E-Business
Africa’s Data Security Readiness at Low Levels – Report
Despite a high level of IT security awareness and robust corporate IT governance policies in Africa, the level of data security preparedness is still very low.
This is according to the 2019 “State of Information Security Preparedness in Africa: Data Protection Survey”, compiled by information risk solutions provider, Arcon Techsolutions.
More than 100 industry IT professionals, CIOs and CISOs from Kenya, Nigeria, SA and Ghana were surveyed to establish the state of Africa’s IT and data security preparedness.
The survey highlights that African organisations remain increasingly vulnerable to data breaches. As a result, organisations will have to reinforce their privileged access to secure confidential and sensitive corporate data.
Root cause
The majority of the survey participants believe the root cause for the steep rise in data breaches on the continent is mainly due to a compromised user or privileged account, with 79% of the survey participants agreeing to that fact.
Unfortunately, the awareness alone is not enough to build up a secure IT environment, notes the survey.
“Implementing best privileged account management practices like access based on only need-to-know and principle-of-least-privilege, along with frequent randomisation of privileged credentials, can make the IT security posture more robust.”
According to the survey, 74% of the participants accepted that privileged access management (PAM) is a major area of concern for information security.
Paresh Makwana, cyber security expert and business development consultant at Arcon Techsolutions, says organisations’ IT attack surface expands when adequate attention is not given to secure the access control mechanism.
“Typically, administrative accounts are targeted by malicious insiders or compromised third-party users and sometimes organised cyber criminals. They are always on the lookout to steal or misuse information by making an unauthorised access to target systems.
“Privileged access management practice helps an organisation to establish a rule- and role-based centralised access control policy over users. Therefore, any malicious attempt to breach sensitive information is prevented and the IT administrator receives alert messages about the suspicious activities.”
The survey adds: “To overcome these enormous IT pain-points and secure enterprise databases and critical business applications from malicious activities, enterprises need to adopt best privilege account management practices.
“Privileged access management offers the security team with a foundation to build a robust mechanism to manage, monitor and control privileged identities as every access to target systems is authorised, authenticated and documented.”
Governing policies
Responding to the question whether their companies follow digital or cyber governance policies, most of the participants (88.3%) acknowledged they have information security and governance policies within their organisations.
However, according to the survey, hardly any of those policies emphasise the security of privileged accounts that are the gateways to crucial and confidential data. “Most of the organisations confessed they have not invested in privileged access management solutions to date, which is a matter of genuine concern.”
Three percent of the respondents revealed they don’t know whether their companies follow information security and governance policies, while 7.8% indicated they are unaware.
Under discussion
In regards to the issue of data theft as a key topic within boardroom discussions, 50.6% of the survey respondents indicated ‘no’ to that question, with 44.2% saying ‘yes’. The remainder (5.3%) were ‘not sure’.
The survey states: “In spite of rampant data breach incidents hurting organisations, surprisingly, around 50.6% of respondents believe data theft is not a recurrent subject of boardroom discussions.
“IT security personnel should make this matter more pronounced to the management and board so that everyone is on the same page regarding steps taken to mitigate data security threats.”
Fear factor
Answering the question to what they fear the most, 33.7% highlighted phishing or malware remains the top of the list of their security threats.
The survey also observes that three-quarters of security professionals surveyed fear third-party IT users, insiders and targeted attacks.
“It is important to note the IT attack surface widens due to unmonitored privileged accounts. Malicious third-party IT users, disgruntled corporate insiders and organised cyber criminals snoop privileged credentials to target confidential information.”
Money matters
The survey participants (48%) felt the IT risk and security management team would like to invest in PAM, followed by database activity monitoring (41.55%) and identity access management (36.36%).
In addition, 33.76% voiced their opinion for security compliance management and mobile device management, according to the survey.
“Governance, risk and compliance is also seen as a matter of concern because almost 25.97% respondents held that opinion; and finally, 11.68% respondents felt both identity access management and PAM technologies will be critical IT security investment areas.”
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing business registration laws in Nigeria, warning that individuals and organizations operating unregistered businesses will face prosecution.
In a statement, the CAC emphasized that conducting business without proper registration violates the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, undermining transparency and accountability in the corporate sector.
