On Wednesday, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said the federal government was implementing measures to amend the 2015 Cybercrimes Act.

Mr Ribadu disclosed this at a two-day conference by the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) in Abuja, under the theme “Cybersecurity: A Digital Transformative Tool in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals’’.

Represented by Bala Fakandu, the manager of the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), Mr Ribadu recognised the existence of emerging technologies which bad state actors are already leveraging to perpetrate cybercrimes.

“As we embrace the rapid evolution of technology, we must be mindful of new and exciting areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain technologies that will continue to affect the future.

“This is bearing in mind that criminal elements are already exploiting new technologies to progress their illicit activities.

“Consequently, the FG is currently making efforts to amend the Cybercrimes Act 2015, and the issue of AI and virtual assets are amongst several critical inputs from stakeholders being considered,” the NSA said.

Mr Ribadu said the federal government considered cybersecurity incident management and protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) as a vital component for national development.

According to him, the presidential order on the designation and protection of CNII currently awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent will enhance Nigeria’s current efforts for progressive economic prosperity, national development and attainment of national security objectives.

He added, “This underscores the need for continuous cybersecurity awareness in the wake of increased cyber threats from both states and non-state actors.’’

The NSA said Nigeria had recorded remarkable strides in cybersecurity by fostering international cooperation and collaborations to combat cyber threats, thereby making her a trusted player in the global digital space.

President of CSEAN, Ade Shoyinka, said that the continued perpetration of cybercrime by non-state actors without adequate proactive measures would jeopardise Nigeria’s chances of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

With 17 goals and 169 targets, Mr Shoyinka said the world could not attain the SDGs without considering the role of technology and cyber security.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, said they have engaged constructively with Nigeria to promote global growth and security.

Represented by Magdalene Lagu, Head of Governance and Stability, he said they were committed to continuing capacity-building work in Nigeria through funding some of its programmes.

(NAN)