Telecom
Cyber Crooks Threatens National Security with RAT
Despite recent moves by Nigeria to enact a cyber crime law to combat the global scourge, a study by Symantec – the leading security firm, shows the rogues are inventing more ingenuous routes to unleash terror on government infrastructures and multinational operations.
Katie Beck, Symantec’s group PR manager, EMEA Mid-Size & Growth Countries Corporate Communications stated that cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated in their deployment of technology at beating the system.
“Cybercriminal operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, a trend that is likely to continue in the future.”
The Symantec study on new trends of cyber attacks show criminals deploying remote access Trojan (RAT). In one instance, RAT was configured to contact a command-and-control (C&C) server located in Ukraine (one of the nations from the defunct Soviet Union legacy).
Using the RAT, the attacker immediately took control of an office administrative assistant’s infected computer. This way, “they logged keystrokes, viewed the desktop, and browsed and exfiltrated files.”
Nigeria’s vulnerability is made worst by the fact that government businesses are conducted via open email infrastructure across the nation.
Most ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) rather than use dedicated platforms for official government-to-government businesses, use open sources like yahoomail for official transactions.
According to the Symantec study, “Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots act like GSM cellular radios (equivalent to a GSM phone) that can provide Internet access to a computer system through the mobile phone network.
This potentially provides anonymity for the attacker if the GSM SIM card for the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is purchased in cash at a bazaar or private sale. Many 3G providers around the world allow the purchasing of a prepaid data plan without verifying the identity of the buyer. As a result, telecom records will not lead to an individual.”
But a senior corporate communications staff of a leading mobile operator in Lagos pleading anonymity told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek it was unlikely to have some purchase a prepaid data plan without his details properly verified.
When confronted with facts that pre-registered SIM cards are sold in the open market across operators platforms, he insisted that it was not possible.
Roselyn Isimeto, a Computer Science lecturer at the University of Lagos noted that cyber crime is a scourge of the new age and nations need to invest in IT infrastructure to keep attacks at minimal levels.
She noted that Nigeria’s critical economic infrastructure in key sectors like oil and gas, telecommunications, electricity, aviation and finance are at risk of major knock down by cyber crooks.
Beck noted that attackers usually begin by “compromising systems within an organization using their RAT. Once the systems were infected with the RAT, the attacker retrieved identifying information, including disaster recovery plans, of the organization’s bank and telecom providers, its points of contact with both providers and its bank and telecom account data.
“Using this data, the attacker was able to impersonate a company representative and called the organization’s telecom provider. They proved their authenticity to the telecom provider, claimed that a physical disaster had occurred and said that they needed all of the organization’s phone numbers to be redirected to attacker-controlled phones.”
But Nigeria said it is working on a law to curb the menace.
Labaran Maku, minister of information stated that the “objective of the (new) cyber crime law (2003) is to prove an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cyber crimes in Nigeria – promote cyber security and ensure the protection of critical national information infrastructure.”
Maku says “there is need for cooperation and international coalition to combat cyber crimes. Cyber crimes are species of cross-border crimes perpetrated in time and space from any geographical spot in the world.”
Consequently, he noted that the new Nigerian cyber crime law is bring the country to the fulfillment of the ‘Budapest Convention on Cyber crime and reflects Nigeria’s obligations under the soon-to-be fomalised African Union (AU) Convention on the subject matter.”
Airtel Africa reported a profit after tax of $376 million for the half year ended September 30, 2025 as compared to $79 million in the corresponding period last fiscal, benefitting from a $90 million gain largely arising from Nigerian naira appreciation during the current quarter (Q2’26) and the Central African franc (CFA) appreciation during the previous quarter (Q1’26).
Revenues at $2,982 million for the reported period saw strong growth as compared to $2,370 million in the six months of the last fiscal, rising 24.5% in constant currency and 25.8% in reported currency.
The company said constant currency revenue growth reflects the consistent execution of its strategy, supported by tariff adjustments in Nigeria and continued strong growth momentum in Francophone Africa.
