Lack of awareness is the main threat to cybersecurity in Togo, ANCy director says

ITC

Wednesday, 18 October 2023 16:25

Lack of awareness is the main threat to cybersecurity in Togo, ANCy director says

(Togo First) - One of the main threats to cybersecurity in Togo is the lack of awareness regarding the topic. That is according to the head of the country’s national agency for cybersecurity (ANCy), Cdt. Gbota Gwaliba. The official recently spoke to the media on the sidelines of the launch of the ECOWAS sub-regional hackathon on cybersecurity.

Main challenges

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“The first vulnerability is that the topic of cybersecurity is very new. A lot of companies and administrations don't take these cybersecurity issues into account, often claiming they don't have the budgets,” Gwaliba said, before adding: "Or, they think it's a phenomenon that's experienced much more in Europe or in developed countries."

To tackle this shortcoming, the agency focuses on communication and sensitization. A few weeks ago, it launched an awareness campaign.

"The other issue is that the whole ecosystem, especially the law enforcement part, is not yet sufficiently structured to be able to apprehend cybercriminals because they are very stealthy, they hide (...) So we're asking for everyone's collaboration, to help the police and gendarmerie, as well as those involved in the justice system, to be able to help us get our hands on these cybercriminals who are rampant in our countries."

At the moment, the ANCy is pushing big businesses and administrations to boost their level of maturity, relative to cybercrime, in line with the government’s "decree on essential service operators, essential infrastructures and related obligations”. The agency said it is also working on several technologies, "platforms that will help fight malicious sites, platforms that will help better protect small and medium-sized businesses, as well as startups”.

A five-year cybersecurity strategy in the pipeline

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Soon, the ANCy plans to draw a five-year plan for cybersecurity, according to its managing director, Cdt. Gwaliba.

"There are a huge number of projects that we're in the process of implementing. Very soon, the 2023-2027 cybersecurity strategy will be adopted with lots of activities over the next five years."

The ANCy was set up, in 2019, to better protect Togo’s cyberspace and fight cybercrime. Placed under the supervision of the ministry in charge of the digital economy, on the one hand, and the ministry in charge of security, on the other, its operational arm includes Cyber Defense Africa, a joint venture co-financed by the Togolese state and the Polish company Asseco.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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