Follow Us on Google
Chinenye Anuforo
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has restated how the over 114 million Internet users in Nigeria can be properly protected while online.
According to the commission, one of the key ways to achieve this is through enlightenment and awareness programmes, where consumers are informed of the dangers of cybercrime, as well as learn and observe skills gained through such awareness in order to be protected while on the Internet.
Director, consumer affairs bureau, NCC, Mrs. Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, stated this during the 47th edition of the NCC’s Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM), a monthly regulator, operator and consumer engagement forum for the grassroots, held in Uzuakoli, Abia State.
With the theme “Mitigating Effects of Cyber Crimes: The Role of Telecom Consumers,” Onwuegbuchulam said the tripartite programme was one of the initiatives of the commission to bring together consumers, network operators and the regulator to identify and discuss issues bordering of the telecoms industry with a view to jointly providing solutions to identified challenges.
While stating that cyberspace covers everything consumers do online or with computing devices, including mobile phones, tablets and personal computers, just as the Internet touches almost all aspects of human life, Onwuegbuchulam stressed the need for consumers to show interest in getting enlightenment and being conscious of fraudulent tendencies by some Internet users while online.
According to Onwuegbuchulam, who was represented at the forum by the the head of the information and reference unit of the NCC, Ismail Adedigba, the theme of the event was carefully chosen for deliberation to effectively educate and inform telecom consumers on the threats and modus operandi of cyber criminals in the industry and suggest ways by which the consumers can stay protected.
She disclosed that, as at February this year, there were over 114 million Internet users in the country with over 63 million of them accessing broadband services on 3G and 4G networks.
She said the need to constantly educate is further underscored by the large number of Nigerians online with even more to come online as the Commission intensifies efforts towards implementing it’s various initiatives aimed at deepenibg connectivity across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
“As access to internet increase, the dimension of cyber criminal activities is also becoming more sophisticated. Theere is a need, therefore, for the consumers to get enlightened on the dangers of cyber crimes and for them to, in turn, take the skills learnt through such consumer engagement programmes as CTM very seriously and apply them when using the Internet in order for keep the cyber space safe for them,” she said.
Onwuegbuchulam noted that the liberalisation of the telecoms industry in 2001 led to an unprecedented growth in the usage and dependence on internet-based solutions, services and applications, stressing that as Internet is being used for legitimate, positive engagements, some indivduals also use it for criminal activities in the cyber space.
She, however, stated that aside the continuous consumer enlightenment programmes such as CTM, being organised by the NCC, the Commission had also initiated a process to establish an Internet Industry Code of Practice for Internet Service.
