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Cybersecurity Requires Proactive Approach to Succeed – Rommy

Rommy Okonkwo is the country manager of Check Point Software Technologies, the largest network cyber security vendor globally, providing industry-leading solutions and protecting customers from cyberattacks with an unmatched catch rate of malware and other types of threats. He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on issues around cybersecurity in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Cyber Space and Digitization Drives
I want to believe that the government of today and previous governments have made a lot of efforts to put some level of protections in place as a country, because this is what the West has done and will keep advancing.
Obviously, the ‘war’ has gone beyond the physical- it is now cyber war. And I really don’t know any government that is not aware of this, today and does not have plan in place as to how to protect its key infrastructure. When you talk of Nigerian Government, you refer to our defence- areas like the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); that is the key revenue streams for the country including the PHCN and a lot of other key government revenue generators.
I am not sure we are where we ought to be as a people or a country, but I know there are plans in place, because the awareness for security keeps growing. I have read an article in the dailies quoting the Vice President, stressing on the need for government institutions and agencies to brace up for cyber security challenges and make sure their environment is protected.
This is the only way that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) can function effectively and efficiently. You would agree with me, when downtime occurs, the cost of bringing back the service is usually huge which impacts the revenue (bottom-line). This is where no body wants to be today.
For security, first, you need to have security policies in place for individuals, organisations, agencies, or the government. From the government angle, they need to decide what the security policies should be across board- institutions and parastatals which will be the posture for the whole country. These should be readily available before you start thinking of how to implement them.
Inability of Government to Digitise Critical Infrastructure
Today, the world is a global village, that is basically why you can sit in Nigeria and place an order in the United States and in a couple of days you receive the parcel. This is unlike before. Same concept applies to why you can sit here today and require approaching a telephone service to place a call to your relation abroad. If you ask yourself couple of years back when the world was itching towards ‘connected world’, we thought it was a joke. That has actually come to be today.
Everybody talks about Internet of Things (IoT); this is where everybody is going today- everything is virtually going to be done over the internet. When you talk about the online ‘craze’ is the internet.
Again, we should know that what the government is doing to itself by not getting the key infrastructure connected, are they doing the right/wrong thing. One answer to that is focus. If it is the focus of the government to be focused in her decision-making; to be efficient and productive in her dealings across everything, the government should make sure that her infrastructure are connected, real-time.
First, we are referring to productivity and efficiency. For you to achieve these you have to be proactive. So, I don’t think credence should be given to the government for her inability to bring the critical infrastructure online, real-time. This is what the West has done many years ago and then; if we are still at that point, it means something is wrong somewhere. It implies the technology advisers to the government are not doing what they should do/ or that the government is not passionate about it.
The only thing is that we shall be affected in everything we do. International trade, you cannot do that efficiently, if you are not connected. Therefore, productivity and efficiency are been affected.
Check Point efforts in cybersecurity
What we have done over the years is to create awareness in different industries. Some of the things we are talking about today with regards to the West, have been in existence for years. You will also realise that some others like Nigeria have started to wake up to the realities on ground. The awareness, five years ago, was not as high. But what we did was to prepare the minds of the people, because we have seen the global trends.
Concerning figures, when you come out and say you lost XYZ amount of money, there is likelihood the customers become afraid; that is why when some of them are compromised, they don’t come out publicly to say this is the amount we lost.
All I know today is that banks, institutions and corporations in this country get compromised repeatedly. What they do is to be reactive; some of them don’t act until they are affected. That shouldn’t be the mindset of someone who wants to be effective and productive in his dealings.
What we preach today is to be proactive: be there before any other. Put your house in order before the cyber-criminals get to your place. However, we have seen a change of attitude among some of the players; generally, it is no longer as couple of years back.
