Internet users in Nigeria now 149.8 million – Danbatta

ABUJA, Nigeria – Internet users across mobile networks in Nigeria have moved up to 149. 8 million, Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC), Professor Umar Danbatta has revealed.

Danbatta who said the 149.8 million users was based on calculation as at the month endingAugust, 2020 said more users are expected online as services in different sectors of the economy are becoming digitalised.

He said that as the number of internet users increase,  there is the need to for everybody to be cybersecurity-conscious to guarantee online safety  and that it should not be reserved for a group of people.

“Security is not reserved for a group of people, it is truly everyone’s business; bringing competence and knowledge to help build a safer and more inclusive information society.

“To keep the genuine individual and corporate Internet users safe, the NCC, as regulator of the telecom sector, annually joins the rest of the world to create a lot of enlightenment around cybercrime in the month of October every year. We ensure that consumers are empowered through awareness and sensitisation campaigns, by providing information on both the positive and negative potentials available online, and measures required to safeguard themselves and their loved ones,” the EVC said.

Danbatta gave the advice to herald the commencement of a series of enlightenment and awareness campaign activities being embarked upon by the Commission for this year’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).

The month of October every year is NCSAM globally, aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity, and to provide the public with general knowledge and tools required for online safety.

He stated that the increase in digital financial transactions for e-commence activities calls for greater responsibility on the part of individuals and corporate internet users to protect themselves against cybercrimes.

According to Danbatta, as the Commission embarks on various policy initiatives to drive pervasive broadband penetration to achieve increased digital inclusiveness, it is not unmindful of those who use Internet to carry out nefarious and dubious activities in the cyber space.

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Danbatta restated the commitment of the Commission to continually embark on policy initiatives to enhance online security as well as educate and equip the consumers of telecoms services with information they need to be protected online.