructure.

“The event is designed to provide a platform for discussion on developing a joint coordination for incidence response for the communication industry, introducing cyber insurance, bridging the cyber workforce gap, strengthening national cooperation, exchange of information, and development of comprehensive strategies that will address the cybersecurity challenges confronting the communications industry in Nigeria,” he said.

Danbatta stated that in addressing cybercrimes and boosting cybersecurity, technical measures and appropriate legal instruments must be put in place to enhance the resilience and integrity of ICT infrastructure and also to safeguard our activities in cyberspace. While restating the Commission’s efforts towards ensuring that the internet is safe to use, Danbatta emphasised the role of education to mitigate the negative impacts of cybercrime.

– Feb. 21, 2020 @ 17:35 GMT |

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