By The interconnectivity of smart devices and Internet of Things (IoT) is spinning cybercrime activities out of control.
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, who gave detailed complexities of cybercrime, in a paper titled “Alternative to Cybercrime” at the National Cybercrimes Summit 2024, organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission noted that cybercrime is no longer restricted to laptops and desktops.
According to him, it extends to mobile devices, smart TVs, cars, and more, as everything becomes interconnected through technology.
Inuwa urged the public and private sectors to invest more in the training of cybersecurity professionals, saying that the benefits of securing organisations and processes, far outweighs the cyber-attacks.
The summit, with the theme; Alternate to Cybercrime: Optimising Cyber Skills for National Development,” brought together captains of industries, heads of security agencies, traditional and religious leaders to share ideas, expertise and experiences with a focus on enhancing digital skills as strategy to combat cybercrime.
Inuwa emphasised the urgent need to address the growing menace of cybercrime in Nigeria, while proposing alternative paths for Nigeria’s youth and strategies to fortify national cyber resilience.
Inuwa outlined five major categories of cybercrime identified by research which are; technical products or services attacks, attacks and extortion, data or identity theft, Scam and Cashing Out or Money Laundering and stated that the financial sector remains the most vulnerable in Africa, with over 3,300 cyber-attacks reported weekly.
He said, “We are confronted with an urgent reality, Nigeria, a nation with a rich culture, talent and limitless potential is unfortunately grappling with the global menace of cybercrime but today, we are going to look at alternatives to cybercrime.”
He called for a more holistic approach to combating cybercrime, not only through law enforcement but also by offering viable alternatives to those tempted by illegal online activities.
“We need to look at alternatives to cybercrime and the government must focus on digital literacy, skills development, and job creation to steer young Nigerians away from cybercriminality,” he stated.
While reiterating the importance of providing positive alternatives for Nigeria, he stressed the potential of the digital economy to create millions of jobs and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.
The highlight of the event witnessed the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, unveiling and launching the EFCC Rapid Response Centre, a response desk against cybercrime that can be accessed at any time of the day.
