From left: President, International Youth Parliament, Hon. Promise Digos; CEO, Megamore Wireless Limited, Amin Dayekh; Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, Abraham Oshadami; Head, Cybersecurity and Internet Governance Department, NCC, Babagana Digima; CEO, Cybernover, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye at the second Cyber Security Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission in Abuja recently.

The Nigerian Communications Commission NCC has commenced work with stakeholders towards developing a cybersecurity framework in line with efforts to secure the country’s digital infrastructure while enhancing online safety for consumers.

The cybersecurity framework, which is expected to come into effect for all telecom licensees in 2026, is designed address security challenges associated with the emerging technologies with a view to creating a more secure digital economy in the country.

Speaking at the second phase of the cybersecurity framework development meeting with relevant stakeholders, hosted by the Commission in Abuja recently, NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services ECTS, Abraham Oshadami, noted that this is a follow-up to the initial meeting held earlier in the year. He stressed the need for a water-tight approach to addressing the sophistication of cyber threats in the industry.

The meeting provided a platform to consolidate on a shared understanding of the strategic relevance of the proposed cybersecurity framework in enhancing national cybersecurity preparedness and sector resilience; and review and refine the preliminary inputs gathered during the first engagement, incorporating technical perspectives and sector-specific concerns, among several other objectives.

Oshadami said: “Given the increasing digitalisation of services, the rapid growth of data exchange, and the sophisticated nature of modern cyber threats, the need for a robust, adaptive, and inclusive cybersecurity framework has never been more urgent.

“As emerging technologies reshape the landscape, cybersecurity now extends beyond the traditional triad of confidentiality, integrity, and availability CIA. Intensifying geopolitical tensions and increasingly sophisticated threats are heightening risks to critical infrastructure irrespective of whether they are built on interconnected devices or legacy systems.

“Both state and non-state actors are targeting essential sectors—including ours – through coordinated cyber and physical attacks. These attacks frequently target control systems and data integrity, underscoring the critical risks posed to operational technology OT, especially in our sector.

“As cyber threats evolve, they endanger not only system performance but also human safety, amplifying the severity and consequences of disruptions to vital communications infrastructure. Cybersecurity now encompasses human safety and must address the real risk to people’s lives when a system is attacked or compromised.”

According to him, therefore, there is the urgent need to develop a framework as telecommunications industry continues to serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy, adding that its critical role in national development, economic transformation, and societal interaction makes it a strategic asset and unfortunately, a prime target for cyber threats.

He further explained that the second stakeholders’ meeting on the cybersecurity framework was to present the progress made since the initial meeting, including the refined framework based on stakeholder input; and to further validate key components, design principles, and implementation strategies of the proposed framework, among others.

“As the national regulator, the NCC remains committed to an inclusive and consultative process, recognising that sustainable cybersecurity outcomes can only be achieved through shared responsibility and strong public-private partnerships.

“With your continued expertise, insight, and collaboration, we are confident that we can co-create a framework that not only secures our digital infrastructure but also fosters innovation, competitiveness, and long-term industry growth”, he said.

A highpoint of the meeting, which was well attended by representatives of telecom licensees and government agencies in the digital economy ecosystem was the presentation of the proposed framework by the CEO of CyberNover, consultants to the Commission on the project, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye, which further provided details of the framework to stakeholders.

Also speaking at the meeting, Head of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance of the Commission, Babagana Digima, disclosed that the project was supported by the World Bank. He commended all stakeholders for their input, adding that while it was expected that the proposed framework will be finalised by end of third quarter of 2025, its implementation is expected to take off early 2026.