Telecom
ITSSP Amplifies its Voice on Critical Cyber Security Issues Mitigating smooth ICT Development
The Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) is set to address critical cyber security issues mitigating smooth development of information security in Nigeria.
Professor Adesina Sodiya, President, Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) disclosed this on tuesday during a press conference meant to address critical cyber security issues mitigating smooth development of information security in Nigeria.
Sodiya, bemoans business owners for their unwilling to invest in basic security management and control systems, and assumes that the IT department will take care of any security issues that may arise.
He emphasized that it is important for the organisations to understand the nature of threats against their businesses and the impact of a breach on production, finances, intellectual property and reputation.
He said, “Organizations must continuously monitor their networks and have the ability to detect and mitigate intrusions as quickly as possible.
“Every organisation must develop information security policies, procedures and plans; and these need to be updated regularly and enforced to help keep pace with the constantly evolving threat landscape. Human beings are often the weakest link”.
According to Prof. Sodiya, an extremely high proportion of attacks involve social engineering approach.
“Many Nigerians, and even people all over the world, are still increasingly fallen victims of socially engineered attacks.
“In 2016, there are records that financial institutions in Nigeria faced Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS).
“This confirms that online activities are not completely secured.
“Security awareness and training are therefore indispensable.
“Attackers may be using customized attacks, but operating methods typically remain the same.
“Looking ahead at the future, security will probably be established by balancing controls and risks to produce scalable and flexible strategies.
“More persistent internal monitoring and sharing of security intelligence are necessary for a more effective security approach.
“For a security strategy to be workable for the present and the long terms, it is important to look ahead.
“Organizations tend to focus on reacting to security threats rather than being proactive.
“Functioning in this way provides no future growth in the adoption of the security framework.
“It is essential that organizations remain flexible and adaptable to achieve the long term security benefits.
“The organizations current security state, relative to the risk they are willing to take and effective security alignment will determine the achievable desired security posture for the future”.
Vice President of ITSSP, Liberty Echewodoh, highlighted the need to understand that information security in not only about firewalls, antivirus software and passwords.
“Information security is a continuous process that requires modern approaches and persistent management.
Collaborative strategy and efficient practices are required in protecting valuable assets of organisation to achieve major security goals of confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA)”, he said.
Meanwhile, Professor Sodiya, added that in the light of the above, it will then require inter-professional expertise and collaboration from IT Security Experts, Investigation officers, Prosecuting officers, Lawyers, Judges and Courts with enough experience to adjudicate in any judicial resolution that involves e-driven activities.
“It is therefore an enormous task to focus on capacity building and sustainability in an environment that is embracing multi-facet e-services like ours without equal amount of energy geared towards developing necessary structures.
He listed the challenges as:
In financial sector, the enormity of fraudulent activities going on daily as being reported periodically by the Fraud Forum Unit of CBN is alarming.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, the Courts, and Federal Bureau of Statistics cannot provide sufficient data that can mitigate such activities adequately.
Some banks also experienced distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack in the last two years.
More and more individuals and organisations continue to experience different levels and types of cyber-attacks in Nigeria.
It has been forecasted that the next world war will be fought in the cyberspace. How prepared are we?
There is now cold cyber war all over the world.
“Do we have well experience information security experts in various organization?
|What is the level of cyber readiness in various organization?
“Where is IT Security Policy for National, State, Agencies, Higher Institutions of learning, as well as coordinating strategies; Media houses both Print and Electronics are not left out because they currently depend on e-platforms to function effective nowadays”.
In view of the above, ITSSP calls for full Implementation of the Cybercrime Act 2018; “Professional bodies should be included in the Council”, the President said.
“ITSSP calls for efficient and coordinated Computer Emergency Response (CERT).
“The Cyber Security Act that domicile in National Security Adviser’s office should create a civil arm of Cyber Security in executing its mandate like (Computer Emergency Response Team ‘CERT Nigeria’) with the professional agencies such as NITDA, CPN, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), NBA where civilian population can easily relate, because the NSA is currently being viewed as arm forces affairs only.
“Strong Collaboration with relevant government agencies. In order to effectively curb the menace of cyber criminals in Nigeria, we seek strong collaboration with relevant stakeholders like CBN, NIRA, NCC, NPF, ICPC, EFCC, NITDA, NBA and banking institutions in Nigeria.
“Relevant government security agencies like Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“There is need for adequate and accurate cybercrime data and statistics in the country.
“The system for realising this should be developed and maintained by ITSSP. ITSSP will develop an intelligent incident handling system.
“Support for capacity building in all areas of Information Security.
“NITDA and other stakeholders should support the development of high level skill in Information Technology.
“Of greatest importance is capacity building in this area, the Cyber Crime Art of 2015 in trying to address this established a fund for such development to be managed by its board.
“As it is now, this fund account is yet to be opened not to talk of collecting fund into it despite the fact that the Board had been in existence for over a year; just like NITDA also set up Information Security Department saddle with responsibility of Cyber Security.
“Civil arm of Cyber security coordination to complement what was done by NSA.
Mr. Rogba Adeoye, ITSSP National Secretary, In his contribution, said that all stakeholders must join and cooperate in fighting the cyber security warfare.
