Nigeria hosts cybercrime conference

The conference is hosted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and MicrosoftMicrosoft. Alles zu Microsoft auf CIO.de

"Cybersecurity is not only difficult to tackle, but also requires creative thinkers, talented policy makers who will understand and make people understand why and how a strong cybersecurity framework is a must for the creation of a vibrant national economy," said Namadi Sambo, Nigeria's vice president.

Nigeria is known for "advance fee" or "419" scams, which started after the fall of dictator Sani Abacha and a global campaign to have the money looted from the country repatriated, which gave a chance for criminals to masquerade as relatives of former leaders seeking to hide their wealth. Through schemes such as fake lotteries, bogus inheritances, romantic relationships, investment opportunities or -- infamously -- requests for assistance from "officials," scammers promise an elusive fortune in exchange for advance payments.

The conference was intended to strengthen trust by fostering partnerships among stakeholders at the national and international level. More than 200 government, civil society, academics, industry and international organizations participated in the conference, held in Abuja between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

"Advance fee fraud, particularly 419 scams, has plagued West Africa and damaged the region's reputation. This summit demonstrates and showcases how West Africa is stepping up to address the impact of fraud, helping to break the cycle through greater economic opportunity," said Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajijola, citizenship lead for Microsoft Anglophone West Africa.