Why Security is the New Engineering Frontier
Reflections on EPEX '26, the 1980s Firewall, and the Talent Gap in Nigeria.
Hello everyone,
It’s been a while since my last update, and we’ve welcomed several new subscribers in that time. Before we dive into the deep end, I’d like to reintroduce myself to our new readers.
I am a 3rd-year Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering student at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. But my curiosity has always lived at the intersection of infrastructure and code. Over the past few years, I’ve established myself as a DevOps Engineer, specializing in building scalable, efficient systems.
However, as the digital landscape evolves, I’ve realized that building a system isn’t enough; it has to be unshakeable. That is why I am currently “leveling up” into DevSecOps, integrating a security-first mindset into every pipeline I touch.
If you’ve noticed a bit of radio silence over the last few months, it was due to a mix of a rigorous 300-level engineering schedule. But as any engineer knows, downtime is often when the most critical background processes happen.
I’m back, and I’m pivoting. I encourage you to read this edition to the end, not just for the updates, but for a look at where I believe our industry is headed.
Engineering for Impact: EPEX ‘26
This week, the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium was buzzing with the energy of EPEX ‘26 (Engineering Projects Exhibition). The theme, “Prototyping Tomorrow’s Solution,” wasn’t just a catchy title; it was a call to action.
Seeing my peers present solutions that bridge the gap between theoretical engineering and Nigerian reality was a proud moment for our faculty. The Nigerian Universities Engineering Students’ Association (NUESA) recently announced the innovators who pushed the boundaries of health, environment, and technology.
A huge congratulations to the winners:
🥇 1st Place: Noosi – For their groundbreaking work in health and technology.
🥈 2nd Place: Vision Guard – Recognized for an innovative solution targeting critical environmental and tech hurdles.
🥉 3rd Place: AutoMed – A brilliant smart medication dispenser designed for automated dosage, reminders, and remote caregiver monitoring.
Watching AutoMed and the other teams, I realized that these projects aren’t just academic exercises; they are functional prototypes of a better Nigeria. However, seeing these smart, connected devices also triggered a thought in my “security” brain: How do we keep these innovations safe?
The “Why” Behind the Pivot: Why DevSecOps?
During a recent trip to Ogbomoso, I listened to the presentations from The Platform Nigeria. Tosin Eniolorunda (CEO of Moniepoint) shared a statistic that stuck with me: they have over 500 roles available but struggle to find qualified local talent to fill them.
For a long time, I viewed myself as “just” a DevOps Engineer. But I’ve realized that in the days to come, security will be the most critical frontier.
As we build more solutions like AutoMed or similar solutions in the agriculture sector, as someone with deep interests in Smart Agriculture, IoT, and many more… devices that handle sensitive data and connect to the cloud, the risk increases exponentially. A “solution” that can easily be hacked isn’t actually a solution; it’s a liability.
Why I envision security as the most critical skill to master:
The Shift-Left Mandate: We can no longer build a pipeline and “add security later.” It must be baked into the prototype stage.
Global Standards from Africa: To occupy those 500+ roles and compete globally, we must master the tools that protect data at scale.
The Persistence of Principles: I was reading about the history of the Firewall recently. It’s fascinating that the packet-filtering logic developed in the late 1980s still dictates the principles behind our modern Cloud Network ACLs. Engineering changes, but the core principles of protection are timeless.
A Call for Collaborators: We are Hungry for the Next Challenge
The energy at EPEX ‘26 didn’t just inspire me; it ignited my entire team.
I’m currently part of a team of four engineering students at UniIlorin who are actively looking for complex problems to solve. We aren’t waiting for our final year projects to start building; we are hungry for impact now.
Even if it’s optimizing an agricultural process, automating a legacy system, or building secure cloud infrastructure, we are ready to prototype and execute. We already have a few internal problems we are investigating (updates on those coming soon!), but we are officially opening our doors to collaborations, industry pain points, or research challenges.
If you have a project that needs a fresh engineering perspective and a high-performance team, reach out. We’re ready to get our hands dirty.
Envisioning the Future
I am officially “leveling up.” Currently, I’m diving into Python for automation via boot.dev, mastering system design, and completing the Google Cloud security labs to sharpen my DevSecOps edge.
I’m no longer waiting for the “right time” or the “perfect grade.” I’m building the competence today to solve the problems of tomorrow. To my fellow students and engineers: the talent gap mentioned at The Platform isn’t just a challenge, it’s an invitation. Will you accept it?
I’ll be sharing more deep dives into my specific lab findings and Python scripts in the coming weeks. Until the next publish, stay consistent and stay curious.
Stay grounded, stay secure.
Ilyas Rufai
Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, UniIlorin
DevOps Engineer transitioning to DevSecOps