Nsikak Joseph Nelson is not your typical cybersecurity executive. With a background in engineering and a passion for solving real-world problems, Nelson’s journey has been rooted in building—not just code, but capacity. He began as a junior software engineer with a vision: to embed security into the very DNA of Nigeria’s digital future.
That vision led to the creation of Centrex Solutions, a training hub for secure coding that eventually evolved into something far more ambitious. Today, Nelson leads Silex Secure—a pioneering force in Africa’s cybersecurity landscape—offering everything from cyber intelligence and digital forensics to mission-specific platforms for defense, government, and emergency response.
In this SafetyDetectives interview, Nelson speaks candidly about the evolution of Nigeria’s threat landscape, why imported cybersecurity models often fail in local contexts, and how Silex Secure is rethinking secure communications, endpoint protection, and cyber defense with Africa at its core. From building ISO hubs in high-risk regions to designing sovereign encryption protocols, Nelson’s team is proving that homegrown innovation can go toe-to-toe with global standards—and sometimes, surpass them.
Can you tell us about your journey into cybersecurity and what led you to establish Silex Secure?
Growing up, I had a natural inclination for engineering. I was always building, fixing, and curious about how things worked. I was exposed to technology early, and as I matured, I began to notice a looming crisis in cybersecurity. In the early days of widespread credit card fraud and website defacements, I saw firsthand how vulnerable digital systems were becoming.
At the time, I was a junior software engineer, but I knew I wanted to do more than just writing codes; I wanted to build security into the foundation of what we were creating. That led to the launch of my first company, Centrex Solutions, which initially focused on training Nigerian developers in secure coding practices. Over time, our work expanded into penetration testing and broader cybersecurity education.
In 2015, we launched Cybersecurity Campus Storm, a nationwide training initiative that reached over 500 students in institutions like FUT Minna, University of Jos, and University of Abuja, as well as agencies like the Federal Road Safety Commission and AGIS. That was a turning point.
But I knew training alone wasn’t enough. Cyber threats were evolving rapidly, and Nigeria needed more than awareness; it needed intelligence and defense. That vision gave birth to Silex Secure.
At Silex Secure, we transitioned from training to full-scale cyber intelligence and investigative operations. We established ISO hubs (Intelligence Support Operations) in vulnerable regions to support cybersecurity researchers and threat analysts. We dug into the dark web, gathered real-time intelligence, and provided predictive analysis on cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure.
In one case, we warned a government agency of a likely attack with hard evidence, and while we were presenting our findings, the agency was hit. That validated our mission and fueled our expansion into threat prediction, Cyber investigation, and government-level intelligence solutions.
Today, Silex Secure stands as a leader in Africa’s cybersecurity space, bridging cyber, intelligence, and investigations services.
What are the core services or solutions that Silex Secure offers today, and who are they built for?
At Silex Secure, our core strength lies in combining secure software development, cyber intelligence, digital investigations, and defense-focused innovation. Our work spans across government, military, law enforcement, and enterprise sectors, delivering solutions that are both mission-critical and future-ready.
Core Services
- Secure Software Development
- Cyber Investigation Services
- Cyber Intelligence Services
- Defense-Driven Innovation
To better serve niche markets, some of our flagship innovations have evolved into standalone companies, with Silex Secure engineers powering the technology while operations are managed independently.
Specialized Product Lines (Now Standalone Companies)
- Defcomm: End-to-end encrypted communication platform for defense and government use.
Built for: Military, intelligence, and secure government operations. - iRescue: iRescue is an on-demand emergency response platform that connects users to reliable services such as towing, roadside assistance, medical transport, fire, and police support across Nigeria.
Built for: Emergency services, first responders, and health security sectors.
Proprietary Security Platforms
- Unit44-OSINT: Our open-source intelligence platform is designed for real-time data gathering, surveillance, and investigation.
Built for: Law enforcement, private investigators, and journalists. - Mi-Trace: A classified intelligence tool developed for military surveillance, analysis, and national security.
Built for: Armed forces, intelligence agencies
Silex Secure Lab describes itself as both a cybersecurity company and an intelligence-driven tech lab. What does that blend look like in practice?
At Silex Secure Lab, we don’t just secure systems; we understand threats before they strike. Being both a cybersecurity company and an intelligence-driven tech lab means we operate on two fronts:
1. Defense by Design
We build custom software and platforms with security embedded at the core, not patched on as an afterthought. Whether it’s for aviation, government systems, or commercial use, every product is hardened against today’s threats and adaptable to tomorrow’s.
2. Intelligence-Led Operations
We go beyond protection. We gather, analyze, and act on real-time intelligence from open-source data, dark web monitoring, and behavioral threat analysis. Our team runs threat predictions, monitors high-risk targets, and delivers actionable insights to national security teams, law enforcement, and corporate clients.
