By:
Robert Kwaku Annor
Mozambique’s National
Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (INTIC, IP) has
conducted cybersecurity awareness activities in Matola and Maputo Province to
educate students and civil servants on digital risks, social media protection
and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The activities, held on
October 21 and 22 as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, were organised
through the National Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CSIRT Nacional) in
coordination with the Provincial Social Services (SPAS) of Matola.
On October 22, awareness
sessions focused on protecting social media accounts and identifying fake
profiles, with participants alerted to warning signs such as perfect photos,
requests for money or private content, and approaches to private conversations.
The speakers advised
participants not to respond to suspicious content, to keep evidence, block and
report suspicious profiles, and seek help from trusted adults. In cases of
account invasion, they recommended immediately changing passwords, terminating unknown
sessions, activating two-factor authentication, notifying contacts and
reporting the incident to the relevant platform.
The sessions also reinforced
the importance of not sharing security codes or exposing location information.
At the Industrial and
Commercial Institute of Matola, the sessions were conducted by Afonso Zucula
and Celson Massango, while Judas Tadeu and Vânia Zacarias led the sessions at
the Institute for Training in Public and Municipal Administration (IFAPA).
On October 21, National
CSIRT staff members Elves Teles and Lúcio Nhadumbuque delivered a lecture to
employees of the Council of State Representation Services of Maputo Province on
the dangers of the indiscriminate use of artificial intelligence in the civil
service.
The session highlighted the
risks of entering institutional documents into unauthorised tools, using
personal accounts and accepting unverified AI-generated responses.
Employees were advised to
protect personal and confidential data, prioritise authorised tools and ensure
human supervision before signing documents, publishing information or making
decisions. These precautions were presented as important measures to avoid
fraud, information leaks, manipulation and disinformation.
The session also stressed
that AI should serve as a support tool and never as an authority, ensuring that
citizens’ data is not used as test material.
INTIC said the initiatives
form part of its programme to strengthen digital literacy and promote safe
technology practices in Mozambique.