The commission stressed that registration is not only a legal requirement but also a gateway to formal business opportunities, including access to bank loans, government grants, and partnerships.
The enforcement drive will be nationwide, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), online vendors, and informal traders who have failed to comply despite previous awareness campaigns and registration amnesty windows.
The CAC disclosed that enforcement teams, in collaboration with security agencies, will be deployed to identify and prosecute defaulters.
The commission urged business owners to take advantage of its simplified registration platform to regularize their status, noting that compliance will boost investor confidence and improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business. It warned that ignorance of the law will not be accepted as an excuse.
Business owners are advised to act promptly to avoid legal consequences, as the CAC moves to ensure a more structured and regulated business environment in Nigeria.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has pledged to enforce its legal obligations to combat online intellectual property infringement and urged commercial music users to obtain proper licences from rights holders or their representatives.
The Commission stated that this ensures creators are fairly compensated, supporting the music industry’s sustainable growth.
In a statement commemorating the 2025 World Intellectual Property Day, themed “IP and Music: Feel the Best of IP,” the NCC announced plans to enforce the Copyright Act 2022, which allows for the takedown of infringing materials and blocking of websites hosting illegal content.
Signed by Mrs Ijeoma Egbunike, director of Public Affairs, the statement outlined an aggressive anti-piracy campaign in collaboration with the private sector, targeting the online environment.
Egbunike affirmed the NCC’s commitment to establishing enforceable standards for transparency, digital audits, and real-time royalty reporting to protect creators’ rights. She stated, “The NCC will continue to champion policies that support the growth of the music industry, improve the livelihoods of Nigerian musicians, and foster a culture of creativity and respect for intellectual property.”
Despite the global success of Afrobeats and other Nigerian genres, the NCC noted that many musicians face low royalty returns due to rampant digital piracy.
To address this, the Commission revised its Collective Management Regulations to enhance transparency and accountability among Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).
The NCC emphasised that proper licensing is a legal obligation and vital for Nigeria’s creative economy, stating, “Music must feel the beat of intellectual property for the full potential of creativity to be realised.”
The Commission highlighted that creators’ livelihoods depend on fair royalty compensation.
Recent enforcement measures include the NCC’s designation by the Attorney-General of the Federation as an authority under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022.
This, combined with the Copyright Act 2022, empowers the NCC to order takedowns and block illegal music distribution websites.
The Federal Government, has warned Nigerians against the growing threat of cyber slavery within the West African sub-region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued in Abuja by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, acting spokesperson, noted with grave concern the alarming rise of cyber slavery across parts of West Africa, targeting Nigerian citizens, particularly vulnerable youths.
The government said many young Nigerians, including underage teenagers, were lured out of the country under the false promise of lucrative employment opportunities abroad, particularly in crypto-related operations.
According to the government, “In reality, these individuals are trafficked into sophisticated scam operations and enslaved to work in criminal “call centres” — often referred to as “419 cyber-scam factories.” There, they are forced under coercive and inhumane conditions to send thousands of fraudulent emails, text messages, and calls aimed at defrauding victims worldwide.”
The government also noted with dismay, a recent incident where the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) in Accra, Ghana, rescued and detained a group of Nigerians forced to engage in cybercrime activities under inhumane conditions.
“This incident highlights the severe exploitation and abuse associated with cybercrime operations. It also underscores the need for enhanced efforts to combat such multibillion-dollar criminal networks and mitigate the susceptibility of victims.
“The Ministry strongly warns all Nigerians, especially the youths and parents, to exercise the utmost caution when presented with job offers, particularly those promising easy money, overseas travel, or remote work involving cryptocurrencies.
“Nigerians are therefore advised to verify all employment offers through official channels and report suspicious cases to relevant authorities for necessary investigation and action to curtail the activities of the perpetrators.
“The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that, as a precautionary measure to address this unfortunate situation, the Federal Government is working closely with regional partners, law enforcement agencies, and international organizations to tackle this heinous crime, rescue victims, and bring perpetrators to justice.
“The Ministry remains committed to protecting Nigerian citizens at home and abroad and will continue to raise awareness about emerging threats to the welfare and dignity of our people,” the statement read.
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