The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has affirmed the agency’s commitment to partnering with the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigator of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) to enhance digital forensics capabilities and combat cybercrimes in the digital landscape. Inuwa conveyed this assurance during a meeting with CIFCFIN’s President, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbak, and his team at the NITDA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
Inuwa emphasized the detrimental impact of cybercrimes on national economies, organizations, and individuals, underscoring the necessity of building capacity to safeguard against unscrupulous elements. He highlighted the importance of prioritizing cybersecurity during the digitization of services to ensure safety and protection.
NITDA has already taken proactive measures to safeguard the cybersecurity landscape through initiatives such as awareness campaigns, capacity building, and infrastructure development. Inuwa acknowledged that collaboration with key stakeholders, including individuals, organizations, and other sovereign nations, is crucial for achieving optimal results in combating cyber threats.
Recognizing the substantial resources invested by cybercriminals in research and powerful tools for launching attacks, Inuwa stressed the need for a well-organized defense to counter these threats. He discussed plans to establish a Cybersecurity Laboratory, seeking collaboration from relevant stakeholders to expedite its design and implementation.
Regarding CIFCFIN’s specific collaboration requests in areas such as training and certification programs, research and development, information sharing, policy development, workshops and conferences, standardization, and accreditation, Inuwa affirmed NITDA’s engagement in various scholarship and training programs. He mentioned partnerships with platforms like Coursera and the Cisco Academy, through which thousands of Nigerians have already received training in cybersecurity.
Inuwa expressed optimism that the collaboration between NITDA and CIFCFIN would enhance the cybersecurity architecture of the tech ecosystem. He commended the institute for the successful enactment of the Institute’s Establishment Act in 2022.
Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbak, President of CIFCFIN, expressed the institute’s desire to partner with NITDA in the areas of digital forensics and cybersecurity. In addition to the requests mentioned earlier, he appealed for support in the form of computers for the Nigerian College of Forensics and Fraud Investigators (NCFFI), technical assistance for deploying their e-portal and e-learning platforms, and a postgraduate scheme/scholarship. Gashinbak assured NITDA of the institute’s dedication to fulfilling its duties and contributing to the success of the collaboration.
