Denis Opudo
A conference was held on 5th December 2017 to discuss on the recently released report about the African web space. The report had earlier on indicated that there was no security in the African web space. The experts had to come together and discuss the worrying situation and how to change it.
According to Tunji Olaopa, executive vice-chairman of Ibadan School of Governance and Public Policy, ISGPP African privacy and security online fundamentally do not operate at its level best. It, therefore, calls for an immediate action, and stakeholder’s quick response. Africa is seen as the new internet giant and innovator of telecommunication hence it should be able to sort its data mess.
It was noted during the event that unless quick solutions are arrived at, Africa, therefore, will be dead as far as telecommunication issue is anything to go by. The data protection law was to be given priority this according to some voices which talked during the event. One of the case examples during the event was Nigeria where it was realized that many users in the country do not understand the importance of data protection. according to Emmanuel Okochu of Co-Creation Hub Nigeria, a Lagos-based technology and innovation center, this is the main challenge to the country’s data security this was
Emmanuel talked of the steps that his company is trying to warn the citizens on their security when it comes to the amount of personal information they upload online, but most of them don’t take the warning seriously. It was also noted that citizen’s personal information is always taken by most African countries without the right legal means on which such activities could be implied.
Some of the bodies that are working on Digital Rights and Freedom Bill to address Internet anomalies in Nigeria are Paradigm Initiative and other privacy rights advocates. The bill is now on the floor of the country’s Parliament for debate. Countries like Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mauritius, South Africa and much more were represented during the event.
