Security Architectures for IoT-Based Access Control in Resource-Constrained Settings: A Comparative Study of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

Abstract

The application of smart locker in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, shows that the current Internet of Things (IoT) security guidelines do not fit the contexts in which low-cost systems are deployed. Commonly proposed architectures assume devices that cost more than $10, reliable electric supply, and constant connection. Very few of these assumptions are true in the study context. This paper examines nine publications that came out in the years 2020 through 2025 regarding IoT access control in resource-limited environments. The available evidence is largely based on surveys which provide an overview of previous studies and not field-tested practices. As is evident from the comparison, physical protection (enclosure reinforcement, tamper switches, locks etc.) is not sufficiently mentioned, but the communication protection is mentioned a lot. Both lightweight cryptography and edge computing are suggested but the literature reviewed does not define the means of combining the two for a particular environment like Ebonyi State. None includes the five layers deemed essential here: physical, device, communication, cloud, and application security. This research thus proposes a five-layered framework, and guidance is provided based on unstable electricity, limited processing capacity, low budgets, and intermittent internet access. The principal gap is that layered defence is widely recommended, yet has not been adequately tested where resource constraints are persistent and operationally important.