Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Connect with us

E-Business

CWG, MAG Tech Introduce Effective Approach to IT Risks and Security

Published

on

Caption L-R: Lab Director & Head of Cyber security, MAG Tech, Omer Shony Kenhi;  CTO, MAG Tech & Former Commander Cyber Technology unit – Israeli Police,  Nadav Arbel; CEO, MAG Tech, Rami Arad, and CTO, CWG PLC, James Agada during an information security session recently in Lagos
Kindly share this post

Computer Warehouse Group (CWG PLC), the leading technology Company in Africa and MAG Tech, a specialized information security and intelligence Company, recently organized an information security session in Lagos where all the decision makers charged with security in financial sector, and technology experts converged to deliberate on the new concept that will curb Cyber-attacks and fraud in the industry.

This is in a bid to reduce the level of threat and Cyber- attack in the financial sector.

The session themed, ‘Security Operations Centre (SOC) – Financial Services in the Cyber Attack Era’ created a rich avenue for the stakeholders to extensively discuss and understand the new concept, Security Operations Centre (SOC) as the ultimate information security platform required to drastically minimize the Cyber-attack and threats currently being encountered by the financial institutions.

Speaking at the session, James Agada, chief technology officer of CWG, said that CWG as a Technology Company goes beyond enabling businesses with products and solutions to concepts that will ensure 100% security of all the customers’ transactions.

According to Agada, product and product knowledge are not adequate to achieve the end result of any business solution, and hence the need for the new concept, which is centered on how to detect and react to fraudulent transactions.

Agada further expressed that 50% of the transactions in the industry are running on the servers that are being managed by CWG’s seasoned and trained engineers.

 “Our aim is to ensure that these skills are internalized in Africa as information security is crucial to us and our customers” He said.

Nadav Arbel – MAG Tech’s chief technical officer, in his presentation on Darknet and Crime stated that Cyber-attack is originated from the Darknet which is the illegal part of the internet.

According to Arbel, Cyber-attack occurs when there is data leakage which may be caused by misconfiguration of a server or other sources.

He stated further that no one can run a business efficiently without being on the internet and as long as your business is connected on the internet, you will experience some form of cyber-attack and threat. Hence the solution is your ability to detect and prevent it.

“Security Operations Centre has been conceptualized for detection and prevention of darknet’s negative impact on businesses” He added.

One of the highlights of the session was a testimonial from one of the leading banks in Africa where Mag Tech has implemented a SOC.

According to the testimony, the bank was struggling with Cyber-attacks and threats until a Security Operations Center was designed and implemented.

Presently, they can monitor all the transactions on their network across the globe through the SOC concept from their office in Lagos.

The number of intra-bank and inter-bank Cyber-attacks and threats detected and prevented can also be tracked through SOC.

The testifier concluded by encouraging the other banks to have a strategic roadmap to tackle IT Risks & Security issues by looking at implementation of a standard & effective Security Operations Center.

In his words, “Any bank that wants to be in business and roll out innovative products powered by IT infrastructure must take into consideration the Security Operations Centre, as information security is very key in the financial industry”.

He further explained that the concept enables the bank to help their customers from being defrauded and the banks can jointly eliminate or maximally reduce the level of Cyber-attacks and threats in the system when all the banks are monitoring through SOC.

This SOC concept is effective and is a necessity for all the banks that want to remain in business considering the huge amount of losses banks incur as a result of cyber-attacks. “The cost of implementing SOC concept is very minimal compared to the losses through Cyber-attacks” he said.

The event was attended by almost all the banks in Nigeria, and has provided a platform for banks to share information on effective security operations centre implementations to curb fraud and enhance the growing use of the internet for banking and financial inclusion within a safe and secure framework.


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Business

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has the legal authority to regulate advertising across all media platforms, including traditional outlets such as print and broadcast, as well as digital and social media.

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

The landmark ruling strengthens the regulatory powers of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

The ruling was delivered by Honourable Justice Aluko in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1262/2024, filed by Digi Bay Limited (trading under the name and style of Betway Nigeria), Super Group Limited, and Otunba Kunle Olamuyiwa against the Attorney General of the Federation and ARCON.

The originating summons, dated 12 July 2024, sought a judicial determination of ARCON’s powers, particularly concerning advertising content published on digital platforms and by individuals not registered as advertising practitioners.

The court held that ARCON possesses the statutory authority to regulate all forms of advertising, regardless of the platform on which they appear.

The judgement also stated unequivocally that ARCON’s regulatory mandate extends beyond registered advertising agencies and includes private individuals who engage in advertising activities.

Justice Aluko emphasised that the determining factor is the nature of the activity—advertising—not the status of the individual or entity as a practitioner or non-practitioner.

One of the most significant outcomes of the ruling was the court’s position on social media regulation, affirming that ARCON, as the apex regulatory body in the nation’s advertising ecosystem, has the power to regulate advertisements on platforms such as Instagram, despite being privately owned.