Impact of Check Point IT Security Solution on Banking and other industries
The solutions basically ensure that the malware that could let people or cyber-criminals to perpetuate evil within the cyber space are reduced; in fact, completely eliminated. On a scale of ten, I should say eight success rates. Of course, if I tell you today I am going to provide 100% security for institutions then I am lying. They have used our technology, tested it and are convinced. Today, most of the customers act as reference to others. It wasn’t the case five years ago. They have had the look and feel of technology and were convinced.
Key Challenges of Selling IT Security to Government and Enterprises
One thing I have seen repeatedly is lack of awareness. Again, when you talk about awareness in Africa, security awareness and consciousness is not where we want it to be. Another challenge, over the years, is cost. It is a major issue, because security is not something like a server or a hardware that when you mention it to you management, they are seeing the physical server or critical infrastructure that will cost XYZ amount.
Security is more virtual stuff that has to do with licences. So, some people have difficulty justifying the bases or why they need to invest huge amount of money. Some people tend to claim: ‘we have run this business for five to six years without anything happening. How come you wake up one morning and telling us we have to spend this XYZ amount of dollars to just put our house in order?’
So, the chief technology officers (CTO) and chief information officers (CIOs) get stocked. It is a major problem. We have also had instances people walk up to us and say ‘we need help’. Help in what direction? Help us build justification.
Why do we need to make this investment? Truly, cost is an issue, but for people who do not know, you think you are actually saving up money in your organisation by not implementing IT security and not having the right policies in place, but you are actually not in business, that is what is called total cost of ownership.
Have you thought of what happens to you tomorrow; when you are hit by probably a Ransomware attack? The last WannaCry, the whole world shook by the incidence. Remember, Africa never experienced that, but the effect was felt here.
Every CEO rushed to the IT department: are we safe? Are we protected? We are going to see lot more of this happen, because the bad ‘guys’ keep innovating. It is only the people who are not ready that fall victims of these things.
Today, I feel that the major problem is awareness creation; getting people to buy into the cyber security as a global trend. We see IT security issues increase everyday there are different versions. The other time, it was a hotel in Asians. The best thing is for people to come to reality that it has come to stay. It is an African problem- couple of years people were afraid of owing ATM cards, because people might gain access to their PIN and unto their money.
But today, you have realised that if you don’t own an ATM card you would probably find it difficult to operate your account. By the time the environment becomes aware of these things there will be more businesses. It will impact the rate of closure of these businesses.
Aside awareness, knowledge is very key. Knowledge is still very low. Employees within organisations lack good knowledge about cyber security. We have talked about having adequate security policies- if people are not aware that anything like USB drives cannot be used in an organisation, there is no way they can adhere to it.
A visitor from anywhere can come and tell the front desk officer, ‘do you know what I came here for an interview, this is my flash drive can you help me print out the CV? Unknowingly or innocently for the front office person he/she will insert the drive and that could be a source of bridge for the organisation.
So, the knowledge is very important. So, ignorant could be a source of challenge to industries with regards to IT security. People know but they pretend as if they are not aware.
Making Licensing and Renewal Easier for Businesses
For people who know what value is in what they are going for, because what says it all is the value; for instance, the day you make up your mind to buy a smartphone, you know there is a Samsung Note 8, an iPhone 8, you know there is a cost implication. But it depends on what you want to do with the phone.
Some people would prefer to spend $100 and save the stress of buying in the next five years. Some other person says, I will rather prefer to buy $5, but I want to visit the market as often. It is a matter of choice.
The fact is that by the time you go to the market 10-15 times on value of $5, you will realise that the person who took the decision to buy $100 on the same stuff, has saved money more than you.
Remember that each trip you make to the market, there is probably a wear and tear, cost of transportation, risks and other factors. That is how it is for security. It is not that the cost is out of place, but the mind-set of the people that are actually consuming these things. At the end of the day, the day you are breached, the amount of money you will lose is like times three of what you should have spend, coupled with time wasted and the integrity of your organisation is affected. So, all of them put together are part of the cost.
