5G might expose Nigeria to espionage - NSA

The office of the national security adviser (NSA) has expressed its fear with the deployment of 5th Generation (5G) technology in the country.

 Bala Fakandu, director of communications in NSA who appeared before the senate committee on communications on Thursday February 25, said they are concerned about the deliberate vulnerabilities and backdoors within the 5G network equipment, which according to him might expose Nigeria to "eavesdropping, tracking, cyber-attacks, military and industrial espionage and other malicious activities by foreign actors." 

 Fakandu also asked the ministry of communications and digital economy to carry them along in the formulation of the policy that would guide the use of 5G in the country. 

 He said;

 “We are concerned about the deliberate vulnerabilities and backdoors within the 5G network equipment. “That is one of the key concerns we have and this will make the infrastructure highly susceptible to eavesdropping, tracking, cyber-attacks, military and industrial espionage and other malicious activities by foreign actors.

 “We understand these are things that will be put in place particularly in the policy the minister has talked about. 

 “I need to emphasise it so that the stakeholders in the telecommunications industry will understand where we are coming from because the national security concerns is the concern of the office of the national security adviser and of the president as well.”