NITDA advises on data backup, wants entries for 2021 innovation challenge

THE National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA) has called on Nigerians to ensure they back up their data to avoid losses.

NITDA, which joined the rest of the globe to mark World Backup Day, ( March 31), said data backup is the process of keeping a clean second copy of any important digital content to guarantee availability; even when a computer crashes, cell phones or tablets get lost, data becomes corrupted or gets destroyed by a virus.

NITDA, in a statement, signed by its Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, said that with Nigeria’s drive for a vibrant Digital Economy, which intends to encourage both public and private institutions to promote their services online, there is potential to generate a massive amount of data.

Umar, who said World Backup Day originally began as World Backup Month, said that the event was initiated by a hard drive company ( Maxtor), which was later acquired by Seagate Technology.

According to her, this year’s event is timely because reminders of data protection are needed more than ever due to the sudden global shift to work- from- home.

Further, she said World Backup Day aims to raise awareness concerning the role of data in our lives and consequently the importance Secondly, people should follow the 3/ 2/ 1 of undertaking regular data backup. backup rule with three copies of your data,

“Making a backup copy of your valuable two on different media types, and one remote data can make all the difference when data copy ( cloud storage). loss or a compromise occurs. NITDA encour“Be sure to backup your data regularly and ages the public to safely store backup copies encourage your family, friends, and colof all valuable data from servers, personal leagues to do the same,” she added.

M electronic devices such as computers, smartEANWHILE, as part of the United Nations’ phones, and tablets regularly,” she stressed. World Creativity and Innovation Day

As such, Umar said NITDA advises the public 2021 NITDA is organising an Innovation Chalto adopt the following for data backup; first, lenge with the theme “Inspiring Creativity individuals can back up data daily to an exterand Innovation in the Nigerian Digital Econnal storage device like Flash Drive, Memory omy” to harness innovative and impactful soCard, Harddisk Drive ( HDD) or Solid State lutions for the development of a vibrant

Drive ( SSD), or Cloud Storage. digital economy.