In a nutshell, it is not expensive, but the buying behaviour of the people is what makes it expensive. What we advise is for them to approach it from value point of view.
Protecting Organisations against Attacks like Wannacry among Others
When I mentioned the top three malwares in Nigeria, one of them is Locky. Locky is actually a Ransomware Trojan that targets windows platforms. This malware sends system information to a remote server and receives an encryption key to encrypt files on the infected system.
Furthermore, the malware demands that payment be made in the form of Bitcoins. So, to survive a system reboot it adds a wrong key registry entry. This is what the bad guys do. Now, what we also tell people is, most times organisations say, we have a firewall, but it cannot protect you from Ransomeware attack.
Often time, people mix things up. Firewall is like you and your gateman. When you got to this premises the security man granted you access, but he isn’t aware that upon your drive-in you dropped any bad object here.
He has done his job by clearing you to enter. So, this is actually what happens on the online space. From Check Point point of view, we have security suite that will help organisations sort out these challenges.
We have anti-bots, applications control, our SandBlast Mobile, SMS security apparatuses to weed off SMS/email from people that look familiar but are actually attacks.
We have solutions around these things. What we advise is you buy Check Point technology to protect your systems from these attacks. That’s why I said when you are a leader just continue to be there; you cannot lead a certain industry without innovation, research and development and technological updates. We have solutions across board like the anti-ransomware which is as superb like others we release to the market.
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Manager, Others Arraigned for Allegedly Hacking into Premium Trust Bank’s Server

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, charged five defendants before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking into the server of Premium Trust Bank.
The defendants are listed as the bank’s e-payment service manager, Matthew Adeniyi; Kehinde Odeyemi, a nursing mother; Samson Latshin, Bolaji Omotosho and Sunday Okunnola.
They were charged before Justice Alexander Owoeye, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cybercrime and unlawful access to the bank’s database.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Mrs. Zeenat Atiku, prosecutor, alleged that they committed the offence between April and May this year, in collaboration with three others, now at large.
Those still at large are Isa Ismaila, Victor Joshua, also known as ‘Oracle’ as well as one other, simply identified as Humble.
According to the charge, the first defendant unlawfully disclosed sensitive credentials, including the bank’s server IP and domain details, to these parties.
She said this enabled an unauthorised access to the bank’s database and the consequent data breach allegedly resulted in financial gains of $10,000.
The prosecutor also alleged that the defendants attempted to intercept the bank’s network and procured a Hewlett-Packard ProBook 440 G9 laptop (serial No. SN#5CD2473N6G) configured to bypass the bank’s security systems.
The anti-graft agency said the alleged offences contravened the provisions of sections 12(1)(b), 27, 28(1)(b)(c) and 28(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).
Following their pleas, the prosecutor, requested for a trial date and sought an order to remand the defendants in custody.
Meanwhile, the court declined an oral bail by the defence counsel and directed that a formal bail application be filed.
He adjourned the case until June 30, for trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Nigerian correctional centre, pending bail.
The court, however, added that the defence may apply for an earlier trial date, upon filing their bail applications.
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DBI Clocks 21, to Train 5m Workers

Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), the training arm of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said that it plans to train not less than five million workers in two years.

Mr David Daser, president/CEO DBI,
Speaking at an event in Abuja to mark the organisation’s twenty-one years of existence, Mr David Daser, president/CEO DBI, said that the investment in human capacity building by the Organisation is to ensure that Nigerians are well prepared to compete in the global market.
The event with the theme: “Preparing Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Market”, chronicled the birth of the DBI 21 years ago and the journey so far in a documentary produced by the Agency.
“Today, we commemorate a vision that took root over two decades ago, one that continues to flourish through innovation, excellence, and transformative impact across Nigeria and Africa.
“The Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) was established on May 20, 2004, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as a Centre of Excellence for ICT and telecommunications training.
“Today, we stand proud with a network of campuses, global partnerships, and thousands of empowered professionals contributing meaningfully to the digital economy.
