NCC urges providers to intensify education on cyber security

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed all service providers to educate subscribers on cybercrimes through the end-of-call-notification on their phones as well as during SIM card notification. This was part of the communiqué reached at the end of the 87th telecoms consumer parliament held in Lagos at the weekend. Part of the resolution was […]

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed all service providers to educate subscribers on cybercrimes through the end-of-call-notification on their phones as well as during SIM card notification.

This was part of the communiqué reached at the end of the 87th telecoms consumer parliament held in Lagos at the weekend.

Part of the resolution was that the service providers should install cyber security firewall on their networks to reduce the incidence of cybercrimes.

“There is a need for all-inclusiveness in developing the national cyber security strategy,” the communiqué further reads.

It was also agreed upon that both NCC and service providers should continue to sensitive consumers on the telecoms industry in pidgin English and local dialects.

Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission  Prof Umar Garba Danbatta has implored organizations and telecoms service providers to use next-generation authentication for protecting their cyberspace as against the username-password authentication system.

Prof Danbatta said the use of password is vulnerable to hacking and all forms of cyber-attacks.

Speaking during the 87th edition of telecom consumer parliament (TCP) held in Lagos, the EVC urged telecoms service providers operating in Nigeria to strengthen their cyber-risk protection systems and architecture.

In his advice, he said mobile network operators also need to educate their consumers, regardless of their sizes and scopes of operations and equip them with tips they need to get protected while using the internet on their networks.

He disclosed that the Commission has “set in motion, the process of establishing an Industry Code of Practice in accordance with our mandate to regulate the communications sector in Nigeria as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. The Code is to protect the right of Internet users to an Open Internet.”