Select leaders from Nigeria and other countries are set to map out new strategies to secure governments’ and business assets.
This move is expected to involve about 700 global leaders including top government functionaries.
They are expected to converge for the third World Cyber security Conference on September 17 in Abuja.
The conference will also map out new strategies to boost personal security including child online protection and online e-commerce transaction on the cyberspace, according to the organisers.
They gave the theme of the conference as ‘Cyber Insecurity: A latent threat to national security and economic development’.
The first lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, will lead the 700 leaders of thought, including a former Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Ehud Barak; founder of eWorldWide, USA, Dr. Salma Abbasi; and high level teams from the International Telecommunications Union and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The conference is being organised by Office of the First lady of Nigeria, in partnership with International Multilateral Partnerships Against Cyber Threat, Nigerian Communications Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency and New Horizons Nigeria.
It listed sponsors of the conference as the CBN, the Federal Inland Revenue Service and WiniGroup Incorporated.
The Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons and ITU-IMPACT Industry Partner for West Africa Mr. Tim Akano, was quoted in the statement as saying that the conference had become the most important gathering in Africa, South of Sahara, where leaders in government, business, military and intelligence and members of the diplomatic community would deliberate on one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today – cyber threats and cyber crimes.
He said, “In the new digital world everything that has power can be connected and everything that is connected can be seen and hacked, consequently, a conference of this nature becomes imperative to help Nigeria to dig its well before it becomes thirsty.
“It is gratifying to note that the First Lady of Nigeria in her capacity as the ITU-IMPACT Champion on Child Online Protection has decided to be hosting the World Cyber Security Conference yearly with a view to using the platform to draw the attention of governments, CEOs of organisations, military and intelligence chiefs globally to the inherent and latent danger every Institution confronts in the new digitised world.”
A statement from the organisers said Nigeria was picked because of the activities of the First Lady in ensuring that minors were protected on the Internet, especially from online predators and that the cash-less economy of the CBN policy was strengthened.
Ehud Barak, Israel’s most decorated soldier, it stated would speak on ‘Cyber, Physical Terrorism and Economic Development: My Experience as Israeli Prime Minister’. Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU, Mr. Brahima Sanou, would speak on, ‘The Role of Telecommunication and ICT in National Security and Development; while renowned technologist and global authority on sustainable development and cyber security, Dr. Salma Abbasi, would speak on, ‘Living in the Digital Society: Challenges, Threats and Solutions for the Child’, it stated.
The Deputy Governor of the CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo, would be talking on ‘Cash-less Economy: The Gains and Pains and the Road Ahead’, it said.