*The Nigerian Communications Commission says its programmes and initiatives are designed to activate digital skills among young people, promote innovations, provide jobs, and support the government鈥檚 Digital Economy agenda

*Digital Encode Limited discloses young Nigerian tech professionals are making efforts at 聽protecting the financial ecosystem and critical digital infrastructure in the country

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

Contrary to a groundswell of negative developments in the cybersecurity world in recent times regarding ransomware attacks, and how the 鈥榙ark world鈥� is filled with masterminds, Nigeria may soon witness an era in which its young, highly skilled minds will protect the West African country鈥檚 cyberspace, critical digital infrastructure and businesses for socio-economic transformation.

Of recent, cybercriminals have reportedly become greedy with ransom demands hitting new records, becoming somewhat public relations (PR) savvy in several economies, while 聽law enforcement also celebrates some victories from time to time.

Digital Encode Limited, a cybersecurity and consultancy firm, however, has stated that 聽in the next five years, Nigeria will have enough cyberwarriors to defend the country鈥檚 cyberspace and businesses, report said.

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Dr. Peter Obadare,聽 Co-Founder of Digital Encode Limited, noted this development at the weekend, in Lagos, when the company rewarded winners of the Cyberchain Hackathon programme.

Obadare explained that the country now has several young people that would have become cybertraitors themselves, but they are putting their skills to good use.

According to the Digital Encode Chief, these young professionals are working to protect the Nigerian financial ecosystem as well as the critical digital infrastructure for the good of the country.

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He stated: 鈥淭hese are young people that would have become cyber traitors themselves, but they are putting their skills to good use; working to protect the financial ecosystem and Nigeria鈥檚 critical digital infrastructure.

鈥淲e鈥檙e confident that we鈥檙e going to do very well in the future.鈥�

Obadare also said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e confident that cybercrime will soon become a thing of the past in Nigeria because we will have people that will be protecting the cyberspace.鈥�

NCC鈥檚 ICT Parks, Hackathon, and other initiatives for tech startup ecosystem

绿帽献妻 had reported the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been in the forefront of designing programmes and initiatives to facilitate the development and sustainability of the tech startup ecosystem.

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Such telecoms sector regulatory Commission鈥檚 initiatives include the ICT Hubs Support and Engagement Programmes; Annual ICT Innovation Competition and Exhibition; Annual Hackathon, and the development of ICT Parks across the geopolitical zones of the country.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, earlier this month enumerated these initiatives at the two-day Zonal Regional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Innovation Forum the Commission held in Enugu, Enugu State capital, recently.

Prof. Danbatta, EVC/CEO (middle); Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs (far left), with the 2021 NCC National Essay Competition winners at the Commission’s Head Office, in Abuja, FCT

The annual event had the theme: 鈥淒igital Societies and Emerging Technologies: Leveraging ICTs to Build Information and Knowledge Societies for Achieving the Nation鈥檚 Digital Economy鈥�.

READ ALSO: NCC Activating Strategic Plan For Broadband Infrastructure, All-Inclusive Digital Economy 鈹�Danbatta

While offering insight into the ICT Park concept, Prof. Danbatta affirmed that the telecoms regulator is currently building six technology parks across the geopolitical zones of the country.

According to him, the first phase of the project is nearing completion in four zones, namely, Enugu in the South East, Abeokuta in the South-West, Maiduguri in the North-East, and Kano in the North-West.

Initiatives to boost digital skills, innovations, digital economy: Danbatta

In terms of the objectives of the NCC programmes and initiatives, Danbatta also noted: 鈥淭he project comes with a strategic intent of boosting digital skills among young people, promoting innovations, providing jobs for young Nigerians, and ultimately supporting the Federal Government Digital Economy Agenda.鈥�

RELATED: NCC EVC Urges Nigerian Youths On Proper Application Of Digital Skills, ICT Tools

He further emphasised that the ICT Parks, which are at various levels of completion would deliver a fully-functional Tier-4 Digital Industry Complex (DIC) that would involve a commercial hub for ICT capacity building and digital skills, employment generation and entrepreneurial activities, and smart city deployment across the Complex.

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