AS Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector continues to witness geometrical growth and development, the need for improved Information and Technology  (IT) security has been stressed.

This, according to IT experts and consultants, is a prerequisite for another round of developments, which will enable the sector to woo more investors both locally and internationally. They described the sector as an enabler for the growth of other sectors of the economy.
Experts, who spoke severally at the just concluded CTO exhibitions and seminars organised by the commercial department of the United States Embassy in Nigeria in Lagos, said it has become highly imperative for government, regulators and operators to ensure that the sector is fully secured to avoid any collapse or redundancy in the sector.

The Managing Director of Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, said for a nation to be technologically secured, there has to be efficient identity management structure that can accommodate the entire citizenry.
Aladekomo, who spoke on the topic: “Building a World-Class security network for Nigeria”, opined that the over 150 million population figure of Nigeria, most of whom are not identified gives room for individuals to secretly indulge in some online security breaches on the existing critical infrastructure without any form of identification, by so doing giving bad names to the country.

The Chams MD noted that some of the internal and external security issues that countries strive to grapple with are information theft and hacking, cyber attacks, terrorism, drug trafficking, child trafficking, advanced fee fraud (419) and others.
He said to have a total fight against all these, there is need for collaboration among the stakeholders, stressing that seminars, symposium, training, awareness on the dangers of such would go a long way to mitigate the impact of all these crimes in the country   
To him, this year’s CTO came at the needed time, stressing that the country needs to leverage on technology, innovations in order to attain a secured environment, “Crimes thrives in a climate of anonymity and developing an effective security network in Nigeria starts with the unique identification of citizens and the creation of a national database.”

In his own presentation, titled: “American Society For Industrial Corporate Security: Our Experience Managing Corporate Security in Nigeria”, the Regional Certification Rep, ASIS Region XLIV, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, stated that there is need for regional cooperation in West Africa and on the continent in general as a way of fostering security among nations.

He said there is need for border patrol to check cross border criminals, as the sub-region has one of the porous borders in the globe, stressing that the community is blind without not just the security but adequate security.
Ekhomu noted that some of the future challenges that would evolve in a non-technology secured country include youth restiveness, escalation of political killings and violence, computer/internet crimes, ATM/Credit card frauds among others.

In the view of the president, Computer Forensics Instiute, Nigeria (CFIN), Dr. Peter Olayiwola, there is need for an electronic law that would make it possible to prosecute electronics frauds in the country.

Olayiwola explained that the advance fee fraud popularly called (419) has given the country a bad name among the comity of nations, stressing that without electronic evidence in the country, it will become extremely pressing to prosecute offenders in Nigeria, adding that 92 per cent of crimes committed in the country today are done via online.

The CFIN boss stressed that the time has come for judicial system and government to use computer forensics during investigations since it is used for the prevention of computer and electronic and cybercrimes.    

According to him, electronic evidence is yet to be admissible in our law courts, adding that the Senate is working in the Evidence Act, which has passed the second reading and hopefully, before the end of the year, it would have been passed into law.

Charging the youth to be innovative and see technology as an advantage and not an avenue for criminal conducts, the Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, said the use of ICT has helped to expand horizon and reach, adding that it has granted people global citizenship.

According to him, the country ranks among the top 10 fastest growing telecoms market in the world, factors, which he attributed to the huge population size; sector liberalisation; years of yearnings for telecoms service; competitiveness and profitability of the sector and the growing awareness about ICT indispensability.
He, however, said that because of the poor infrastructure, especially power, the country still ranks low in global affordability ranking.
Ovia enjoined the youth to shun every acts that is capable of tarnishing their images, stressing that activities such as cybercrimes, ATM/Credit card frauds, yahoo yahoo should not thrive among the youth who wants to progress in life.

Earlier, while declaring open the CTO exhibition, the U.S. Consul General in Nigeria, Donna Blair, said this year’s theme: “Leveraging Technology to Secure Nigeria’s Future”, was chosen because it is believed that a multi-faceted secure environment is essential to rapid economic growth.

“Attaining a more secure environment for Nigeria’s citizens and businesses is more than a challenge to be overcome: it is an opportunity for Nigeria’s businesses and their U.S. partners to grow through providing security solutions that cultivate an environment conducive to Nigeria’s future growth