Buhari: We’re working on creating the largest digital database in Africa

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria has taken the lead with cyber policing in West Africa.

Speaking at the ongoing annual investment meeting in UAE, the president said his administration has continued to initiate measures to combat emerging cyber crimes like elections manipulation, subvertion of rights of citizens as well as propagation of violence.

He said the present government is also working on creating the largest digital database in Africa as “over thirty million Nigerians and legal residents” are already captured in the digital identity system.

He also said while Nigeria has close to ninety technology hubs, “new ones are coming up every day and they are all developing solutions for Nigerian, and indeed global problems.”

“In effect, the digital world has become the new frontier for both good and evil. Therefore, the challenge for world leaders must be to ensure that this space is inclusive, accessible and safe,” he said.

“When we came in 2015, we immediately agreed that any future economic growth must be inclusive. We therefore leveraged and supported digital platforms in our numerous socio-economic programs.

“On cyber security, Nigeria has taken the lead in cyber policing in West Africa. In this, we are working with our regional and global partners.”

Buhari also said his administration’s sector reform programmes have focused on digitising key operations; “from procurement to payroll to revenue collections.”

“We are using digital platforms to reinforce our objectives of improving efficiency, accountability and transparency in governance,” he added.

“Emerging threats are difficult to prevent or manage unilaterally. It has to be a collective effort, led by both public and private sector leaders – many of whom are here today. A certain level of regulation is needed to preserve the integrity of the digital economy.”