AWARENESS ON DIGITAL SECURITY AND E-BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

 

Oscar Odiboh¹, Charity Ben-Enukora², Toluwalope Oresanya³, Darlington Yartey⁴, Ayoola Aiyelabola⁵

Dept. of Mass Communication, Covenant University, NIGERIA

¹Dr. odion.odiboh@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

²Mrs. enukora.ben@stu.cu.edu.ng

³Mr. oresanya.tolulope@stu.cu.edu.ng

⁴Mr. yartey.darlynton@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

⁵Ms. Ayoola.aiyelabola@stu.cu.edu.ng

 

 

Abstract

This study examined three fundamental threats to the security of digital business transactions in Nigeria. From experiential and personal perspectives of the people, especially as the enthusiasm for internet usage is acknowledged to be exponential, the study presented a variegated micro community as its locus. It touched on the bullying, stalking and extortions on the internet which fed on local desire to be part of the global technology family. With reference to earlier studies, it was recognized that though digital insecurity is a worldwide phenomenon, its prevalence in Nigeria seemed to have reached higher proportions. Founded on the theoretical platforms of identity flexibility and dissociative anonymity, this study examined the awareness level and experiences of phishing, cloning and hacking by residents of a mixed urban/semi-urban/rural community in Nigeria. Adopting a mixed research methodology, the study primarily implemented a qualitative approach involving thirty-two Focus Group discussants of mixed demographics - four male and four female aged 17-45 years, in four contiguous locations in Ota community. The study engaged a secondary methodology of quantitative survey of two hundred purposively selected adults and consistently focused on the electronic business transaction variable and depended on respondents’ willingness to participate, based on a past experience of internet stalking. Victims of either cloning, hacking, or phishing were 55.1% whilst 41.4% suffered damages amongst the respondents. Users’ vulnerability which was discovered, necessitated the recommendation of identity protection techniques, mass media awareness campaigns on digital security, as well as integration of digital security education in schools’ curriculum in Nigeria.

Keywords: Public awareness, E-business, Digital security, Cloning, Hacking, Phishing, Identity theft, Nigeria.