The Central Bank of Nigeria has partnered with cybersecurity stakeholders to launch a new cyber awareness campaign tagged ‘#NoGoFallMaga’.
The initiative was launched in collaboration with the Committee of Chief Information Security Officers of the Nigeria Financial Industry and Cybersafe Foundation.
While announcing the partnership during a Cybersecurity awareness campaign media, CCISONFI Chairman, Abumere Igboa noted the initiative looks at tackling cybercrime which poses a threat to customers and the Nigeria citizenry in conducting reliable and safe financial services.
“Although the use of digital platforms has transformed the cyber and technology landscape, it also has its own risk, especially with sustaining trust in customers’ ability to transact securely within the financial ecosystem,” he said.
Igboa noted that a loss of such trust and confidence could undermine the benefits of CBN’s cashless economy or the ability to continually leverage technology.
He added that there was a constant need to address the related challenges of ensuring continuous cybersecurity and data privacy.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley, said the partnership would enable them to join forces to reach the 40 million Nigerians who currently access financial services across the country.
CBN Director of Banking Supervision, Haruna Mustafa, who was represented by Dr. Adedeji Sikiru, CBN Deputy Director, Banking Supervision, noted the bank is ready to partner with industry stakeholders to sustain efforts at educating staff and customers on fraud information and cybersecurity hygiene practices.
“It would also be beneficial to the industry if banks extend their cybersecurity awareness programme to their customers using various media in Nigerian languages such Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, among others, for an improved ecosystem
He pointed out that the present generation of students were practically born with technology in their hands, and cybersecurity must be an integral part of their education.
Students, teachers, and administrators all need access to the learning tools necessary to understand, detect and avoid cyber threats they might encounter in their daily activities as well.