Cybercrimes are well-organised crimes that have become big businesses with states sometimes sponsoring them; business organisations must therefore be careful not to fall for their antics, SystemSpecs has warned.
Its Managing Director, John Obaro, who spoke during second Art of Technology (AOT) Lagos 2.0, in Lagos, said cybercrimes are perpetrated in big cities, stressing that the era of interconnectivity has made things worse, especially now that COVID-19 has forced people to work remotely from home.
Obaro said as there are cyber threats within, so there are without, warning that security should precede the connection of Internet of Things (IOT) devices.
He advised private and public enterprises to take seriously, the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) initiated by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Speaking on the occasion, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Samwo-Olu restated his commitment to make the state a smart city by digitalising its operations which is in line with his THEMES agenda
He said the state is working hard to give residents good governance which he said could only be possible through data gathering. In this connection, Sanwo-Olu said the state is poised to capture four million Lagosians through the state’s registration agency.
He said: “We need to know ourselves, so with data obtained from Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) and other agencies, we shall be able to plan well, take informed decisions and make better policies.”
The AOT Lagos 2.0 had breakout sessions and subthemes where experts charted a new course for the state with topics such as Global Cybercrime and Data Protection: Building a Smart Lagos in the face of Security Breaches; Lagos 2030: Data as Vehicle into Creating the Future; Diversity and Inclusion in Tech and others.
Principal Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Lisa Da Silva, and keynote speaker said smart city development starts with a strong vision and thoughtful planning, adding that Lagos is way ahead of many states with the launch of a master plan last December.
She added that one of the foundations for smart city development is regulation, stating that the regulatory environment needed to enable digital solutions through regulation on data management and technology.
Chairman, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Ibukun Awosika, said states need to gather data because it is key to planning for citizens for job creation and provision of other basic amenities.
She said there is shortage of data scientists which the state needed to enable realise its smart city dream.
The Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC and keynote speaker, Dr Demola Sogunle, who spoke on “Solving Africa’s Digital Payment Challenges: The Data Infrastructure” said government needed to go into partnerships with private sector in order to deliver the required payment infrastructure.
He also called for digitised common transactions, stating that identifying and deploying a fit-for-purpose payments infrastructure for the transport sector will significantly improve adoption of digital payments and drive financial inclusion.
He sought for incentives for the use of digital channels for transactions. “Consider providing incentives such as cash back and discounts to encourage the use of digital channels.”
In addition, he also called for investment in infrastructure. “Use of self service stalls, WiFi coverage offerings for transactions, etc towards driving more people to adopt digital payments. Drive development of robust IT connectivity.”
He also called for the inclusion of IT and financial literacy programmes in the educational curriculum and collaboration with financial institutions to track and prosecute fraudsters, and provides a framework for re-imbursing victims to improve confidence in digital options.
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