The need for stronger protection of telecommunications infrastructure, was Tuesday highlighted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with a warning that the growing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven cyber attacks pose increasing risks to Nigeria’s digital economy and national security.
Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, made this call at the second International Cybersecurity Conference (ICSC), held in Abuja.
Maida said telecommunications infrastructure had become central to Nigeria’s digital economy, supporting financial transactions, communications, public services and business operations, making its protection critical to national security.,
He said AI had significantly increased the sophistication, speed and scale of cyber attacks, requiring stronger digital defences, improved security infrastructure and closer collaboration among regulators, telecommunications operators and security agencies.
The conference was held under the theme, “Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nation”.
Maida said cyber resilience extended beyond preventing attacks to building the capacity to anticipate, withstand and recover from disruptions while ensuring the continuity of essential services and economic activities, was essential.
He identified emerging threats to include AI-driven phishing, automated credential attacks, deepfakes designed to bypass authentication systems and malware capable of modifying itself to evade detection.
He cited recent international cybersecurity incidents involving attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems in France and spyware targeting journalists and media personnel in the Middle East as examples underscoring the need for stronger digital defences.
Section 4 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, he said, mandates the Commission to protect consumer rights, safeguard national interests and promote the safety and efficiency of communications infrastructure.
To strengthen the sector’s response, Maida said the NCC had established its Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) to monitor threats, facilitate intelligence-sharing and coordinate responses to cybersecurity incidents across the telecommunications sector.
He added that the Commission’s cyber resilience framework for the Nigerian communications sector provided common security standards for licensed operators and strengthened coordination with the national Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT).
Maida identified three critical areas for strengthening cyber resilience: raising cybersecurity awareness to protect human minds, securing networks through robust security architecture, and promoting national defence through collaboration among regulators, telecommunications operators, financial institutions and security agencies.
He urged telecommunications operators to adopt Zero Trust Architecture, which requires continuous verification of users and systems, and to assess AI models integrated into network operations regularly for vulnerabilities.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said digital development and national security could no longer be treated as separate priorities.
Ribadu, who was represented by Prof. Gerald Ilukwe of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), said AI offered opportunities to strengthen cyber defences but could also enable criminals develop sophisticated scams, clone voices and spread false information.
He urged Nigerians to verify identities and authenticate suspicious requests before taking action.
Ribadu also called for stronger protection of digital supply chains, including AI models, data services and third-party technology providers, warning that vulnerabilities within one organisation could compromise other institutions and critical national infrastructure.
He said the ONSA, through the National Cyber Security Coordination Centre, was strengthening coordination among relevant institutions and providing tools, laboratories and cyber ranges to analyse threats, investigate incidents and test response capabilities.
He disclosed that a review of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, last updated in 2021, was underway to address emerging challenges, including AI-enabled fraud, supply-chain vulnerabilities, workforce development and international cooperation.
Ribadu stated that recommendations from the conference would contribute to the on-going review, with the revised strategy expected to establish measurable priorities, promote accountability and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond to cyber incidents.
Ayodeji Stanley, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, described cybersecurity as a moving target requiring continuous innovation, adaptable legislation and international cooperation.
Drawing on his experience working on complex information technology systems in the United States, Stanley said the transition from traditional computing to cloud technologies had introduced new security challenges, requiring continuous improvements in protection mechanisms.
He urged policy makers, security experts and technology practitioners to develop forward-looking solutions to protect critical systems across sectors, including food security.
Stanley warned that cyber attacks could have consequences beyond disruptions to digital services and called for a coordinated global response to the evolving threat landscape.
