The Lagos State Government said it has set up a Cybersecurity Operations Centre to serve as a focal point for monitoring, detecting, responding, and responding to cyber threats in real-time in Lagos State, the Lagos State Government has set up a Cyber Security Operations Centre.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Science, Innovation and Technology Mr. Olatunbosun Alake at the Year 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing held on Monday, according to Nairametrics.
According to him, the centre will employ advanced technologies and a team of cybersecurity experts to ensure the state’s digital infrastructure is safeguarded against potential attacks.
Alake pointed out that the State has also established a Cyber Security Council, made up of experts from the public and private sectors, which is responsible for making recommendations to the Government, planning, refining, and implementing cybersecurity policies, programmes, and training initiatives.
Alake said the government has also been working with top cybersecurity companies and international organisations to give the state access to advanced technologies and expertise while increasing its capacity to fight complex cyber threats, to achieve a wider strategy for improving national security and management.
In the statement, Alake also spoke on the Data Protection Compliance Project of the government, saying that Lagos has embarked on sensitization and awareness workshops for all Heads of Accounts, Procurement, Planning, Legal Officers, Medical Directors, Body of Permanent Secretaries, Cabinet members, Head of Cadres Statewide and for 43 MDAs; as well as the establishment of 70 Data Protection officers in various MDAs.
“The Commissioner averred that the objectives of the data protection compliance project are to safeguard the rights of natural persons to data privacy and foster safe conduct for transactions involving the exchange of personal data; prevent manipulation of personal data and ensure that Nigerian businesses remain competitive in international trade with best practice,” the statement read in part.
On the State’s MetroFibre, The Commissioner said that, in order to create a more conducive environment for businesses, and jobs and increase the country’s gross domestic product, this project aims at achieving an economy driven by 24 hours per-day operation which would allow companies to operate safely and securely.
In addition, he said that in Phase I of this project, the State had established 2,700 km of united fibre cable throughout the country and another 3 300 km were to be installed as part of Phase II.
“On the Safe City Project, Alake said it also involved Building a digitised 24/7 city which would allow companies to operate in a safe and secure environment thereby creating a safer and more conducive environment for businesses, more jobs, and increasing the IGR of the State.
“He said the Safe City project involves the deployment of Intelligent Video Cameras in strategic locations in the State with the execution and completion spread over points in time, in Phases I, II, and III, respectively, adding that 450 surveillance Cameras have been deployed at strategic locations across the city,” the statement added.
After the federal level, the country has the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), which is responsible for securing the country’s cyberspace.
The ngCERT is responsible for the management of cyber threats, coordination of incident response and mitigation strategies, preparing for attacks, problems, or events as well as reducing the occurrence of future incidents.
