*Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission, highlights the regulatory framework to address growing cyberthreats is to foster a unified and resilient cybersecurity posture, enhance protection of telecoms infrastructure, shield consumer data and privacy in line with the National Cybersecurity Strategy and international best practices

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

In view of the country’s rapidly expanding telecommunications sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed plans for a comprehensive framework to safeguard the all-important sector of the economy.

绿帽献妻 reports industry observers consider the NCC’s proactive measure as a significant step towards enhancing cybersecurity defences in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, disclosed this development Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at a Cybersecurity Framework Development Regulatory forum held in Lagos.

Maida, represented at the meeting by Engr. Abraham Oshadami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at NCC, also highlighted the impressive growth of the West African country’s telecoms sector.

The EVC/CEO noted the telecommunications industry has moved from fewer than half a million connected lines 2001 to over current 172 million active subscribers, with Internet subscribers exceeding 141 million.

According to the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC,聽 the apparent expansion has firmly positioned the telecoms sector as a “cornerstone of economic development, social inclusion, and national transformation” in Nigeria.

Maida, however, said that the sector鈥檚 growth has also heralded heightened exposure to cyberthreats, including malware, ransomware, and phishing, which have continued to evolve in the country’s digital space.

Objectives of comprehensive framework on cybersecurity, by Maida

Highlighting the essence of formulating a regulatory framework to address cyberthreats, Dr. Maida warned that government infrastructure, forming the core of the Nigerian Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) yet have remained a prime target for cybercriminals and hostile actors in cyberspace.

In tackling these emerging cyberthreats, the EVC/CEO further stated: 鈥淭o counter these growing dangers, the NCC initiated the framework鈥檚 development with clear objectives.

鈥淪ome of the objectives are to foster a unified and resilient cybersecurity posture across the industry, enhance the protection of telecoms infrastructure, shield consumer data and privacy, and align with both the National Cybersecurity Strategy and international best practices.”

He stated: 鈥淭he 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.”

Maida also explained that the current regulatory landscape in the country’s digital ecosystem, including acts like the Cybercrime Prevention Procedures Act of 2015 and the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2003, now mandate robust cybersecurity measures for critical sectors like telecommunications.

He noted the reports from the United Nations Economic Committee for Africa, indicated that a 10 percent increase in “cybersecurity maturity” could lead to substantial per capita GDP growth across the African continent.

Maida equally emphasised the comprehensive framework would outline minimum cybersecurity expectations for all operators, offering clear guidance on incident reporting, risk management, information sharing, and collaboration among agencies.

Stressing the importance of jointly creating the framework, the EVC/CEO, noted the NCC invited active participation from network operators, Internet Service Providers, data centre operators, government agencies, academia, and technology providers.

In his remarks at the meeting also, Engr. Oshadami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services (ECTS) at NCC, explained the critical nature of the initiative.

He as well emphasised the industry鈥檚 reliance on digital platforms and the significance of strengthening network resilience and protecting consumer data.

According to Oshadami, cybersecurity is no more optional but a mandatory requirement in the telecommunications sector of the Nigerian economy.

The ECTS of NCC restated the Cybersecurity Framework Development Regulatory forum was organise to formally engage the telecoms industry to gather valuable insights and feedback to craft a practical and effective framework.

In his presentation at the meeting, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye, CEO of Cybernovr, emphasised the importance of securing cyberspace amid rapid digitisation and the emergence of new risks.

Durodoye said recent advancements in mobile technologies, such as Open RAN and network virtualisation, have significantly altered the risk profiles of 2G, 3G, and 5G respectively.

The CEO of Cybernovr also emphasised that the framework must be holistic, considering dependencies within the sector, while empowering policymakers to respond to real-time threats, agency report said.

In regard to the core principles guiding the framework鈥檚 development, the expert noted these include robust stakeholder engagement, resilience to emerging threats, such as quantum-level cryptography, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) on cyberattacks.

The comprehensive framework will be shared with the industry for review within the coming weeks, stated he.

Durodoye added: 鈥淚t will categorise licensees into different tiers, ensuring that companies handling significant data or critical activities receive appropriate attention.”

Chairman: Framework to appraise cybersecurity efforts, address gaps in telecoms

Speaking at the forum, Babagana Digima, Chairman of the Committee on Development of Cybersecurity Framework, said the regulatory instrument was designed to structure cybersecurity efforts and address existing gaps in the telecommunications sector.

Digima also emphasised the significance of a baseline study to understand the telecoms industry鈥檚 present standing before implementing new control measures.

He, therefore, restated the telecoms sector regulatory Commission鈥檚 commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to build a secure, resilient, and trusted computational ecosystem in Nigeria.

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