Strengthening Strategic Approach to Counter Cyberspace Threats in Nigeria

Abstract

Most cyber threats and attacks on a system an organisation or a nation have significant consequences especially on missions and can affect even an unintended target. Nigeria is vulnerable to such threats the most pressing of which is cybercrime that sabotage economic prosperity and damage reputation. This cybercrime is a result of (mostly internal) cybercriminal threats exploiting weaknesses in high population lacking security consciousness inadequate low-level security controls poor governmental sustainable commitment poverty and lack of capacity. Nigerian National Cyber Security Strategy (NNCSS) needs to be optimized to consider Nigerian peculiarity and concepts critical to strategy development. For instance Nigerian electronic fraud forum (NEFF) is the only partnership scheme cutting across different sectors and is tailored towards monetary transaction. We therefore identified critical control issues in NNCSS give suggestions to strengthen NNCSS-an algorithmic step for risk based strategy development and an adjustment to the institutional setting. Considered all together a framework of a model to enhance the strategy is given. Nigeria is a strategic country-known for some cyber threats and an enhancement of its existing cyber security strategic approaches will not only ensure adequate security to the country but also others. For example cooperation a significant element of strategy fostered at various levels (international through local) strengthens the course of nations efforts to cyber security.