“We recall with pride that the commissioning of DBI was graciously performed by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose commitment to knowledge-driven development gave this institution a strong and promising start”, the DBI President said.
Mr Daser said that the theme of the celebration, reflects the urgency of the DBI mission in a rapidly evolving digital world.
As technologies like AI, 5G, IoT, and cybersecurity redefine the future of work, DBI, he stated remains steadfast in its commitment to future proofing Nigeria’s workforce.
Not leaving out the architects that laid the foundation of the Institute, Mr Daser said that their legacies must live on.
“We owe our foundation to the foresight and patriotic vision of our founding fathers, notably the late Alhaji Ahmed Joda, former Chairman of the NCC, and Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, former Executive Vice Chairman.
“Their belief in the transformative power of digital knowledge gave birth to this noble institution.
We also honour the past Chief Executives who built the foundation upon which we proudly stand today”, he said.
According to him, upon assuming office in September 2024 as President/CEO, he inherit a resilient institution brimming with potential adding that since then, DBI has recorded several landmark achievements, which including a strategic partnership with Small Business Training Solutions (SBTS) Group to expand digital learning infrastructure.
Other achievements he listed include “the launch of the DBI Global Training Partner Program at our Lagos Campus;
“The ongoing Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Training Programme across all campuses.
“Graduation of Sightsavers training cohorts in Kano and Lagos.
“The commissioning of the Information Access Centre (IAC) by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani”.
The Digital Bridge Institute is also working towards the implementation of the NCC-DBI ADEPTI Programm described as a high impact NCC-funded initiative set to commence soon.
Only recently, Mr David Daser, was appointment as chairman of the Digital Literacy Technical Working Group by the Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), a Development considered a strong endorsement of DBI’s national leadership in the digital literacy space.
“While these accomplishments are significant, they are not ours alone. We remain deeply grateful to our founding and sustaining institution, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for its vision, guidance, and unflinching support.
“Looking ahead, DBI, through its global network of partners, aims to train five million Nigerian workers, across public and private sectors, in Artificial Intelligence over the next three years.
“This ambitious goal is already in motion, bolstered by the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani, and Dr. Aminu Maida.
“Nigeria is poised to become a hub for AI innovation and training, and DBI is fully committed to making this a reality.
“To this end, we call on all Nigerians, leaders of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), State governors, and local government authorities, to support and partner with DBI in this critical mission. Nigeria must not lag behind in the AI revolution”, Daser stressed.
Like any other human organisation Daser discosed that the DBI has experienced its share of ups and downs over the past 21 years.
“In the recent past, we faced a particularly challenging period during which it became a herculean task to pay staff salaries and allowances.
“Our facilities and office infrastructure across campuses deteriorated, and staff morale declined significantly, leading to a sense of disorientation among workers.
“But beyond these tangible difficulties, there were more complex undercurrents, seasons when the compass between this vessel and its founding lighthouse drifted, ever so slightly, from alignment.
“A fog of uncertainty hung over questions of identity, structure, and status. These internal tides, though rarely seen on the surface, stirred deep within the institutional waters, creating a rift that tested the very bridge we were built to uphold.
“Yet even in such a storm, we did not abandon the helm. Rather, we recalibrated our direction with resolve and mutual respect, understanding that even a well-built compass must sometimes reset to find true north.
He emphasised that the journey back to clarity is ongoing, “but it is steady, principled, and constructive”.
He commended the Federal government for its support and commitment to bridging the digital divide and driving Nigeria towards inclusive digital transformation saying that the future is not just bright, it is solid.
“We assure our partners of our unwavering dedication to effective service delivery, as we continue to foster and sustain collaborative efforts toward making the world a better place for all.
“As we mark 21 years of DBI, we look forward with renewed purpose, to bridge the digital divide and prepare a workforce ready to lead in tomorrow’s marketplace”, he said.