“Our strategy has been focussed on providing a superior customer experience and the strength of these results is testament to the initiatives that we have been implementing across the business,” Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer of the company said in a statement.
He said the company has been scaling the network to build additional capacity to facilitate the rise in both digital and financial inclusion.
“The increase in smartphone penetration to 46.8% reflects the substantial demand for data services across our markets but also highlights the scale of the opportunity to further develop the digital economy,” Taldar said.
Capex for the period stood at $318 million. “We have increased our capex guidance for FY’26 to between $875m and $900m – from ‘between $725 million and $750 million’.
This reflects our decision to accelerate our ability to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity that is available across the region, as is reflected by these strong H1’26 results,” the company said.
During the period, the company continued investments in network with the rollout of over 2,350 new sites to over 38,300 sites and an expansion of its fibre network by approx. 4,000 kms to over 81,000 kms.
Vitel Wireless Limited, a GSM second level operator, licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to begin nationwide operations on October 30.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Themed “Blue is Here,” the launch event will unveil E-SIMs, physical SIMs, and smart connectivity solutions for individuals and businesses
With the tagline “Everything Connected,” Vitel aims to redefine communication in Nigeria through innovation, speed, and trust.
In a statement earlier, Vitel Wireless, said it combines reliability with innovation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless connectivity and intelligent solutions across the country.
“The company’s services go beyond communication — they integrate safety, mobility, and smart systems to enhance how individuals, businesses, and communities connect,” the statement reads.
According to Engr Kenneth Nwabueze, executive chairman, Vitel Wireless, at the heart of the telco’s mission is a bold vision to redefine mobile communication through technology that not only connects people but also protects them.
He highlighted the features saying the device is embedded with IoT-driven devices, smart logistics solutions and AI-powered safety analytics.
“Vitel Wireless is more than a telecom brand — it’s a movement toward a smarter, safer, and more connected Nigeria. Our goal is to bridge technology and humanity, using mobile innovation to improve lives, empower businesses, and strengthen national security,” Engr. Nwabueze said.
He stated that the Vitel Wireless team has interconnected with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, and Glo, and has a roaming agreement with MTN for nationwide rollout, extending Vitel Wireless coverage as one of the largest networks in Nigeria.
“Vitel Wireless has partnered with NCC and various law enforcement agencies to define and support key regulatory frameworks that now govern the nation’s telecom space in personal and public safety,” he said.
He added that the value added service includes Xphone -free phone calls and low international calling rates, SecureMe -location awareness solution for personal safety, Oga-App -employment enhancement and performance tool, ISEEYOU -AI-based CCTV with real-time alerts, AssetNow -LBS/GPS-based asset tracker, and many more.
“Vitel Wireless’s nationwide rollout signals a new era for the telecom industry — one where connectivity meets intelligence, and technology serves both purpose and people,” Nwabueze added.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, in collaboration with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, has announced the shortlist of 100 young Nigerian innovators for the second phase of the 2025 Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge.
The initiative, launched in 2024, is aimed at fostering home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, community conservation, and sustainability.
According to a joint statement by the organisers, the top 100 were selected from a pool of 2,169 applications received nationwide. The selection process involved a rigorous multi-stage evaluation conducted by 20 expert assessors, guided by a robust framework to ensure fairness and consistency.
“The shortlisted innovators represent the brightest minds committed to environmental resilience,” the statement read. “Their solutions span high-impact sectors and are designed to address both national and continental environmental issues.”
The PachiPanda programme offers participants access to mentorship, technical workshops, seed funding, and a network of industry experts. The next phase will see a further evaluation to determine the Top 10 finalists, who will be unveiled ahead of a three-day sprint pitch and masterclass event scheduled for November 2025 in Lagos.
During the event, finalists will undergo intensive training to refine their business strategies and enhance their solutions for broader impact. Winners of the Nigeria PachiPanda Challenge will advance to the continental Africa PachiPanda Contest, where they will compete with other national champions.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the programme underscores MTN Nigeria’s commitment to eco-entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, empowering youth-led enterprises to drive green innovation across Africa.
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