NITDA, lawmakers seek global action against AI-driven cyber threats
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NITDA, lawmakers seek global action against AI-driven cyber threats
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA and other stakeholders have called for stronger international cooperation to tackle cyber threats driven by artificial intelligence.
The call was made on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the International Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja, where cybersecurity experts, lawmakers and international partners warned that the growing sophistication of cyberattacks required continuous adaptation and stronger collaboration.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said the increasing use of AI by cybercriminals had created new challenges for individuals, institutions and governments.
He said organisations needed to deploy advanced technologies to anticipate, detect and counter cyberattacks, while strengthening their ability to recover from security breaches.
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Inuwa explained that cybersecurity and cyber resilience were related but distinct, noting that cybersecurity focused on preventing attacks, while resilience involved the capacity to recover when attacks occurred.
He said the growing sophistication of AI had made it necessary to extend cybersecurity strategies beyond computer systems and digital infrastructure to include the human mind.
According to him, cybercriminals increasingly exploit human weaknesses because manipulating individuals could be easier than breaching sophisticated technological systems.
He said the conference would examine ways to protect individuals and institutions against technological attacks and attempts to manipulate human behaviour.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, described the conference as an opportunity to promote technology diplomacy and strengthen Nigeria’s international partnerships in the digital sector.
He said the participation of legislators from other countries demonstrated international interest in Nigeria’s technology initiatives and its potential for business and collaboration.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Adedeji Stanley Olajide, described cybersecurity as a moving target that required continuous learning and adaptation.
Olajide warned that strategies effective today might become inadequate tomorrow as artificial intelligence continued to change the methods available to cybercriminals.
He called for stronger cooperation among cybersecurity practitioners, policymakers, diplomats, judges and heads of government agencies.
The lawmaker said cyber threats transcended national and continental boundaries, requiring countries across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas to work together.
Also speaking, the Chair of the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Convention Committee, Pedro Verdelho, called for efforts to bridge the gap between the rapid adoption of digital technologies and public understanding of their associated risks.
He said artificial intelligence and other digital tools had become part of everyday activities, including travel planning, online searches and commercial transactions, but awareness of the accompanying risks remained inadequate.
Verdelho urged governments, private organisations and individuals to strengthen cybersecurity awareness.
He also highlighted the Budapest Convention, an international treaty designed to facilitate cooperation against cybercrime and improve access to electronic evidence.
The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said cybersecurity was essential to building public confidence in digital transformation.
She warned that although increased connectivity created opportunities for innovation, economic growth and inclusion, it also exposed individuals and institutions to greater cyber risks.
Westerholm said Sweden and Swedish companies were supporting Nigeria’s digital transformation efforts.
