By Emmanuel Elebeke

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and reliant on technology,  the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has advocated the need for robust cyber-norms and confidence-building measures within the global community.

He said the call has become a pressing issue, therefore, global leaders from governments, international organisations, and cybersecurity experts should discuss how international cyber-norms that are widely accepted and followed by all actors in the digital space could be developed and promoted.

He spoke at the International Conference on Cyber Diplomacy (ICCD), organised by Cyber Diplomacy Center, Bucharest, Romania in Abuja.

Inuwa, who participated virtually during a panel session opined that, first step towards promoting the development of international cyber-norms is to increase awareness among stakeholders through conferences, seminars, workshops, and other awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of cybersecurity and the need for international cyber norms.

The panel session had in attendance cybersecurity experts notably, KABDESH Adiletkhan Kanatuly, Head of the Personal Data Protection Department of the Information Security Committee, Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, Republic of Kazakhstan; Alexandru Georgescu, Moderator WG3 on Critical Energy Infrastructures; and Gabriela Matei, Training team lead, EuroAtlantic Center for Resilience.

He noted that, actors need to develop the capacity of their workforce in the cybersecurity industry to help promote the development of international cyber-norms. 

This he said can be achieved through training, education, and the provision of resources needed to tackle cyber threats.

Inuwa further identified International Diplomacy as another key aspect of promoting the development of international cyber-norms. 

According to him, with the ever-evolving landscape of technology and cybersecurity, it is critical for countries to establish common grounds on cybersecurity issues and advocate for the development of international cyber-norms that are widely accepted and followed by all actors in the digital space.

“There is a need to develop strong legislation to regulate cybersecurity and enforce these laws to deter cybercriminals. This will go a long way in promoting the development of international cyber-norms,” he said.

Speaking on Confidence-building Measures (CBMs) to enhance trust and prevent misunderstandings or miscalculations in cyberspace, the NITDA boss said CBMs can be used to enhance trust and prevent misunderstandings or miscalculations in cyberspace by promoting transparency, communication, and cooperation among stakeholders.

He said Nigerian government has established several initiatives to build trust and promote transparency in cyberspace.