President, NIG, Mr. Bayo Banjo
Emma Okonji
Cyber Nigeria Forum has called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the passage of cyber security law for Nigeria.
President of Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Mr. Bayo Banjo, who spoke at the Africa Information Society Merit Award (AISMA), organised by Cyber Nigeria Forum in Lagos recently, said the delay in the passage of the cyber bill would continue to impact negatively on the country’s development.
According to him, small companies that are innovative were being marginalised by bigger and established companies that want to operate monopolistic business, because there are no cyber laws backing small companies in cyberspace.
“In Nigeria, we have few big companies that have destroyed the bright future of small companies because of fear of competition from small companies that are innovative and ready to run fast with ideas that will move the country forward,” Banjo said.
Although the event was basically to recognise those that have contributed to the development and growth of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the country, speakers were invited to share ideas on key issues in the ICT industry.
In his welcome address, Coordinator of Cyber Nigeria Forum (CNF), Mr. Bayero Agabi, said, “CNF represents a gathering of top professionals who come to discuss critical issues of human cum national development.”
According to him, the presence of who is who in some of Nigeria’s critical sectors, including the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, at the forum exposed the revolution of the innovation taking place in the government and private sectors and unwraps the who, what and how of various initiatives that are enabling digital life.
The award event, he added, was specifically organised to focus on the ‘Economics of Cyberspace and Cyber Responsibility’ and maximising the potentials of the internet and the Nigerian state in a fast changing world.
The award, called the African Information Society Merit Award, is a pan Africa award initiated in 2009 to recognise and celebrate iconic contributions to science and technology and ICT applications, usage, deployment and development across Africa. The awards seek to celebrate innovations that are transforming Africa landscape from business to finance, tourism to entertainment and the media. The pan Africa award is meant for individuals, and organisation that promote the knowledge economy.
Some of the corporate awardees were Samsung Electronics, Computer Warehouse Group, Direct on PC, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), SystemSpecs, MTN, American Embassy, among others. Individual awardees include Johnson, Mr. Larry Izamoje and Mr. Emma Okonji of THISDAY Newspapers. The minister and Izamoje were recognised for their contributions to the development of ICT in the country, while Okonji was recognised as the Best ICT Reporter in the print media category for 2012.