Cyber-Security in the Emerging World of Smart Everything

TL;DR

This paper assesses Nigeria's readiness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, focusing on cybersecurity challenges and the need for policy, skills, and infrastructure development to effectively leverage 4IR technologies.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into Nigeria's preparedness for 4IR, highlighting gaps in policy, skills, and institutional frameworks through survey data analysis.

Findings

60% of respondents believe Nigeria lacks sufficient legal and institutional frameworks.

Over half of university courses are relevant to 4IR skill development.

Nigeria needs to develop its digital and cyber ecosystems to mitigate 4IR risks.

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is a revolution many authors believe have come to stay. It is a revolution that has been fast blurring the line between physical, digital and biological technologies. These disruptive technologies largely rely on high-speed internet connectivity, Cloud technologies, Augmented Reality, Additive Manufacturing, Data science and Artificial Intelligence. Most developed economies have embraced the it while the developing economies are struggling to adopt 4IR because they lack the requisite skills, knowledge and technology. Thus, this study investigates Nigeria as one of the developing economies to understand her readiness for 4IR and the level of preparedness to mitigate the sophisticated cyber-attacks that comes with it. The investigation adopted quantitative research approach and developed an online questionnaire that was shared amongst the population of interest that includes academic, industry experts and relevant stakeholders. The questionnaire returned 116 valid responses which were analysed with descriptive statistical tools in SPSS. Results suggest that 60 of the respondents opined that Nigerian government at are not showing enough evidence to demonstrate her preparedness to leverage these promised potentials by developing 4IR relevant laws, strong institutional frameworks and policies. They lack significant development capacity to mitigate risks associated with digital ecosystem and cyber ecosystem that are ushered in by the 4IR. In the universities, 52 of the courses offered at the undergraduate and 42 at the post-graduate levels are relevant in the development of skills required in the revolution. The study recommends that the government at all levels make adequate efforts in developing the countrys intangible assets. In all, this paper posits that successful implementation of these could equip Nigeria to embrace the 4IR in all its aspects.