JoHANNESBURG – A Nigerian Information Technologist specialist based in South Africa, Mr Mathew Okafor, on Thursday urged Nigerian firms to formulate an IT security policy for the country.
Okafor, a leading IT security expert, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg, South Africa, that such security policy would check internet fraud.
‘’ The financial sector, defence, intelligence, all sectors in the energy field, need to come together and formulate an IT security policy frame work for the country.
‘’ We have the experts in the field and when they sit down and formulate the governance frame work for us to carry IT security forward, the country will prosper,’’ he said.
Okafor said many South African firms had come to Nigeria to carry out IT security audit for Nigerian companies.
“ Nigeria lacks the infrastructure on IT security and we need solid infrastructure because there are financial institutions in South Africa and Nigeria working across the two stock exchanges.
“ We need accountability and IT security provides that guarantee for bank customers for example to assure them on safety.
‘’ Safety and internet fraud are big issues within the sub-region and Africa as a whole. IT security ensures these are checked.
Okafor said Nigeria needed to improve on the level of IT security and audit in its financial system as in South Africa, Egypt and Morocco.
‘’ We have experts in Nigeria but we are not there yet. There is much room for improvement.
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“ We need to up our game and the government can do more to encourage people to go into IT security and audit,’’ he said.
He said improved IT security and audit would boost confidence in institutions in the financial, energy and public sectors.
‘’ Also, this gives external investors confidence about due diligence, accountability and corporate governance,’’ he said. (NAN)
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