The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has embarked on a mission to bolster cybersecurity awareness in Nigeria as part of the 20th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This initiative is geared towards educating the public on cyber threats and promoting safe online practices.
During the previous year, NITDA successfully trained 3242 individuals in basic and intermediate cybersecurity skills through a partnership with CISCO. Now, in its 20th edition, the Cybersecurity Awareness Month remains a global effort to increase awareness surrounding cybersecurity.
This year’s theme, “See Yourself in Cyber,” underscores the collective responsibility for cybersecurity. The main goal of the campaign is to promote secure cyber hygiene, encouraging citizens to adopt, understand, and apply essential security measures.
Key focus areas for the campaign include:
- Digital Misinformation and Disinformation
- Social Media Attacks (Authentication and Social Engineering attacks)
- Phishing (Phishing scam websites, Email phishing/Business email compromise)
- Cyber Bullying
- Online Responsible Behavior
- Ransomware Attacks
To maximize the impact, NITDA is collaborating with various stakeholders to conduct grassroots awareness campaigns. One noteworthy partnership is with Galaxy Backbone, which will distribute specially-designed information flyers to public sector organizations.
NITDA, in conjunction with O-range Cybersecurity Training Service Limited, has also organized a Cybersecurity Training event in Ilorin, Kwara State, which saw the participation of over 5,000 youths from various states.
Other activities on the agenda include:
- NITDA-Cisco Cybersecurity Awareness Training for 4,000 youths in Ethical Hacking, Endpoint Security, Network Defense, and Cyber Threat Management. The application process opened on October 2nd, with the virtual training portal set to launch on October 18, 2023.
- A two-day Innovation Challenge on Cybersecurity to identify innovative technologies with a focus on solutions applicable to the public sector. More than 3,000 applications have already been submitted.
- A general awareness program highlighting NITDA’s initiatives and services such as the Trustmark system for online trading, Free Web Application Firewall for all MDAs (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies), Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), Free Vulnerability Analysis and Penetration Testing (VAPT) for MDAs, and monitoring of MDAs portals, social media monitoring and recovery, digital forensics, cyber drills, and cybersecurity training.
NITDA calls upon both public and private sector organizations, as well as the general public, to collaborate in ensuring the security of the Nigerian cyberspace. Together, we can create a safer online environment for all Nigerians and contribute to global cybersecurity efforts.
