Telecom
5G: ESET Thrives on Securing IoT Devices – Olufemi Ake Assures Nigerians
As Nigeria draws closer to the commercial launch of fifth-generation (5G) technology, ESET Nigeria has assured individuals, businesses and the government of the readiness to offer solutions to protect their Internet of Things (IoT) devices from cyber threats.
Olufemi Ake
Mr Olufemi Ake, the Managing Director of ESET West Africa (Anglophone), speaking to journalists at the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) International Conference held in Abeokuta, Ogun State penultimate week, said that ESET thrives on securing IoT devices and has earned international accolades for the effectiveness of its solutions.
Speaking on the conference theme: ‘Smart, Secure and Sustainable Nation’, he said that it simply implies that for a modern nation to be sustainable the people have to be intentional about adopting smart and secure systems in every sphere. This cuts across public and private sectors.
“In other words, we have to make the Internet secure as the bedrock of a smart city. Smart cities and smart homes imply there will be connected devices such as vehicles communicating with each other and humans via the Internet; mobile devices, laptops, and Internet of Things (IoT) communicating without any downtime.
“You would agree that, once the Internet is made available, you are guaranteed a sustainable smart city. Now, how do you make it secure? This is our area of specialization. ESET thrives excellently in securing IoT devices.
“This is the future! Would you ever imagine being in a situation where your car navigation system is being hacked and you are misdirected to a strange location where negative actions are perpetrated? Of course not! ESET comes in to strengthen security and protection of those devices, which further guarantees a safer smart city.
ESET and Cybersecurity solutions for 5G launch in Nigeria
“First, we have to be intentional with our approach to solutions deployment. We are so quick to adopt the latest technology which is not a bad idea. However, we seem to be slow in adopting security solutions for these devices (connected technologies). So, if we as a nation are going to adopt 5G which enhances IoT connectivity then we should be mindful of its security aspects.
As we adopt conferences like this, we should preach security as the bedrock of the acceptability of these devices. We have to continue to educate our people. Education is very key. Just as we are complaining about the (physical) security situation in the country, the same thing applies to cyberspace. Cyberspace must be secure for the country to reap the benefits of 5G.
How prepared is ESET?
“5G is just being deployed in Nigeria, but it is already in place in over 1,500 cities across the world. So, it is not new to us as a business and we are futuristic. We think about these things before they are launched. For instance, TVR is categorized under IoT.
It is very smart and gives the external world access to your home. So, if it is hacked, you have probably given outsiders access to your living room through smart cameras. When that happens, cyber criminals keep monitoring your activities and can socially engineer attacks against you.
“Therefore, we developed solutions that secure your TVs and IoT devices from intruders. You can check this solution out on https://www.eset.com/int/home/smart-tv-security/ to see the array of solutions we have to secure IoT.
“So, Nigerians should know that the ESET Secure Smart TV solution will prevent access to your TV and home”, Mr Ake stated.
Nigeria’s technology company, Globacom, has extended warm felicitations to Nigerians on the occasion of the 2024 Christmas celebrations.
In a goodwill message released in Lagos, Globacom urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of love and kindness during the festive season, especially in the face of prevailing economic challenges.
The company emphasized the importance of practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ, particularly the virtues of obedience to God and loving one’s neighbor as well.
“Christ taught many virtues including obedience to God and loving one’s neighbour as oneself”, the company said, adding, “Now is the apt time to practise these teachings by sharing with the needy”.
Globacom also encouraged Nigerians to extend the conviviality of Christmas beyond the festive season by fostering love, peace, and harmony, as demonstrated by God through the birth of Jesus Christ.
Assuring its customers of uninterrupted services throughout the Yuletide period and beyond, Globacom urged them to take advantage of its innovative products and services to stay connected and share the memories of the season with loved ones.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators to settle the long-standing N250bn USSD debt dispute before January 2, 2025.
The CBN and NCC also directed banks to pay the pre-Application Programming Interfaces (API) debt before July 2, 2025.
They also ordered that post-API debts be settled before December 31, 2024.
The directive was issued in a joint cirular titled, “2nd Joint Circular of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission on the Resolution of the USSD Debt Issue Between Deposit Money Banks and Mobile Network Operators.”
The circular dated December 20, 2024, was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, acting director of the Payments System Management Department, CBN, and Chizua Whyte, head of Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC.
The regulators said, “In view of the foregoing, the CBN and the NCC hereby direct DMBs and MNOs as follows: 1. That 60 per cent of all pre-API invoices must be paid as full and final settlement.
“Payment plans (lump sum or installments) must be agreed upon between a concerned DMB and MNO by January 2, 2025. Installments must be based on equal monthly payments, with full payment due by July 2, 2025.
“DMBs must pay 85 per cent of all outstanding invoices issued after the implementation of APIs (i.e., February 2022) by December 31, 2024.
“Similarly, 85 per cent of future invoices must be liquidated within one month of service.”
According to the regulators, the transition to end-user billing will be activated only for DMBs and MNOs that comply with the payment conditions cobtained in the circular.
CBN and the NCC said they would provide further guidance on public enlightenment initiatives related to the transition.
The regulators also directed MNOs to implement the “10-seconds rule” for USSD invoicing.
This implies that any session lasting less than ten seconds will not be billable.
The regulators added, “Failure to comply with the terms outlined in this directive will attract necessary sanctions, ensuring that both DMBs and MNOs uphold their obligations.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft regulatory framework aimed at addressing fraud, spam, and other challenges in the Application-to-Person messaging sector.
The telecom regulator made this announcement in a statement.
The proposed framework, which was introduced during a virtual Stakeholders’ Forum, is said to be a key step towards enhancing the sector’s integrity and ensuring a fair, transparent environment for all parties involved.
The draft framework, presented by Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, NCC, who was represented by Chizua Whyte, NCC’s acting head of legal and regulatory services, seeks to regulate the A2P messaging space.
The A2P messaging, used for notifications such as bank alerts, promotional campaigns, and government updates, has become a vital communication tool in Nigeria.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, including consumer protection concerns, fraud, and data privacy issues, as well as an unequal distribution of value within the ecosystem.
“The international A2P messaging space in Nigeria faces gaps that have led to issues such as fraud, spam, and data privacy concerns. These challenges threaten the sustainable growth of this communication tool,” the NCC said.
The proposed framework aims to address these challenges by protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and holding service providers accountable.
“This forum marks a pivotal step towards addressing these challenges. We are here to engage with all stakeholders—operators, aggregators, businesses, service providers, and consumers—to refine the framework and ensure it meets the needs of the entire ecosystem.”
The NCC stressed the importance of inclusivity and collaboration in creating an effective regulatory environment.
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