Data Security: Lagos Sets Up ‘First-ever’ Cybersecurity Advisory Board

• Lagos State takes major steps towards Cybersecurity.

• The state government constitutes an advisory board to protect systems and data.

• The board is expected to recommend the development of policies and programmes regarding the state’s Cybersecurity endeavours.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Lagos State Government has set up a Cybersecurity Advisory Board to facilitate the design, implementation and management of an effective Cybersecurity programme.

The state government announced the development in a statement Monday evening.

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It described the advisory board constitution as a major step to mitigate cybersecurity risks to its systems, assets and data.

“Lagos State is the first state to proactively constitute such :forward thinking and strategic’ board – in consonance with its status as the pacesetter for technology, innovation and governance,” the statement reads in part.

Some of the members of the board are: Dr. Osakwe Fene, Amazon bestselling author, Forbes Technology Council member and winner of the 2023 Global Cyber Educator of the Year Award in the United Kingdom; Mr Taiye Lambo, first Chief Information Security Officer for the City of Atlanta; Dr. Bharat Soni, Chief Information Security Officer, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc; Chineye Chizea, security architect, World Bank/Federal Government of Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project; Ben Oguntala, former Cyber Security Project Manager, NFU Mutual Insurance UK; Dr Obadare Adewale, Co-Founder, Digital Encode, and Mr. Tunbosun Alake, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology.

Others are representatives from the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Ministry of Justice, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) and the Police.

Responsibilities of the Lagos Cybersecurity Advisory Board

“The Cybersecurity Advisory Board will make recommendations to the Government on the development, planning, refinement and implementation of policies, programmes, and training initiatives regarding its Cybersecurity endeavours,” the Lagos government said.

“The Board is a multi-disciplinary and cross-functional group comprising professional cybersecurity industry leaders, public sector experts, members of ICT, law enforcement, education, media, etc.

“As Lagos State transits to a global digital future, the need for a cyber-security framework and plan is necessary as both inherent and residual risks are increasingly driven by global connectivity and the usage of cloud services to store sensitive data and personal information.

“The State is implementing a Smart City programme in line with its THEMES Plus Agenda and projects that will result in a more connected future. The data from these initiatives are invaluable assets that require digital protection.”

The statement also disclosed that Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu congratulated members of the board.

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The governor added that the board’s constitution would reassure investors that “Lagos is not just the technology hub in Africa, but a cyber secure tech hub”.

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