Operators including Etisalat and CellC are feeling the pressure of handling user privacy – both from security agencies demanding customer data as well as criminals trying to steal identities.

Concerns over customer data are on the rise for operators in what is often characterised as the post-Snowden era, where there is greater awareness about government surveillance.

In addition, there is an ongoing pressure to protect users against fraud, even if they don’t always protect themselves.

“Look at the vigilance on PCs versus that on mobile phones, it is scary. Ask users when they last updated phone softwareæ Or what did they just downloadæ People are shocked,” commented Jacqueline Fick, CellC’s head of forensic services.

“To me, you can equate mobile to a young democracy. Our people are digital citizens who have just come to terms with the rights in this mobile society but are not aware of responsibilities as digital citizens.”

And other operators feel a sense of frustration too. “We feel everything is our fault and we are supposed to solve everything and educate everyone. It is a concern given that growth in Sub-Saharan Africa will be from mobile devices and there will be increasing pressure on us to get involved in areas which we feel are not our primary concern,” said Ibrahim Dikko (pictured), director of regulatory affairs, Etisalat Nigeria.

Internally, Etisalat has been having a debate about who is responsible for educating users about online security and controlling issues around security, said Dikko.

Nigeria does not have a standardised means of identity for its 170 million people. Dikko estimates probably less than five million of the total have either a drivers’ licence or passport. But 100 million mobile phones provide a means of identifying citizens for the state.

He argued there is a role that can be played by bodies from civil society to establish a best practice, or code of practice, for a country’s mobile phone users.