The court noted that social media platforms are publicly accessible spaces used to broadcast advertising to wide audiences and, as such, fall under ARCON’s jurisdiction.

Regarding whether ARCON has the power to impose sanctions or fines on erring individuals or entities, the court provided clarity by affirming that ARCON may issue letters of violation or notices of infractions.

However, the power to determine and impose sanctions, it stated, resides solely with the Advertising Offences Tribunal, as prescribed by law.

The court also ruled that all advertising content—whether created by agencies, organisations, or individuals—must be vetted and approved by ARCON before being published or aired.

This decision reinforces ARCON’s role as the central authority responsible for ensuring that all advertising materials conform to ethical and professional standards, regardless of the platform.

Several practitioners in the nation’s advertising sector view the judgement as a significant legal victory for ARCON, especially in light of the increasing challenges it has faced since transitioning from the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) to ARCON under a revised legal framework, which extended the scope and influence of its powers.

In recent years, the agency has faced legal and media scrutiny from various quarters regarding the extent of its regulatory powers, particularly in the rapidly growing and often unregulated digital advertising space.

The decision, they argued, will have far-reaching implications for content creators, influencers, advertisers, and brands operating within the country, as compliance with ARCON’s vetting and regulatory processes becomes legally binding.

The ruling also signals a new phase in Nigeria’s advertising industry, where regulatory oversight will no longer be limited to traditional media and certain digital channels but will encompass the entire spectrum of public communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Zoho, Indian software firmhas suspended its year-long pursuit of a $700 million plan to expand into chip manufacturing, its co-founder said, confirming a story and dealing another blow to the Indian government’s semiconductor plans.

Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

Zoho struggled to find the right technology partner required to advise on complex chipmaking processes, one source familiar with the matter told newsmen earlier.

Report said that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s group has also paused discussions with Israel’s Tower Semiconductor for its $10 billion chip project following an internal evaluation by the Indian group.

Zoho, valued at around $12 billion, offers cheaper alternatives to cloud-based software tools made by the likes of Microsoft.

Its billionaire co-founder, Sridhar Vembu is known for his popular and unconventional approach of locating business operations in rural villages.

Vembu confirmed the decision after the story was published, saying “we did not have that confidence in the tech,” in a social media post.

“Since this business is so capital intensive, it requires government backing, we wanted to be absolutely sure of the technology path before we take taxpayer money,” he said.

In a bid to diversify, Zoho had planned to invest $400 million in a semiconductor facility in Karnataka state in south India.

The entire chipmaking plan, first reported by newsmen in May 2024, has for now been suspended.

Representatives for Karnataka state did not respond to a request for comment.

Zoho’s retreat will be a setback to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has for several years tried to lure companies in his pursuit to make India a global chip manufacturing hub.

India does not have a single operational chipmaking facility.

Zoho, established in 1996, offers software and related services on subscription to businesses in 150 countries and has over 18,000 employees and more than 120 million users.

Zoho’s Silectric Semiconductor Manufacturing last year made a handful of hires and formed a board to oversee chipmaking efforts, the source, who gave the reason for the failed plan, said.

The Karnataka government said in December it had given landmark approval to Zoho’s planned $400 million facility in Mysuru region, which would have generated 460 jobs and been the first such project in the state.

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

FG Partners UK to Combat Cross-border Cyber-crime

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The federal government and the United Kingdom signed an agreement Tuesday to combat the growing threat of cyber-crime. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed following a courtesy visit by David George Hanson, minister of the home office, UK, to the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, Louis Edet House in Abuja.

Transnational crime is a big problem for both the UK and Nigeria, so the governments intend to strengthen existing collaboration efforts to crack down on cyber-criminals and protect their industries from unlawful activities.

Offences such as online fraud, identity theft, digital extortion, and ransomware , operate across many jurisdictions, and frequently necessitate sophisticated cooperation efforts, according to the two governments during a press conference.

Furthermore, Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, established the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, which aims to address the need for a coordinated and robust approach to combating cybercrime, as stated in the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, which criminalises cyber-related offences.

Hanson underlined the importance of ongoing cooperation efforts to combat international crime in a number of areas, affecting vulnerable individuals.

He said: “We need to look again at how we can build cooperation between the Federal Government, the federal police, and our police forces and National Crime Agency to take action against these international criminals, who are exploiting vulnerable people in a whole range of areas. The National Crime Agency, the Home Office Fraud Department, and the High Commission need to make sure we make a big impact on this transnational crime.”

“The collaboration between the Nigerian Police Force and National Crime Agency continues to serve as a model in international law enforcement cooperation. We have successfully conducted joint operations into many cases of cybercrimes and online fraud. With your [UK government] cooperation, we have continued to bust other criminal networks around the world,” added inspector-general of Nigerian Police Force, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending