Telecom
NITDA Collaborates With Nigeria Police on NPDR Enforcement
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), expressed willingness to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that public and private organizations comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), to protect citizens’ personal information, tackle the menace of cybercrimes, and encourage safer use of Internet amongst individuals, public, and private organisations in the country.
L-R: Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, NITDA and Usman Alkali Baba, Inspector General of Police, IGP during a courtesy visit at Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general, NITDA, hinted this when he led his management team to a courtesy visit on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday at Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Abdullahi said cybersecurity has become very essential in today’s world where society is more reliant on digital technology than ever before, and the sophistication and relentless attacks of cybercriminals are incomparable.
According to him, there is apparently no sign that this trend will slow down anytime soon. Therefore, there is a need for the collaboration between NITDA and the Force to tackle the menace by ensuring that organizations protect the personal information of all citizens at their disposal.
The DG lamented that in recent times, private individuals, private organisations, government establishments, and even military and paramilitary have all been targets of these acts, mostly because there is a high rate of data leakage on the internet.
“Reports from our cybersecurity monitoring platforms have indicated that activities of cybercriminals have increased exponentially; data leakage that can lead to identity theft is now being posted on social media and even auctioned for sale on the dark web.
“It is important to note that this is a global phenomenon, nations around the world are reporting increasing numbers of cyber espionage, BEC Scams, Identity theft, amongst numerous other cybercrimes,” he noted.
Abdullahi added that the borderless nature of cyberspace has necessitated NITDA to be a step ahead of these cybercriminals, especially as the country begins to adopt a digital economy, hence it is important that Nigeria build resilience against these threats to ensure trust in the system.
While commenting on laws that empower the Agency, particularly NITDA Act 2007, Abdullahi stated that NITDA is increasingly paying attention to cybercrime and cybersecurity, and this led establishment of NITDA’s Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) to provide support for MDAs in tackling cybersecurity incidents through prompt awareness, cybersecurity tips, monitoring intrusion, leveraging trusted resources, and implementing a response plan for MDAs.
He further stated that the Agency publishes Information Assurance Guidelines for MDAs towards ensuring that MDAs implement the minimum controls required to safeguard their information assets; and the enactment of Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) that ensures that personal data of data subjects are protected. Also, that mechanisms are set in place to ensure that violations to NDPR provisions are appropriately investigated and appropriate sanctions applied.
He appreciated the support offered by the Force by attaching Officers to the NITDA Regulations Compliance Monitoring Team.
Explaining NITDA’s mandate on IT Project Clearance, the DG stated that the Federal Government Circular issued on 18th April 2006 specifically directed all MDAs planning to embark on IT projects to obtain clearance from NITDA. This was subsequently reinforced by another Circular issued on the 31st August 2018.
To reiterate the importance of NITDA’s role in IT Procurements in Government, during his speech at the e-Nigeria International Conference, Exhibition and Awards 2018, Muhammadu Buhari directed all Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) to ensure that their IT projects are duly cleared by NITDA, and directed that defaulters should be reported to the government for sanctioning.
Abdullahi also sought for the Force’s support towards ensuring that young Nigerians with genuine IT businesses are allowed to operate and, where necessary, adequately support in carrying out their lawful businesses.
“The critical role of Startups in our journey towards a Digital Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. However, some Tech startups have reported being harassed by some Law Enforcement Agencies, with some having their IT systems confiscated.
“This has negatively impacted their business operations as well as the economy. NITDA maintains a database of genuine Startups with verifiable business ventures and duly registered with the Agency. Access to such a database can be granted to the Force when the need arises,” he explained.
The IGP Usman Alkali Baba, appreciated NITDA’s visit to the corporate Headquarters of NPF and assured DG of the Force’s support towards realising the Agency’s mandate.
He also reiterated the need for synergy and collaboration with NITDA, stating that no organisation can effectively operate without leveraging digital technologies and NITDA being the IT regulator in the country, is central to the activities of the Force.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief Enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, has assured the network subscribers that the new end-user billing system for the use of USSD services will jot affect them.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes are commonly used for banking transactions, airtime recharges, and other mobile services.
The telco said that there is no significant impact or change other than the fact that they will now pay the same N6.98 per session (120 seconds) with their airtime instead of direct bank debit.
Saint-Nwafor, said this during a chat with MTN MIP fellows, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered telecom operators to ensure that the new billing model resolves trust issues and ensures transparency in the billing process.
“Our regulator insisted that at the end of every month, we are going to be providing history and statistics on the performance of the service across the board”, she explained.
Saint-Nwafor added that the new billing model has standardized messaging across all operators and ensures consistent communication with customers.
“We will take all the error codes and map them into messages that are standardised across the board. So, if you initiate a transaction, you will know if it is failing. And, when the transaction fails, you will know if it is from your bank or the telco,” she explained.
The U.S. government has recovered $225 million in what is now the largest seizure of funds linked to a cryptocurrency investment scam.
In a statement released Wednesday, June 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the recovery followed an extensive investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, using blockchain analysis and other forensic tools. The statement did not confirm whether any arrests had been made.
According to the authorities, the stolen funds originated from fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that tricked victims into believing they were making legitimate investments. More than 400 individuals around the world, including dozens in the United States, were reportedly affected.
The operation involved a sophisticated money laundering network that carried out hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions to obscure the source and ownership of the stolen assets.
“These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims,” said Shawn Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service office in San Francisco.
Bradstreet added that U.S. officials hope the recovered funds can eventually be returned to the rightful victims.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud accounted for over $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the statement.
In a rousing declaration that is electrifying minds across the continent, Hon. Nnaemeka Ani, Special Adviser on ICT to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a homegrown digital revolution under the banner “Africa Will Rise: By Code, By Courage, By Us.”
Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
The message, part challenge, part philosophical—seeks to galvanize African innovators to move beyond buzzwords and build technology with impact and legacy in mind.
“Let’s stop building for hype. Let’s start building for legacy,” Ani urged while speaking to ICT journalists over the weekend. “Let’s stop waiting for someone else. Let’s start creating the future—on our own terms.”
At the heart of Ani’s vision is a shift from tech consumerism to tech authorship. With innovation hubs sprouting across cities like Enugu, Lagos, Kigali, Jo’Burg, and Nairobi, and a growing community of developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs determined to solve Africa’s unique challenges, the movement is already taking shape.
Ani emphasized that Africa’s future lies not in flashy apps or international admiration but in persistent, intentional solutions that uplift communities—solutions that digitize public services, bridge rural-urban divides, empower women and youth, and build resilience in food and climate systems.
“We have the talent,” he said. “Now it’s time to harness it—to stop building for likes and start building for lasting impact.”
With support from leaders like Ani and rising momentum in Africa’s tech corridors, it seems that a new chapter is being written—one line of code at a time.
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