Dr Akepe Linus Enobi, IICFIP African Continental Director.

The International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals (IICFIP) has offered to help Cameroon beef up cybersecurity and weed out corruption.

According to the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC), cybercrime is increasing and cost Cameroon at least 12.2-billion CFA francs in 2021 alone.

Transparency International says corruption is rampant, specifically tax evasion, bribery and electoral manipulation.

Speaking ahead of the IICFIB’s 7th global conference in Cameroon later this month, the organisation’s African Continental Director Dr Akepe Linus Enobi said digital transformation presents opportunities, but also additional crime which requires more technical skill sets.

Enobi said the organisation wants to deploy forensic science (which brings together all the different methods of STEM-based analysis) in investigations.

“’Future crimes’ is a new paradigm that must be addressed as we welcome digital transformation where corruption, cybercrimes and other crimes now leave behind more digital footprints than physical,” he said.

According to the IICFIP, its research shows that Cameroon has made significant progress in consolidating and modernising public financial processes, but more needs to be done regarding the development and use of the government domains.

Enobi added that the country must continue to grow their digital platforms to limit fraud as official business is still being conducted from private email boxes, for example, which offers officials little in the way of audit trails.

“Cameroon has human resources in specialised agencies to fight cybercrime and corruption. We will help in building their capacities, setting up digital laboratories and assisting them in getting the skills required to realise their objectives,” Enobi said, making specific reference to ANTIC, the Supreme State Audit Office and the National Agency for Financial Investigations.

“We will bring in very practical solutions, starting with fighting the counterfeiting of documents.”