The International Telecommunication Union has been organizing "
Digital Financial Services Security Clinics" for emerging economies since October 2021 to provide guidance to developing countries on implementing the security recommendations developed by ITU under the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative (FIGI). Some of these Security Clinics held in October - December 2021 were sponsored by the kind support of
Ministry of Science and ICT - Republic of Korea. The Security Clinics showcase the ITU DFS security lab and share knowledge with regulators and Central Banks on mitigating threats and vulnerabilities which can impact the security of digital financial services.
Under the Financial Inclusion Global Initiative program (FIGI), the ITU set up a DFS Security Lab in November 2020 to work in collaboration with DFS regulators on adopting a common methodology to manage security risks and conduct security audit for DFS applications.The objectives of the ITU DFS security lab are as follows:
-
Support regulators to implement DFS security recommendations from FIGI (https://figi.itu.int/working-group-reports/).
-
Conduct security audits on DFS applications (i.e., USSD, STK and Android DFS applications).
-
Provide guidance on managing the DFS ecosystem security risks and mitigation measures.
-
Organize security clinics targeting DFS regulators and providers to stay up to date with new vulnerabilities and mitigation measures.
-
Conduct assessments on cyber preparedness among the DFS ecosystem stakeholders on responding to cybersecurity incidents targeting digital finance.
-
Provide a neutral platform to share knowledge on security incidents and vulnerabilities in digital finance.
DFS Security Clinics Agenda
Country/Region
Entity/ Organization
Date
2025
Somalia
National Communications Authority (NCA) 10-11 December
Sierra Leone National Communications Authority (NatCA)
27-28 November
Somalia National Communications Authority (NCA)
19-20 August
Lesotho Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) & Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL)
5-6 June
The Gambia
Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
4 - 5 February
South Sudan
National Communications Authority (NCA) South Sudan
21-22 January
Zimbabwe Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ),
20 January
Ghana National Communications Authority (NCA) Ghana
14-15 January
2024
Saint Lucia Ministry of the Public Service, Information and Broadcasting
18 November
Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Information, Communication Technologies (ICTs), Utilities and Energy
11 November
Ethiopia Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) &
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Ethiopia Country Office
5 November
Lesotho Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) & Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL)
5-6 September
Lesotho Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) & Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL)
16-17 April
Malawi The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)
11 April
Ethiopia
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
19-20 March
Ethiopia United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
6 February
2023
Rwanda
Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) 13-14 December
Peru Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS)
12-13 December
Zimbabwe Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
30-31 October
Uganda Uganda Communications Commission
11 September
Gambia The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
10 - 11 July
Southern Africa The Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA)
15 - 16 June
Gambia The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
5
– 6 June
East Africa
East African Communications Organization (EACO)
8 – 9 February
Eastern Caribbean
UNCDF-EU-OACP Partnership for Digital Financial Inclusion
17
– 19 January
2022
Peru
Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS) 1
– 2 December
West Africa West African Telecommunication Regulators Assembly (WATRA)
13
– 14 October
Sierra Leone National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM)
26 – 27 September
Peru Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS)
8 – 9 September
Côte d’Ivoire
Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications de Côte D'Ivoire (ARTCI)
6 – 7 September
Tanzania
Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) 11 – 12 July
East Africa
East African Communications Organisation (EACO)
6 July
Gambia
The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
29 – 30 June
Pakistan
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
1 – 2 June
SADC
Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA)
24 – 25 May
Rwanda
Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA)
12 – 13 April
Pakistan
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
12 – 13 April
East Africa
East African Communications Organisation (EACO)
30 – 31 March
Zimbabwe
Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
16 – 17 February
Zimbabwe
Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
9 – 10 February
2021
Malawi Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)
7 – 8 December
Eswatini
Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM)
29 – 30 November
Nigeria Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
17 – 18 November
Zimbabwe
Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ)
27 – 28 October
Tunisia
Institut Supérieur des Etudes Technologiques en Communications de Tunis (ISET’COM)
22 – 23 October
Malawi
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)
12 – 14 October
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this webinar series were those of the panelists and do not reflect the official policy or position of the ITU.