NCC Partners with Swedfund to Secure Nigeria’s 5G Future and Strengthen Cyber Resilience
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has signed a landmark partnership with Swedfund, Sweden’s Development Finance Institution, to bolster the security and reliability of Nigeria’s 5G network infrastructure. The collaboration aims to safeguard the country’s fast-growing digital economy from emerging cyber threats while ensuring trust and transparency in the telecom ecosystem.
Under the new grant agreement, both institutions will work together to design a risk-based security framework that guarantees 5G and future network systems are securely developed, deployed, and managed. This initiative comes as Nigeria’s connectivity landscape continues to expand, connecting millions of devices and driving digital transformation across key sectors such as finance, health, and transportation.
According to the NCC, the partnership demonstrates its proactive commitment to addressing sophisticated cybersecurity challenges that come with next-generation networks. “As we embrace the benefits of 5G, we must also strengthen our ability to manage the risks of interconnected systems. This partnership with Swedfund provides the technical and institutional foundation needed to ensure Nigeria’s 5G infrastructure remains resilient and trusted,” the commission stated.
5G technology offers revolutionary advantages — including ultra-fast internet speeds, low latency, and the capability to power smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things (IoT). However, these innovations also bring increased exposure to cyber risks due to the use of multiple vendors and more complex network architectures.
For Nigeria, where telecom giants like MTN, Airtel, and Mafab are leading the 5G rollout, this partnership represents a critical step toward protecting national digital assets. The NCC and Swedfund plan to align the new framework with international best practices, drawing insights from the European Union and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to establish continuous monitoring, vendor risk assessments, and regional cooperation on cyber resilience.
source: Business day