Prof. Rasheed Jimoh, a renowned expert from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Ilorin, Unilorin, has called for the introduction of specialized cybersecurity programs in Nigerian universities.
During his presentation titled “Deconstructing the Crawling Mindsets: Combating Security Challenges of Net-Centric Computing” at the Unilorin 239th Inaugural Lecture in Ilorin, Mr. Jimoh stressed the importance of effective capacity building and cybersecurity.
He appealed to the Federal Government to embrace the use of biometric technology in public spaces as a means to combat cybercrime activities in the country.
Mr. Jimoh emphasized that implementing fingerprint authentication for all educational processes within the university system would not only prevent cases of impersonation but also enhance campus security.
Explaining the concept in detail, the professor stated that biometric algorithms identify the unique characteristics of each fingerprint, encrypt the data, and store it as a template.
“Students’ biometrics can be easily collected from the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s Central Admission Processing System (CAPS),” he added.
“We must acknowledge that integrating ICT in a Net-Centric computing environment is non-negotiable unless we are content with lagging behind our competitors and the rest of the world,” he warned. “Crawling in the digital era while the world is sprinting ahead is simply unacceptable.”
Mr. Jimoh stressed that Nigeria’s only option is to wake up to the urgent demands and find ways to eliminate or minimize the cybersecurity challenges associated with the emerging Net-Centric computing environment.
To achieve this, he suggested adopting information security management ethics and standards, along with the implementation of appropriate cybersecurity techniques. These techniques would ensure reliable authentication, mitigate security risks, enable secure sharing of information and resources, conduct intrusion-free operations, and maintain integrity in cyber activities.
The professor also highlighted the need to encourage sophisticated authentication methods to safeguard both card and card-less financial transactions, thereby preventing financial fraud.
In addition, he called on the government to double its efforts and allocate sufficient funds for aggressive awareness campaigns, emphasizing the importance of cultural adaptation to the emerging digital era. He emphasized the need to incorporate the basic Nigerian languages in this sensitization process.
“Organizations should prioritize hiring experts in information and cybersecurity and provide them with continuous training and development, given the dynamic nature of the discipline,” he concluded.
NAN
