Africa has reached a significant cybersecurity milestone with the successful deployment of the continent’s largest Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access and Prisma Access Browser Zero Trust environment, supporting secure remote access for more than 40 000 users at a large African enterprise.
The project signals a decisive move away from legacy VPN models towards cloud-delivered Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architectures at enterprise scale.
The multi-phase deployment, delivered by NEC XON in close collaboration with its customer and technology partners, involved the design, migration, optimisation and operational handover of a next-generation secure access platform. While Prisma Access technology formed the foundation, the programme’s complexity lay in execution: onboarding tens of thousands of users without disrupting business operations, enforcing consistent Zero Trust policies across locations and ensuring performance at scale.
For organisations facing increasingly distributed workforces and rising cyber risk, the project offers a concrete example of how Zero Trust can move from theory to practice. The platform replaces traditional VPN infrastructure with cloud-based Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), reducing bottlenecks, simplifying security architecture and improving user experience.
“SASE is no longer just a security concept; it is becoming part of core business architecture,” said Armand Kruger, head of cybersecurity at NEC XON. “Secure access now has to support how organisations actually operate, not constrain them.”
Measurable outcomes
From a customer perspective, the outcomes are measurable: faster and more reliable application access, reduced operational overhead, unified policy management and stronger protection against modern threats such as credential abuse and lateral movement. Just as importantly, the architecture provides a scalable foundation that can grow as organisations expand or adopt new digital services.
The deployment also reflects a broader trend across African enterprises. As organisations modernise IT environments and embrace hybrid work, fragmented security tools and perimeter-based models are proving insufficient. SASE frameworks address this by converging networking and security into a single, cloud-delivered approach that protects users wherever they are.
“This project demonstrates that large-scale SASE adoption is achievable in Africa today,” said Koobasen Moodley, cybersecurity architect at NEC XON. “It shows what is possible when technical capability, programme governance and operational discipline are aligned around clear business outcomes.”
A benchmark for future projects
Beyond its immediate impact, the deployment sets a reference point for future Zero Trust initiatives on the continent. It illustrates that African organisations can implement advanced security models at scale, with tangible benefits for resilience, productivity and long-term agility.
As cyber threats grow in sophistication and workforces become increasingly decentralised, projects of this nature underscore a critical message for business leaders: modern secure access is no longer optional infrastructure but a strategic enabler of continuity and trust in the digital economy.
About NEC XON
NEC XON is a leading African integrator of ICT solutions and part of NEC, a Japanese global company. The holding company has operated in Africa since 1963 and delivers communications, energy, safety, security and digital solutions. The organisation operates in 54 African countries and has a footprint in 16 of them. NEC XON is a level 1-certified B-BBEE business. Visit www.nec.africa.
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