President Muhammadu Buhari has unveiled a committee to coordinate the activities of computer security centres in the Information and Communication Technology industry to intercept potential cyberattacks during the 2023 general elections.
Isa Pantami, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who represented the president, stated that the committee will advise the Federal Government on appropriate measures to take to protect the country’s cyberspace and ICT infrastructure from potential attacks, especially during the 2023 general election.
According to him, the committee will be led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Adeolu Akande.
During the inauguration of the committee in Abuja on Thursday, he stated that with the increased role of the ICT in online activities, and its crucial role in the conduct of the 2023 elections, the job of the committee will assist the country in conducting a free, fair, and credible election.
Pantami said, “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.”
In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Reuben Muoka, Pantami noted that the committee will work closely with institutions such as the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, mobile network operators, among others, to collectively safeguard the country’s cyberspace from potential attacks or cases of vandalism and fibre cuts during the election.
He added, “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 further stated that members of the committee which includes, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Director General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Abdullahi, would work round-the-clock from Friday, February 24, 2023, till Monday, February 27, 2023.