With support from the World Bank and CyberNover, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is advancing plans to establish a cybersecurity framework to secure digital infrastructure and protect consumers.
The plan was unveiled during the NCC’s second stakeholder engagement in Abuja last week, where the commission reiterated its commitment to building a resilient digital ecosystem.
Babagana Digima, NCC’s head of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance, disclosed that the framework, which is due to be finalised by end of Q3 2025 and implemented in early 2026, aims at tackling security risks posed by emerging technologies and to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.
According to the Global Threat Index by Check Point Securities, Nigeria moved from 35th position last year to the 11th most targeted country in the world, as of January this year.
Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner for technical services, stressed the urgency of the initiative, citing the growing sophistication of cyber threats alongside Nigeria’s accelerating digital transformation.
According to him, these risks not only compromise data integrity and availability, but also threaten human safety and national security, particularly in sectors heavily dependent on telecoms infrastructure.
Public-private collaboration will be crucial in shaping the framework, he said, which will set minimum security standards for telecom operators, including incident reporting and risk management protocols.
“A secure telecom sector is vital to sustaining innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth,” Oshadami said.
The framework, presented by Dr. Kazeem Durodoye, CEO of CyberNover, builds on earlier consultations with industry stakeholders.
NCC officials said current deliberations are focused on refining principles and agreeing on practical strategies for implementation.
Initially announced in June by NCC’s executive vice chairman, Aminu Maida, the initiative complements existing legal provisions, such as the Cybercrime Prevention Act (2015) and the Nigerian Data Protection Act (2023).
With cyberattacks growing more coordinated and severe, the NCC aims to establish a proactive, adaptive security model that will protect Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and foster sustainable industry growth.
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