Danbatta Tasks Telecoms Operators to Secure Platform against E-Fraud Activities

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to secure their networks against the activities of cyber crooks whose activities are currently creating lack of confidence by the consumers.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta gave the directive while presenting a keynote address titled ‘Combating E-Fraud on Telecom Platforms and Building Consumer Confidence in the Digital Economy’ at the 2nd Quarter 2023 Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF) in Lagos.

Danbatta lamented that Nigerians are losing their hard-earned money to fraudsters who are taking advantage of the vulnerabilities in their networks to defraud them.

He highlighted the roles of the Commission in combating electronic fraud in the telecom sector and indeed Nigeria’s economy, adding that as a regulator, the Commission must establish comprehensive legal frameworks and standards that mandate sound security practices for telecom operators.

He hinted that these legal frameworks must focus on data protection, privacy and incident response, while ensuring that operators are held accountable for any lapses in security on their respective networks.

According to him “The NCC as the regulator of the communications sector has a crucial role to play in combating e-fraud.”

He posited that part of the efforts of the Commission in combating e-fraud include type-approving communications equipment to ensure that they conform to global standards and are interoperable with various relevant technologies.

He highlighted that the Commission collaborates with Mobile Network Operators(MNOs) to ensure the safety of their networks and conducts regular audits and assessments to verify compliance and encourage a culture of cybersecurity within the industry.

“In accordance with the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, telecom operators have a responsibility to ensure the security and integrity of their networks and to prevent it from being used in, or in relation to, the commission of any offense under any law in operation in Nigeria,” he added.

Addressing journalists on the sideline of the event, Prof. Danbatta acknowledged that with the increasing uptake of digital financial services and the advent of disruptive technologies, the issue of cybersecurity has become increasingly important.

He expressed concern about how personal data is collected, stored, shared and exploited.

He charged the telecom operators to invest in robust infrastructure, employ state-of-the-art security measures, and conduct regular audits to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly.

The EVC NCC said “Operators should implement stringent authentication protocols, two-factor authentication and encryption mechanisms to safeguard customer data and prevent unauthorized access.”

He disclosed that the NDEPS 2020-2030 adequately addresses the protection of telecom consumers against the threats of cybercrime, encouraging them to embrace digital finance and supporting them to contribute to the Digital Economy.

In his words: “Pillar #6 of the NDEPS, which deals with soft infrastructure, has proven to be proactive. The soft infrastructure pillar focuses on strengthening public confidence in using digital technologies and participation in the Digital Economy. The pillar will address the importance of cybersecurity and other standards, frameworks, and guidelines that encourage citizens to embrace a digital culture. Data privacy and the deployment of technologies like the public key infrastructure are addressed in this pillar.”