The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, has tasked Information Technology (IT) professionals to prioritize the safety and security of the country’s cyberspace.

Pantami made the call in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, in Abuja.

The statement said that the minister made the remark when he presented a paper titled: “Imperatives of Cybersecurity for a Digital Economy” during the International Conference of Nigeria Computer Society in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

The minister, who was the chairman of the occasion made a virtual presentation of his paper.

He said that the theme of the annual conference, which was; “Innovative Systems for a Digital Economy” was apt and in accord with the needs of a growing digital economy.

He emphasized that Digital Innovation and Digital Entrepreneurship were the building blocks of a successful indigenous digital economy.

The minister explained that such an economy could only thrive in safe and secure cyberspace, adding that this was why the federal government instituted strategies and policies to ensure that cybersecurity was given priority.

He said that the Federal Government had put some initiatives in place to ensure the success of a Digital Economy and safe cyberspace.

He gave some of the initiatives as the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), a regulatory instrument established to protect the privacy and confidentiality of citizens, and the National Cybersecurity Policy Strategy.

He also mentioned the setting up of the Computer Emergency Response and Readiness Team (CERRT).

According to him, priority and preference should be given to cybersecurity as the capacity and quality of solutions.

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He said that indigenous solutions should also be deployed to address existing or new problems to meet up the minimum global requirements.

Pantami commended the Nigeria Computer Society for its consistency in organizing the annual event and called for collaboration in the pursuit of safety and professionalism in the sector.

He also gave the assurances that the government was willing to enforce compliance.