“We need to be proactive and not only reactive. We need to rapidly promote and develop information security in Nigeria”, he said.
Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) is an information security group of the Nigeria Computer Society, with the major goal of promoting and developing Information Security in Nigeria.
Quest Merchant Bank has been appointed as Transaction Advisor for Project BRIDGE, a broadband infrastructure initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), led by Bosun Tijani, the minister.
Project BRIDGE, short for Broadband Infrastructure Development for Digital Economy, is designed to deepen Nigeria’s digital backbone through the deployment of about 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre-optic cables nationwide.
The initiative is expected to boost broadband penetration, strengthen connectivity and drive inclusive economic growth.
Under the mandate, Quest Merchant Bank will work with the ministry and the Project Implementation Unit to structure the project’s financial and commercial framework.
This includes developing bankable investment models, engaging investors and designing a public-private partnership structure to ensure efficient execution and sustainability.
Afolabi Olorode, acting managing director, described the project as a critical intervention for Nigeria’s digital economy.
“Project BRIDGE represents a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s digital backbone and unlocking the immense opportunities within the country’s digital economy. We are honoured to partner with the FMCIDE under the leadership of Honourable Minister, Dr Bosun Tijani on this important initiative,” he said.
He added that the bank would leverage its expertise in infrastructure finance to develop “a robust and investable framework that will attract private capital and support long-term national development.”
Also speaking, Yetunde Falore, head of Investment Banking at Quest Merchant Bank, said the project comes at a defining moment for Nigeria’s digital economy.
“Nigeria’s digital economy is entering a defining phase, and infrastructure initiatives such as Project BRIDGE will play a central role in expanding connectivity, deepening digital inclusion, and supporting sustainable economic growth,” she stated.
Falore noted that the bank would focus on ensuring the timely and efficient delivery of the project in its advisory role.
The initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises digital infrastructure expansion and private sector participation in critical national assets.
Kenya’s High Court has ruled that mobile phone numbers are not disposable assets, but constitutionally protected digital identifiers, striking at the core of a long-standing industry practice of arbitrarily reassigning inactive SIM cards without the owners’ consent.
In a landmark decision that could reshape telecom regulation and digital identity frameworks across Africa, sitting at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, Justice Lawrence Mugambi declared that reassigning a phone number without the original owner’s consent violates the right to privacy.
The ruling effectively elevates a SIM card into the same legal category as personal data tied to an individual’s private life.
At the heart of the ruling is Article 31 of the Constitution, which safeguards citizens from unnecessary disclosure of private information and interference with communications.
The court found that in today’s digital economy, a registered mobile number functions as a critical gateway to sensitive personal data, linking users to mobile money platforms like M-PESA, banking systems, email accounts, and social media profiles.
“When mobile digital identity is lost through reallocation or recycling without interrogating the reasons behind inactivity, it creates an avenue for unauthorised disclosure of delicate information,” the judgment stated.
The case, brought by Erastus Ngura Odhiambo, petitioner and former prisoner, challenged the routine telecoms practice of deactivating SIM cards after prolonged inactivity and reassigning them to new users.
Odhiambo lost access to his mobile phone number due to inactivity while serving his lengthy sentence.
He argued that the practice exposes individuals to serious risks, including misdirected financial transactions, intercepted one-time passwords, and unintended access to private communications.
The court agreed, highlighting how recycled numbers can result in strangers receiving confidential messages, authentication codes, and even being added to private messaging groups, effectively inheriting fragments of another person’s digital life.
Justice Mugambi also criticised the rigidity of SIM deactivation policies, calling them “arbitrary” for failing to consider legitimate reasons for inactivity such as incarceration, studying in restricted environments, or living abroad.
“Incarceration does not strip an individual of their constitutional rights to privacy and identity,” he noted.
For telecom operators, including Safaricom, the ruling introduces a significant compliance burden. The court outlined three strict conditions before any number can be reassigned.
Telcos must obtain informed and verifiable consent from the original owner, issue a public notice and conduct traceability efforts over a reasonable period.
More importantly, the court further directed that telecoms firms must implement technical safeguards to prevent data exposure to the new user.
The Office of the Attorney General has been given six months to translate these directives into enforceable regulations.
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The platform emphasises simplicity with a “set-and-forget” model: users select assets, pick a product, and rewards accrue passively in the background. This appeals especially to long-term holders aiming to enhance portfolio value over time without day-to-day involvement.
Binance Earn provides flexible options for instant liquidity access alongside fixed-term products for defined commitments, catering to diverse strategies and risk appetites.
“We’re seeing growing interest across Africa in ways to make crypto holdings more productive without active trading,” said Larry Cooke, Africa Head of Legal at Binance. “Simple, ‘set-and-forget’ solutions are becoming increasingly relevant as more users take a longer-term approach to digital assets.”
The feature reflects shifting user behaviour towards holding and gradual growth amid volatile markets, where reward rates fluctuate based on conditions, liquidity, and structures.
Users must assess risks and alignment with personal goals, as crypto remains volatile. Binance Earn positions itself as a key tool in Africa’s rising digital asset adoption, enabling hands-off participation in the ecosystem.
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