The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE) has successfully conducted a high-level training for members of Nigeria’s National Assembly on cybersecurity, data protection, and best practices in financial lawmaking.
The three-day capacity-building program took place at CSAAE’s Foreign Office in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, USA, and featured a delegation of 11 lawmakers led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North).
With the theme “Cybersecurity, Data Protection and Best Practices in Financial Lawmaking,” the event was hosted by CSAAE’s U.S. team, headed by Executive Director Rev. Fr. Godswill Agbagwa, in collaboration with the organization’s Nigerian team.
The program received sponsorship from the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the Nigerian Senate, the Federal House of Representatives, and CSAAE’s C-Ethics Department.
C-Ethics, a flagship program of CSAAE, is dedicated to equipping professionals, entrepreneurs, leaders, and policymakers with the knowledge and ethical tools needed for responsible decision-making and leadership.
Distinguished members of the delegation included Senate Majority Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central); Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA (Lagos East); House Majority Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (Owan, Edo State); Hon. Ahmadu Usman Jaha (Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok); Hon. David Fuoh (Gashaka/Kurmi/Sardauna); Hon. James Barka (Adamawa); Hon. Abiodun Akinlade (Egbado South/Ipokia); Hon. Bukar Talba (Monguno/Marte/Nganzai); Hon. Chris Nkwonta (Ukwa East/Ukwa West), and Hon. Abubakar Bubar.
The training featured expert-led sessions from industry leaders.
Mr. Albert Bulson, Senior Vice President and Risk Operations Market Manager at M&T Bank, opened the event with a presentation on consumer protection and data privacy.
He was followed by Ms. Marilyn Onukwugha, Vice President at J.P. Morgan Chase, who delivered an insightful lecture on legislative approaches to data privacy in the financial sector.
Lawmakers engaged actively in the discussions, gaining valuable insights into effective lawmaking and enforcement.
Participants also toured Washington D.C., including a visit to the United States Capitol Building, facilitated by staff from the office of Rep. Carol Miller of West Virginia.
Day two featured an interactive Q&A session focused on the legislative process, constituent services, and public policy.
The conversation was enriched by the participation of Delegate Chang and explored a wide range of domestic and international issues.
Dr. Christopher A. Ramezan, cybersecurity professor at West Virginia University and coordinator of the Business Cybersecurity Management graduate program, spoke on business systems protection in the digital age.
The final session was delivered by Dr. Ashutosh Dutta, Senior Scientist and 5G Chief Strategist at Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Dutta, a renowned leader in 5G/6G technologies, gave a comprehensive overview of 5G networks, highlighting both their strengths and limitations, and discussed the ongoing innovations toward 6G deployment.
The event concluded on a high note, with participants acknowledging the critical knowledge gained. According to organizers, the training is expected to significantly improve the quality of financial lawmaking and cybersecurity policies in Nigeria.
In a post-event interview, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere praised CSAAE for its excellent organization and relevance of the program.
“It is clear that CSAAE knows what it is doing. The careful selection of resource persons and the seamless organization show their competence. I encourage them to continue their work and engage further with us in Nigeria to sustain these vital conversations,” Ihonvbere stated. “This is a good job. I give them 100%.”
With positive feedback from participants and facilitators alike, expectations are high that the lawmakers will translate their learnings into impactful legislation that promotes financial integrity, data protection, and cybersecurity in Nigeria.
Nigerians now eagerly await the implementation of these insights in the National Assembly.