A former member of the House of Representatives and security expert, Hon. Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, has lauded the newly implemented 0.5 per cent cybersecurity levy.
Gebi spoke during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday.
While praising the National Security Adviser (NSA) for taking action, Gebi emphasised the need for improved communication and methodology regarding the levy.
He acknowledged the escalating threat of cybercrime in Nigeria and highlighted the daily struggles of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the compromised online accounts of many citizens.
Gebi commended the levy as a necessary step towards implementing internationally recognised cybersecurity protocols, which have been delayed since the passage of the Cybercrime Act in 2015.
He said:
“The porosity of our cyberspace cannot be comprehended because we assume we are secure, if Nigerian Banks were to open up to how much money they have been losing to cybercrimes perhaps everyone would run to take their money because you realise your monies are not safe.
“And this is not something that a country can implement in isolation. The most powerful countries in the world get hacked almost every day, the hackers evolve, and the security policy and protocols of a country also need to evolve to counter them.”
“Nigeria is more prone to cyberattacks than any other developing nation in the world considering the size and might of our economy, considering the adversarial presence we have around us, considering the internal security problems that we have, there is again no gainsaying the National security adviser as the coordinator of all security agencies in Nigeria must do the needful and this needful requires funding.”
Gebi highlighted how robust cybersecurity infrastructure can benefit the financial sector, law enforcement agencies, and citizens alike.
However, Gebi criticised the methodology surrounding the levy’s implementation. He expressed concern about the communication strategy, suggesting it lacked clarity and failed to effectively convey the value Nigerians would receive in return for the Cybersecurity levy.
Gebi emphasised the importance of building consensus and educating the public before implementing such measures.
He added:
“For me, is the timing, right? The timing has been right for a very long time but the methodology of the implementation perhaps could have been better. The communication strategy could have been better.”