NITDA chief warns of AI-driven cyber threats, set for new stakeholder dialogues - ITREALMS Online

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The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has issued a call for urgent and coordinated national action against Artificial Intelligence-driven cybersecurity risks, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking ahead of the formal inauguration of a proposed cybersecurity advisory council, Inuwa revealed that the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy will convene at least two additional stakeholder engagement sessions.
This move represents a coordinated national framework designed to mirror the inclusive and transparent approach utilized for Nigeria’s National AI Strategy.

Inuwa explained that the integration of AI into everyday systems has fundamentally altered the cybersecurity landscape, introducing a mechanical necessity for a shift in defensive strategies.

He highlighted that cyberattacks are now being executed both on AI systems and through AI technologies, significantly expanding the theater of vulnerability.

"AI is changing the game and elevating the threat landscape," Inuwa stated. "The more we integrate AI into our lives, the more we need to change the way we look at cybersecurity."

A critical area of concern highlighted by the NITDA boss is the emergence of advanced AI-driven social engineering, particularly deepfake technology.

These sophisticated tools make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and AI-generated audio or video, with instances of such technology being used to compromise virtual calls.

Inuwa cautioned that cybersecurity resilience is a collective responsibility, as the digital fate of the nation is interconnected.

"We are only as strong as our weakest link," he noted, referencing instances where compromised financial institutions were exploited to gain access to broader payment systems and government infrastructure.

The upcoming advisory council is viewed as a standard prerequisite for enhancing information sharing and building a resilient national digital ecosystem.

By deepening synergy between the government and the private sector, the initiative aims to move past traditional silos to create a fundamentally strong defense framework.

NITDA reaffirmed its irreducible commitment to supporting the council and collaborating across all sectors to ensure Nigeria’s cybersecurity framework can withstand the increasingly complex and unpredictable threats of the digital age.

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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