A Nigerian cybersecurity expert, Oluwadamilare Oja, has stressed that businesses must embrace the Zero Trust cybersecurity model to safeguard themselves against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and insider threats.

Oja, a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, explained that the traditional assumption that everything within an organisation’s internal network is safe is no longer valid, warning that companies that fail to adapt risk both financial and reputational damage.

“The principle of Never Trust, Always Verify must now apply to every user, device, location, context, and situation,” he said. “In today’s digital era, organisations cannot rely on outdated models of security. Zero Trust is no longer optional; it is inevitable.”

According to him, Zero Trust requires businesses to adopt what he described as an “Inside-Out Security Strategy” rather than the conventional “Outside-In” approach. He argued that a well-defined scope for Zero Trust strategy implementation is essential for any successful enterprise security transformation programme.

Highlighting the challenges of adopting the model, Oja noted that its success depends largely on full buy-in from top leadership. “The Chief Information Security Officer, C-level executives, and the board of directors must give full support and commitment,” he said. “Without their involvement, any Zero Trust programme will struggle to achieve its objectives.”

He added that senior managers must also take responsibility for communicating the enterprise vision to all employees, ensuring that both business and technology teams are aligned in driving the new security framework.

Oja further pointed out that many businesses need to decommission legacy security solutions that have become obsolete. These, he said, should be replaced with modern Zero Trust controls such as Identity and Access Management (IAM), Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and compliance monitoring tools like SOC 1 and 2.

Emphasising the urgency, he warned that cyberattacks could cripple businesses. “Cyberattacks are not only financially costly but can also destroy brand reputation overnight. Ignoring cybersecurity will only make the situation worse as threats continue to evolve in sophistication,” Oja cautioned.

Drawing from his work with enterprise clients, Oja said Microsoft has been supporting organisations in implementing Zero Trust frameworks across Microsoft 365 Security products. “My role involves helping businesses overcome the real-world challenges they face in securing their infrastructure. The transition may be tough, but the long-term benefits outweigh the initial hurdles,” he explained.

He concluded by urging Nigerian organisations and businesses globally to take proactive steps. “Zero Trust is not about paranoia; it is about preparedness. Businesses must act now, because waiting until it’s too late could be catastrophic.”