Reach and threat of the internet

Internet reach in Nigeria has grown immensely. This is both good and bad news. This means law abiding and patriotic Nigerians now are able to exploit the cyber space to improve their personal wellbeing and that of the country as well. President Muhammadu Buhari, last month, underscored this ambivalent potential of the Internet during the launch of the 2021 National Cyber Security Policy and Security. This is a review of the policy first launched in 2014. Its goal was to provide “a roadmap for the realisation of national cyber security.”
Noting that the country was at a turning point in its history, Buhari said Nigeria’s young and vibrant population had the potential to exploit the Internet revolution to develop the economy and improve national security. At the same time, he said, criminals were using the cyber space to threaten internal security.
He said the nation was witnessing an upsurge in the adoption of the Internet and social media in almost all aspects of its daily life, and therefore, the Internet or cyber space had become central and indispensable to national development. “That is why, in the past couple of years, our administration has focused on several information and communications technology (ICT)-driven initiatives,” he said. “Some of these include the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025 launched in March 2020 to increase Internet broadband penetration across Nigeria, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020–2030, National Identity Programme, Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) schemes, among others.”
Buhari explained that the initiatives serve as enablers for tackling the economic and security challenges in the country, while also providing a platform to improve accountability and transparency in government’s resolve to fight corruption. However, as in several other countries, significant challenges have followed the growth and development of the Internet in Nigeria. We are witnessing increasing threats posed by cyber criminals, online financial fraudsters and cyber terrorists who use the Internet to threaten national security.
“We are also witnessing an upsurge in the use of the Internet and social media to propagate hate speech, fake news and seditious messages, as well as risks of breaches to personal information and sensitive government data. It is almost impossible to overstate the challenges.” The President pointed out that the emergence of new technologies, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and 5G technology have further widened the scope and diversification of the cyber threat. “In October 2020, we witnessed an escalation in the use of social media for dissemination of subversive messages and incitement to violence which heightened tension, unrest, looting and destruction of property across the country. Therefore, in a bid to ensure that we effectively embrace and harness the benefits of the digital revolution, while effectively combating rising cyber threats, the Federal Government has been proactive in ensuring progressive use of the Internet and cyberspace,” he added.
We commend the government’s foresight but dare say that the job is not done yet. Criminals, unfortunately, are always a pace ahead of the law. Regrettably, they have the support of some of those who are expected to implement the law. This is why the government has to watch both the criminal and the law enforcer. It is in this context that we welcome the 2021 strategy to fight cyber crime.