Delivering a lecture on bridging the digital divide: collaborative pathways to ICT work development in Nigeria, Mr Shola Osiloja, lead speaker, said that for over two decades, DBI has stood as a beacon of excellence in ICT education and training in Nigeria, living up to its founding vision as a bridge across the digital divide.
Mr Osiloja who is also the Chairman, sector Skills Council for Information and Communications Technology SSC-ICT, was represented by Mr Emeka Okafor, secretary-Council.
He said that in 2004, when DBI was established by the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigeria had just witnessed the successful auction of Digital Mobile Licenses.
According to him, Mobile penetration was less than 5%. “The internet and telecommunication was a luxury. Digital literacy was a term unfamiliar to many.
Presently he stated, “We have over 120 million internet users. Mobile penetration exceeds 85%. We have vibrant tech hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and beyond.
“Nigerian startups are attracting global investment.
“This transformation – both national and personal – didn’t happen by accident. It was the result of deliberate, collaborative efforts to build digital capacity and bridge the skills gap.
“Let me take a moment to commend DBI.
For 21 years, DBI has not just trained individuals—it has trained a mindset, From ICT literacy programs to professional certifications, from rural empowerment initiatives to global partnerships, DBI stands as a cornerstone in Nigeria’s digital architecture”, he said.
Quoting the World Economic Forum, he said, “The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2027, 69% of companies globally will accelerate their adoption of AI, potentially displacing 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones.
“In Nigeria, the digital skills gap could cost our economy an estimated $11 billion annually in lost growth opportunities-The question before us is clear: How do we prepare Nigeria’s workforce not just for today’s market, but for tomorrow’s?”
Proferring solutions to what must be done to prepare Nigerian workers for tomorrow’s market, the Chairman listed Making digital skills the new literacyand to embed coding, digital marketing, cybersecurity, data analytics, and AI basics from secondary school.
Other suggestions he said include but not limited to, “every citizen must see digital fluency as fundamental as reading or writing.
“Institutionalise Work-Based Learning
Let’s make internships and apprenticeships mandatory in ICT programs. Let schools and startups co-design curricula that are relevant and adaptive.
“
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ABoICT Awards: Honoring ICT Innovators Driving Nigeria’s Digital Future

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Nigeria has experienced tremendous growth over the past two decades, significantly contributing to the country’s GDP and transforming various aspects of society.
The sector’s impact on the economy, education, healthcare, and governance has been profound, with numerous organizations and individuals playing key roles in its development.
As the ICT sector continues to evolve, its contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth and development cannot be overstated. The sector has created new opportunities for businesses, improved access to information and services, and enhanced the overall quality of life for many Nigerians.
To recognize and celebrate the efforts of those who have driven this growth, the Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards (ABoICT) will hold its 16th edition on May 24, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton.
This special edition, tagged “ICT Growth Edition 2025,” aims to honor organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the ICT sector in Nigeria.
According to Ken Nwogbo, Editor-in-Chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, the organizers of the event, “Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently been voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations, and we have decided to reward them in this special edition.”
The event will feature a keynote lecture by Prof. Adewale Obadare, Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode – Cybersecurity and GRC Expert, who will discuss the impact of ICT on Nigeria’s growth and development.
The lecture will highlight the importance of ICT in driving economic growth, improving governance, and enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.
In his remarks, Nwogbo emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, noting that AI-powered security tools can detect and respond to threats in real-time.
He also highlighted the need for robust data security, ethical AI development, and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals and AI researchers. “Artificial intelligence transforms cybersecurity by automating responses to risks, detecting unusual activity, and even foreseeing possible dangers before they occur,” he said.
The ABoICT Awards ceremony promises to be a grand affair, recognizing the contributions of key players in the ICT sector and celebrating their achievements. As the sector continues to evolve, it is essential to acknowledge the efforts of those who have driven its growth and development, paving the way for a more digitally empowered future for Nigeria.
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