By Mohammed Mohammed
The establishment of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) Computer Emergency Response and Readiness Team, (CERRT), has received accolades from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), even as it expressed optimism that the facility will ensure the safety and security of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
Meanwhile the establishment NCC CERRT Chapter, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ibrahim Pantami, has said will reduce cyber-attacks and make Nigeria’s Cyberspace safer.
Pantami, made the disclosure while inaugurating the Nigeria Communications Commission’s Computer Emergency Response and Readiness Team CERRT.
He said the project was strategically built-in line with Digital Economy Policy and Strategy of President Muhammadu Buhari for a Digital Nigeria.
The facility, the Minister said, was initiated and executed in accordance with International best practices and meet the needs of the present reality of mitigating and reducing further attacks on the country to a bearable minimum.
This he said, will go a long way in complementing the efforts of the administration in tackling the high wave of insecurity in the country and put the economy on a better footing as well as boosting the anti-corruption war.
“Today there are many challenges with regards to security based on what is happening online. With CERRT teams, we will be able to be the watchdog of the Federal Government, monitor and protect cybercrime attacks on our country.
“What we want to achieve with these projects is to ensure that these key areas are in tandem with President Buhari’s Digital transformation policy.
“Part of what agreed with stakeholders is to build Digital Economy. The journey started in October 2019, which led to the approval for the launching of the Digital Economy Policy for Digital Nigeria. Now it is no longer about ICT but Digital Transformations.
“For us, there is need to rebrand all parastatals because they are key to our goals. It gives impression and projects the vision and mission of the organizations. Prior to this NCC and NITDA were mandated to create independent department for Digital Economy.
“With the outbreak of the COVID-19Pandemic, we are trying to fast track the entire policy and see how we will be able to attain them by 2025 rather than 2030 earlier scheduled, though, some had already been attained but we are optimistic that they are achievable.”
In his address the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, alluded to the importance of the Centre to the nation’s security measures, the digitalisation of the country’s economy and the rebranding of the Commission.
According to him, with establishment of the Centre, the Cyber space will be insulated from frequent attacks and save the country from loss of huge resources.
Also in a remark, the DG of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi, said there will never a more perfect time of this digital center than now noting that last year, there was a disruption to the country’s journey to digital economy, as COVID 19 sent the world off balance.
He admitted that the country was able to salvage the situation through ICT devices/systems and smart phones to keep in touch with loved ones for education, entertainment and any other transaction we cannot do physically. The new normal made us to understand how convenient the online life is.
He said it is imperative to secure the nation’s digital space so that people will have trust in it, stressing that the Centre is the kind of facility that will help in achieving that.
He congratulated the Minister for the milestone, and also extend same to the management and staff of NCC for making sure that they are securing our telecommunications infrastructure.