Study of Network Security Management in Nigerian Universities in the South South Zone

University networks in South South Nigeria serve thousands of simultaneous users engaged in academic, administrative, and research activities, yet their security management practices remain insufficiently documented in the empirical literature. This study assessed network security management practices at three universities in the South South zone: University of Port Harcourt (Rivers), Delta State University (Delta), and University of Calabar (Cross River). A descriptive survey combined with technical infrastructure assessment was employed. IT security managers at each institution (n = 24 total) were surveyed on network security policies, access control implementation, intrusion detection, incident response, user authentication, and security monitoring. Physical infrastructure checks complemented the survey. Results showed that firewalls were deployed in all three institutions but were adequately configured in only 33.3 percent. Intrusion detection or prevention systems were functional in only one institution. Network segmentation separating student, staff, and administrative networks was implemented in two of three. Security monitoring was conducted reactively rather than proactively in all three. Penetration testing had never been conducted at any of the three institutions. The study concludes that university network security in the South South zone is structurally basic and operationally reactive. Recommendations include NUC minimum network security standards for universities, dedicated university security operations centres, regular penetration testing requirements, and inter-university cyber threat intelligence sharing for the South South zone.

Keywords: network security management, university networks, South South Nigeria, intrusion detection, access control