E-Business
Report Highlights How IoT Helps African Logistics Companies Pivot to Beat Covid-19
Pod Group, a provider of connectivity services for the Internet of Things (IoT) has published a report based on research carried out during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic among logistics companies in Africa, who have had the foresight to quickly pivot their businesses to address gaps in the market that have opened up as a result of the lockdowns.
Pod Group’s qualitative research found that many transport routes in Africa have suffered considerably from border closures resulting in less vehicles travelling along Africa’s transport corridors with the corresponding negative impact on industry revenue.
This situation is compounded by cost cuts, both within the transport companies themselves and among their customers. As a result, some logistics companies in the region have found it necessary to rethink their approach to business and bring in new sources of revenue.
One of the companies interviewed, Techmansion Solutions Ltd. saw a window of opportunity when a local taxi firm approached them about the use of their vehicles for private hire. With public transport services reduced to just 25% of their normal capacity, enterprises were looking for other ways to mobilize their workforces.
Techmansion quickly adapted their usual telematics-based fleet management services to provide an IoT solution which enables enterprises to reserve private cars for their customers and staff remotely using an integrated booking system.
Other companies have adapted to the changes in transport routes by focusing on the areas benefiting from the diversion of fleets to new transport corridors.
One of Beira’s leading logistics terminals is seeing increased visibility and new demand along the Beira Corridor due to the Covid-19 measures implemented in South Africa, which has enforced one of the strictest lockdown regimes worldwide.
One aspect that all companies interviewed agreed on, however, was the importance of IoT solutions as ammunition against the negative effects of Covid-19 and as a vital tool in the transformation of their businesses to create new revenue streams.
Using connected devices to track, secure and monitor their fleets, even in rural areas with patchy coverage has given them the competitive edge they need to target new customer segments e.g. the transportation of valuable cargos such as gold or copper.
The availability of these connectivity solutions as managed services with an agnostic platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model has also helped generate new business opportunities.
For companies such as Fleetmatics Africa who are looking to reduce overhead costs because of losses incurred by the pandemic, integrating third-party software enables them to offer value-added services, such as fleet data analytics to calculate cost per kilometre, without having to invest in their own in-house development.
David Boxshall, Business Development Director at Pod Group commented, “Covid-19 has hit the logistics sector in emerging markets such as Africa very hard, but it is amazing to see how a flexible mindset and innovative use of technology has given some of these companies the cutting edge.
“The ability to connect, manage and secure their vehicle fleets remotely has enabled them to target new customers in high value sectors, and in some cases, change their business model completely.”
E-Business
TD Africa Dangles Discounts on Mercury Inverters
In response to Nigeria’s epileptic power supply and the need for a cost-effective back-up, TD Africa, the authorised distributor of Mercury Inverters on the continent, is encouraging Nigerians to take control of their power needs with a discounted offer on all Mercury inverters.
This offer will not only reduce overdependence on the exorbitant fuel-powered generating option widely used, but also offer a seamless and uninterrupted power supply while cutting operational cost by more than 50%.
“Mercury Inverters are a game-changer for Nigerians seeking to overcome the challenges of frequent power outages,” said Toyin Adeniji, TD Africa’s Business Manager for Mercury Inverters.
According to her, the inverters exceptional performance, durability, and affordability, makes it a reliable and sustainable solution that can enhance both personal and business productivity.
TD Africa’s move to discount these Inverters will make the product accessible to more Nigerians, providing an affordable and reliable power backup option that promises to improve the overall quality of life for individuals and businesses.
The inverters which come in 10KVA and 7.5KVA with a 120V, also contribute to environmental sustainability by minimizing carbon emissions.
While this discounted offer is for a limited time, how to take advantage of this offer can be obtained at [email protected].
E-Business
FG to Train 5, 000 Data Protection Officers
Federal government has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.
As the demand for data management grows throughout Africa, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to train 5,000 Nigerian youths to become data protection specialists.
The agreement is part of the NDPC’s ambition to create 10,123 data management related jobs in Nigeria.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CEO of the NDPC, stressed the growing demand for data protection officers in Nigeria during the signing event.
He stated that there are a large number of data controllers in the country, each of which must have at least one data protection officer.
According to the government, young people can now pursue data management careers and fill expected new roles in the ecosystem.
Olatunji also stated that the NDPC has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.
He stated that the goal of this move is to improve local knowledge while also reducing the foreign exchange expenses connected with international training.
“In addition, the certification provided by our in-country body will carry global recognition, ensuring our professionals are competitive on the international stage,” he explained.
E-Business
Kaspersky Warns that Scammers Hide Phishing Links behind Images
At the end of August, Kaspersky experts discovered a phishing campaign with an unusual attack vector – through an image. This scam targeted organisations in the fields of online retail, distribution, transportation, and logistics. The cyber attackers aimed to steal corporate email credentials from potential victims.
Within the phishing scheme, the cyber attackers send emails in English, allegedly on behalf of a South Korean company. Pretending to be employees of this organisation, the cybercriminals email about sending instructions to their bank for transferring a payment.
They ask potential victims to check the details in the scanned document, which is added to the body of the letter. According to the legend, this must be done quickly in order to receive payment as soon as possible.
“The image in these phishing emails is poorly visible – this is what the attackers are counting on. Even if a person does not expect an email, he may be interested in looking at the details. However, in reality, the image hides a phishing link.
If the users click on the scan, they will be redirected to a fake resource that mimics a file sharing service from Adobe. There, they will be asked to enter the credentials for a corporate email account to gain access to the document.
However, this should never be done, otherwise this information will go to the cybercriminals,” comments Roman Dedenok, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
To avoid becoming a victim of such phishing attacks, Kaspersky recommends that users do not trust emails from unknown mailboxes, especially when it comes to confidential data, financial transactions and suspicious attachments, even if it visually looks like the email came from an organisation with a good reputation.
Kaspersky also recommends that companies install a reliable security solution that will automatically send such emails to spam, such as Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, and also regularly conduct cybersecurity training for employees, teaching them how to recognise social engineering techniques, for example, using the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform.
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