Stakeholders in Nigeria’s security and technology space have called for a fundamental rethink of the country’s security architecture, warning that existing fragmented systems can no longer cope with the scale of modern threats affecting physical infrastructure, digital networks, and critical institutions.
The call was made at the maiden Enterprise Security Risk Management Conference held at James Hope University in Lekki, Lagos, where policymakers, regulators, security agencies, academics, and private sector leaders gathered under the theme focusing on repositioning security risk management in today’s evolving global threat environment.
In a statement issued after the conference, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals, Olayinka Odutola, said participants agreed that reactive and disconnected approaches to security are no longer effective in dealing with today’s interconnected risks across sectors.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Aminu Maida, delivered a keynote address highlighting the scale of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, with over 185 million active mobile connections and more than 153 million internet subscriptions. He also raised concerns about the growing frequency of cyber threats, noting that the country records over 4,000 cyberattacks weekly.
Maida further pointed to infrastructure challenges, including more than 27,000 fibre cuts recorded in 2025, alongside concerns over data sovereignty, with nearly 90 percent of Nigerian data reportedly hosted outside Africa. He stressed that no single institution can handle these challenges alone, calling instead for a shared responsibility model involving regulators, operators, security agencies, academia, and the private sector.
He also outlined ongoing regulatory efforts such as telecom identity risk management systems, stronger cyber resilience frameworks, improved governance requirements, and stricter protection of critical national information infrastructure.
The Chairman of the event, Rear Admiral Kenneth Ati John, said security risk must no longer be viewed only through the lens of conventional security agencies. He explained that modern threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, kidnapping, disinformation, supply chain disruptions, climate related risks, and institutional distrust are increasingly linked and capable of triggering wider systemic failures.
He urged a shift away from reactive responses toward forward looking strategies built on anticipation, collaboration, and integrated risk thinking across institutions and sectors.
A representative presentation from the Senate Committee on Navy, delivered by Babatunde Onadeko on behalf of Senator Otunba Daniel, stressed that systemic risk has become more complex due to the overlap between cyber incidents, governance failures, operational breakdowns, and geopolitical tensions. It noted that security is now a strategic and economic concern that requires direct oversight at executive and board levels.
Participants at the conference were also encouraged to strengthen intelligence sharing, adopt joint preparedness exercises, and prioritise risks based on impact in order to better allocate security resources.
The Lagos State Government, in a goodwill message delivered on behalf of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, reaffirmed its commitment to building a resilient and technology driven environment that supports sustainable growth. The message highlighted the increasingly borderless and unpredictable nature of modern threats, calling for integrated approaches that combine physical, digital, economic, and social security considerations.
Representing the Controller General of the Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, George Daramola of the Lagos Command emphasized the importance of intelligence driven collaboration in addressing challenges such as violent extremism, organised crime, cyber related offences, and correctional facility security.
The Nigeria Customs Service also highlighted the need for stronger coordination across agencies. Speaking through Bolaji Adigun of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command, the service stressed the importance of balancing security enforcement with efficient trade facilitation. It noted that today’s threats require collaboration between multiple agencies including Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, DSS, Police, port authorities, and financial intelligence bodies, alongside private sector and international partners.
Technological advancement featured prominently in the discussions, with emphasis on tools such as artificial intelligence, biometric systems, smart surveillance, drones, risk profiling systems, and non intrusive inspection technologies as key drivers of modern border and national security operations.
A detailed presentation by Wale Adeagbo of Halogen Group examined enterprise security risk management as a strategic framework that aligns security functions with organisational goals. He highlighted the shift from traditional security thinking toward predictive, data driven, and people centered systems that are more adaptive and resilient.
He further encouraged security professionals to integrate organisational culture, operational realities, and industry dynamics into their risk management strategies while adopting principles such as zero trust architecture and real time resilience.
Adding a financial sector perspective, Maji Allamogu of Quest Merchant Bank explained how enterprise security risk management brings together cybersecurity, physical security, operational resilience, supply chain protection, regulatory compliance, and data privacy under a unified governance structure. He also stressed the importance of translating security risks into measurable business and financial impacts for better executive decision making.
Closing reflections from Olayinka Odutola described the conference as the beginning of a broader national effort to reposition enterprise security risk management as a key driver of resilience, economic stability, and long term development.
