Cyber-crimes: Nigeria tops African countries, loses $350m annually

ITRealms:

Nigeria is on the lead of top three African countries, just as the nation lost $350m to cyber-crimes annually, reports ITRealms.

President of Cyber Security Expert Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), Mr. Remi Afon, disclosed this in a presentation at the 2017 Vienna Symposium on Global Cybersecurity Awareness Messaging, Austria entitled: "Cybersecurity in Africa: Changing the Perspectives" in association with Samaila Atsen Bako.

According to them, cybercrime costs the world economy the sum of US $500 billion, which is over the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Africa, estimated at $350.6 billion and slightly less than that of Nigeria, about $521.8 billion which is the continent's largest economy

As such Nigeria, they said, Nigeria losses $350 million to cybercrime yearly followed by Uganda $50 million and Kenya $250 million.

ITRealms reports that they disclosed that some 11 States out of the 54 countries on the continent have basic substantive and procedural law provisions in place, while a further 12 States seemed to have substantive and procedural law provisions partially in place.

“The majority of African States (30) did not have specific legal provisions on cybercrime and electronic evidence in force. Draft laws or amendments to existing legislation reportedly had been prepared in at least 15 States,” they said.

They noted that for the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), a not for profit group of professionals in the field of Information Security in Nigeria, has focus on awareness and training whereas advocating for strong legislative framework, government commitment, multi stakeholder approach, capacity building and cross border collaboration.

In addition, they said, CSEAN holds healthy debates to expand audience knowledge, awareness and understanding of the issues around cyber-crime with objective of sharing knowledge to grow the Information Security Industry in Nigeria via workshops and seminars.

Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) -not for profit group of professionals in the field of Information Security in Nigeria

Further, they said that CSEAN adopted Stop Think Connect, stressing that considering Africa’s youthful population, “our main focus is on the youth.”

Nonye Dom/GEE

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