The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has earned the much-coveted ISO 27001; 2013 Certification, which conferred on the agency a mark of attaining global security standard in the sector.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that ISO 27001: 2013 certification is an international certification awarded to an Information and Technology, IT, organisation that ensures that information security management system of the organisation is accessed globally.
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The presentation ceremony was held in Abuja in the presence the Minister of Communication, Dr. Isa Ali-Pantami; NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa; Managing Director/CEO of Digital Jewels; representatives of government agencies and other IT industry stakeholders.
Speaking during the event, Mr Ali-Pantami, commended NITDA for upholding his legacy and ensuring that the Agency was the first public organization in the Country’s IT cycle to obtain ISO 27001; 2013 certification.
The minister, who could not hide his happiness over the development, called on all the agencies under his ministry to follow suit by striving to attain the ISO Certification in no distant time.
Mr Ali-Pantami particularly urged the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Nigerian Postal Services, NIPOST, and Nigerian Communications Satellite, NICOMSSAT, to ensure they all obtain the ISO certifications in order to achieve the Federal government’s agenda.
He said: “As the initiator of the process, I am proud the Agency has met all requirements, this will enhance efficiency in service delivery to the public and also checkmate the menace of Cybercrime in Nigeria.
“Getting certification is one thing, retaining it is another task, I exhort the management of NITDA not to drop their guard as surveillance audit will be done periodically,” he added.
Also speaking, the NITDA DG pledged to uphold the global standards and practices in the day to day operation of the Agency.
He said: “For me, it is a journey and something that will be an ongoing improvement process with organisational caution. We passed through about seven months to earn the certificate.
“We started with the envisioning, by examining our own culture and behaviour in the organisation. Then the planning. The consultant worked with our staff to investigate, categorise and prioritize potential feeds within the agency.
“Then the paperwork. After all that, we documented all our policies, processes and procedures on how we do our work. Then the cost and then the implication
which helped us embed in us the right organisational culture within the agency.
“Finally, I want to congratulate the NITDA staff and the Honourable Minister because I am dedicating this success to him.
“He started the whole process and he has provided the leadership for the organisation to change so that the change will go down the public sector, their regulator, and he wants us to lead by example.
“That was why he said we needed to be certified before we start preaching to others to do so.
“So, honestly the success is for him and the target set to him by the president to digitise the government services by 2023.”
