We are Confronting Growing Threats of Attacks on Telecommunications, Banking, Power Platforms and military networks – NSA

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has said that Nigeria is being confronted by the growing threats of attacks on telecommunications systems, power and energy grids, banking platforms as well as military networks.

Ribadu made this known in Abuja at a workshop organised for policy makers and sector regulators on critical national information infrastructure protection and resilience organised by National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre in ONSA.

The NSA said other sectors facing growing threats include transportation systems, national databases, elections, digital systems and other critical assets that are experiencing such heightened threats noting that “it was high time for all stakeholders to join hands together and address it”.

Continuing Ribadu said “the threats are coupled with other risks like defusement of government websites, breaches of sensitive personal data, and also compromise of confidential government communications.

“Any failure or disruption to the operation of these critical assets can greatly impact our security, national public health and safety, as well as the social and economic well-being of Nigerians.

“Therefore, the protection of these assets is a major priority and vital national exigency for all of us.

“As our adoption of technology is increasing across the country, so is the increase in cyber threats and risk to our critical national information infrastructure.

“We are now confronted with heightening threats of attacks on our telecommunications systems, banking platforms, power and energy grids, military networks, transportation systems, national databases, elections, digital systems, and other critical assets.

“We are also confronted with threats of online financial scams and fraud perpetuated by nefarious individuals and groups within and outside the country, which is persistently denting our economy and indeed our international image.

“These threats are coupled with other risks such as defusement of government websites, breaches of sensitive personal data, and also compromise of confidential government communications.

“We have also observed the persistent rise in the launch of online platforms by unscrupulous elements for illicit fundraising and disinformation to incite violence and cause apprehension”.

He added that, “there is no way a country like Nigeria can exist if telecommunications, electricity, banking platforms, and other critical infrastructures are no longer functioning.

“To get to where we are today, critical infrastructure is everything in the country. That’s it. If you don’t have it, nothing else. You don’t have a country. It’s what provides everything, whether electricity, telecommunications, services. We depend on those infrastructures.

“So, to protect them and to make them work matters a lot, maybe more than any other thing. We’ve done fairly good work so far to get to where we are today, and I think today is the beginning of a lot of things coming ahead of us in making sure that it works in our country.”