3. R&D-Driven Innovation
Our lab is a sandbox for advanced technologies. From OSINT platforms like Unit44 to military-grade tracking tools like Mi-Trace, we test, break, and rebuild systems to stay ahead of the curve. Innovation is constant, whether it’s in secure comms (like Defcomm) or emergency tech (like iRescue).
4. Embedded Expertise Across Domains
Our engineers don’t just sit behind screens; they work side-by-side with investigators, analysts, and frontline responders. That hands-on, operational integration helps us build real solutions for real threats.
In terms of secure communications and endpoint protection, what makes your approach different from more mainstream solutions on the market?
I’ve been in this corridor long enough to understand the real challenges on the ground. I may not be the loudest CEO or the most visible face at every forum or conference, but my stance has always been clear: we must solve our problems in our own way, not just copy foreign models.
Technology is universal, but the context and threat landscape in Africa, especially Nigeria, is unique. The way we approach cybersecurity must reflect that. It’s not just about awareness or imported tools; it’s about building local solutions for local and global threats.
Take our secure communication systems, for example. We didn’t just rely on existing protocols; we built our own encryption protocols, designed with an understanding of both local behaviors and global threat models. We addressed vulnerabilities most overlook from basic attacks like shoulder sniffing, all the way to advanced cryptographic and steganographic protocols..
What truly sets us apart is our commitment to absolute privacy, grounded in Nigerian realities and regulations. Our systems are not just secure, they’re built to comply fully with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act while still respecting the privacy expectations of everyday users.
Mainstream tools weren’t designed with our environment in mind. Ours are. That’s the difference.
Mainstream solutions are often built for the scale we build for security first, especially in high-risk, high-value environments like defense, intelligence, and national infrastructure.
Here’s what sets us apart:
1. Zero-Trust, Zero-Compromise Design
Our platforms are built on a zero-trust architecture every device, user, and transaction is continuously verified. We don’t assume trust at any point, which is critical in hostile or sensitive environments.
2. Military-Grade End-to-End Encryption
Defcomm, our secure communication system, goes beyond standard encryption. We use defense-grade protocols, dynamic key rotation, and offline fallback systems. The result: no leaks, no backdoors, no metadata trails.
3. Full Ownership and Sovereignty
Unlike many global tools that depend on third-party servers or foreign jurisdictions, our infrastructure is sovereign, built for organizations that need full control over their data and endpoints. No cloud dependency unless explicitly required.
4. Built for Adversarial Environments
We design for real-world threats, not just compliance. Our solutions work in low-bandwidth, high-risk, and disconnected environments where mainstream tools fail. Think combat zones, intelligence ops, or rural emergency response, that’s our baseline.
5. Custom-Tailored, Not One-Size-Fits-All
We don’t offer generic products. Every solution is tailored to the mission, the risk profile, and the user environment from military agencies to secure government offices to emergency responders.
How do you see the cybersecurity landscape evolving in Nigeria and across Africa—particularly for sectors that are rapidly digitizing but still underprotected?
The cybersecurity landscape in Nigeria and across Africa is at a critical turning point. We’re witnessing rapid digital adoption across sectors like fintech, health, education, public infrastructure, and even agriculture. But the pace of digitization has outstripped the pace of protection.
This creates a perfect storm of high-value digital growth paired with low security awareness.
What I believe is coming:
While banks and telecoms have traditionally been the primary targets, we’re now seeing increased threats against hospitals, transport systems, educational platforms, and government portals. Nigeria has already gotten its fair share of these attacks, especially during the early digital transition phase.
I remember writing an article years ago highlighting how the Nigerian education sector was highly vulnerable. That piece turned out to be a starting point for wider awareness. It exposed just how exposed our learning institutions were: using unprotected networks, storing student records without encryption, and deploying web portals with little to no security testing.
Since then, many agencies have taken important steps to close those gaps. But the problem hasn’t gone away, it’s just evolved. The attackers are getting smarter, and the targets are now more interconnected than ever.
This is why at Silex Secure, we continue to push for intelligence-driven defense strategies, especially for sectors that are still catching up with digitization. Because if we’ve learned anything, it’s that waiting until after the breach is already too late.
Looking ahead, what are your biggest priorities for Silex Secure’s growth and innovation?
Our biggest priority is scaling with focus, not just growing for the sake of growth, but expanding in ways that solve real, mission-critical problems in cybersecurity and digital defense across Africa. As previously discussed, we’ve spun off our core products into standalone startup companies. This structure allows us to focus more sharply on each product and accelerate innovation. Many of these solutions have now scaled into defense-driven technologies, meaning their primary use case supports military operations, with plans to expand into commercial markets.
When it comes to innovation, our roadmap has always been intentional. Over the past decade, we’ve refined a process that translates deep research into real-world implementation, moving from concept to field-ready technology with purpose and precision
- Deepening our Cyber Intelligence Capabilities
- Product Expansion Through Strategic Spin-Offs
- Cybersecurity for Critical Sectors
- Global-Standard Research Labs in Africa
- Policy Engagement & Standards Development