The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced the development of a comprehensive cybersecurity framework to strengthen the protection of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry from digital threats.
This was disclosed by Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, during a Cybersecurity Framework Development Regulatory Meeting held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Dr. Aminu Maida highlighted that Nigeria’s telecom sector has grown from under 500,000 lines in 2001 to over 172 million active subscribers and 141 million internet users.
While this growth supports economic development and social inclusion, he warned that it also increases the risk of cyber threats, with government infrastructure being a key target for cybercriminals.
Why this framework matters
To address the risk of cyber threats, Maida said the NCC is working on a national framework that will strengthen cybersecurity across the industry.
“To counter these growing dangers, the NCC initiated the framework’s development with clear objectives.
“Some of the objectives are to foster a unified and resilient cybersecurity posture across the industry, enhance the protection of telecom infrastructure, shield consumer data and privacy, and align with both the National Cybersecurity Strategy and international best practices.
“The framework also aims to build industry-wide expertise to anticipate, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents, while proactively identifying and mitigating future risks,” he said.
Citing a UN Economic Committee for Africa report, Maida said a 10% increase in cybersecurity maturity can result in significant per capita GDP growth across Africa.
Cybersecurity requirements for telcos
Maida said the proposed framework will outline minimum cybersecurity expectations for telecom operators.
- These include rules for incident reporting, risk management, information sharing, and collaboration with regulatory agencies.
- The initiative, he said, will be guided by existing laws such as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2015 and the Nigerian Data Protection Act of 2023, which require critical sectors like telecoms to adopt stronger cybersecurity measures.
Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner of Technical Services at the NCC, said the commission is working closely with stakeholders to ensure the framework reflects industry realities. He noted that Cybersecurity is no longer optional but a mandatory requirement.
He explained that the regulatory meeting was aimed at engaging industry players, adding that their input would be used to shape the final framework.
More insights
Dr. Kazeem Durodoye, CEO of Cybernovr, said the framework must take into account the evolving nature of mobile technologies, including Open RAN and network virtualisation, which have changed the risk landscape for 2G, 3G, and 5G networks.
Speaking on the core principles guiding the framework’s development, he said they included robust stakeholder engagement, resilience to emerging threats such as quantum-level cryptography, and the impact of artificial intelligence and machine learning on cyberattacks.
“It will categorise licensees into different tiers, ensuring that companies handling significant data or critical activities receive appropriate attention,” Durodoye said.
He said that the framework would be shared with the industry for review within the coming weeks.
- Babagana Digima, Chairman of the Committee on Development of the Cybersecurity Framework, explained that the initiative aims to streamline cybersecurity operations and close critical gaps within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
- He emphasized the need to first conduct a baseline assessment to accurately gauge the current state of the industry before rolling out new safeguards.
Digima further assured that the commission is dedicated to working closely with industry stakeholders to foster a secure, reliable, and resilient digital environment across the country.