By Adetutu Audu

Leading telecommunication engineer, Babajide Olaitan Muyideen has stated that telecommunications is no longer just about calls and data — it is now the infrastructure behind identity, payments, emergency response, and government and business communications. That means telecom security is national security.

Speaking in a chat, Babajide said the telecommunications industry in Africa plays a foundational role in economic growth, digital inclusion, national security and social development and the country can leverage on this to strengthen the security system.

According to him, what we can do — practically in Nigeria and across Africa — is treat telecom networks as critical national infrastructure and build stronger security around them. That includes tighter SIM and identity verification to reduce SIM-swap and impersonation, stronger monitoring to detect suspicious patterns early, and faster coordination between telecoms, regulators, banks, and law enforcement when incidents happen.

‘A key mindset shift is this: “If we can improve trust and resilience in telecom networks, we reduce fraud, protect citizens, and protect the economy at the same time. That’s also where tools like the Telecom Readiness & Capacity Index (TRCI) help—because you can’t improve what you don’t measure. TRCI helps stakeholders see readiness gaps across the intersection of strategy, systems, and execution, and then prioritize what to fix first.

There are still stark gaps in affordability, digital skills, and adoption. How can we work on closing the gaps? Babajide disclosed that closing the gap requires action on four fronts: cost, coverage, capability, and confidence. ‘On affordability, infrastructure sharing is critical — sharing towers, fiber, and even power reduces duplication and lowers operating costs. Device affordability also matters, so financing models and refurbished-device programs can remove the entry barrier for many users’.

He continued; on digital skills, the solution is not only classroom theory; it’s practical community training through universities, NYSC programs, local ICT hubs, and partnerships with telcos. Training should include cyber hygiene — how to avoid scams, protect SIMs, and secure accounts — because people adopt technology faster when they feel safe.

On adoption, the expert said, trust is the multiplier. If spam, phishing, and fraud are unchecked, people withdraw. “Digital inclusion is not only about access — it’s also about safety and trust.” Improving service reliability and simplifying user experiences — especially in local languages — also increases adoption.

So how what are the major challenges of the telecom industry and how we navigate them? Babajide revealed that in Nigeria and much of Africa, the major challenges tend to be structural: Power and energy cost: Many sites still rely heavily on diesel, which affects both cost and uptime. To navigate he suggested expand solar/hybrid systems, optimize energy use, and improve site security.

For Babajide, vandalism and physical insecurity: fiber cuts, theft, and attacks on infrastructure disrupt service and increase costs. And to navigate this, companies need to designate telecom assets as critical infrastructure, strengthen monitoring, and build rapid restoration capability.

Also,regulatory bottlenecks and right-of-way challenges: inconsistent fees and delays slow expansion can be navigate by harmonizing right-of-way policies and streamline permits.

To curtail cybercrime and fraud: SIM swap, phishing, signaling threats, insider risks, and data breaches, he suggested continuous risk assessment, enforce security controls, and improve incident response maturity.

On skills shortage, especially cyber security expert, Babajide proffers that companies should invest in training pipelines and telecom-focused cyber programs.

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