Telecom
Infodata, Force Point Launch One Security Solution for Cyber Security
Some Cyber security experts on Tuesday called for constant awareness and sensitisation of individuals and organisations to help protect their data.
L-R: Abumere Igboa CISO StanbicIBTC, Ms Jennifer Alabi, Eze Osiago Regional Solution Manager, Sub Sahara Africa, Infodata Professional Services and Mohammed El Shenawy, Snr Manager, Sales Engineering, Forcepoint, at an awareness session organised by Infodata Professional Services in collaboration with Forcepoint, held at Fourpoint by Sheraton, Lagos.
The experts made the call at an awareness session organised by Infodata Professional Services in collaboration with Forcepoint on the theme; ‘Data and Human Factor -The One Security Solution‘ in Lagos.
Mr Mohammed El Shenawy, Senior Manager, Sales Engineering, Forcepoint said that creating awareness from time to time about the new technologies and the basic protection from Internet risk was very important.
El Shenawy said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on the sidelines of national event said ‘today’s awareness were for professionals that needed to protect people’s data’.
He said he was in Nigeria to talk about new things happening in Cyber security because as consumers of technology we have started to adopt new technologies.
According to him, many of this new things are taking peoples data to the Internet and in order to secure it that means like heavy investment.
“For people to take credit they need awareness and that is why we are here to talk about technology to use in protecting people from getting any data breach or exposure when this data is going into the Internet.
This event is to create awareness for the professionals who are working in the industry and really on the need to listen to new technologies, new solutions that can help do the mission of protecting their data.
“However it is our responsibility to be careful of how we are dealing with this technology so creating awareness from time to time about this technology and how we can do basic protection from the Internet risk is very important.”
According to him, Forcepoint focus is dealing with people when they are interacting with their data.
Eishenawy said that Forcepoint put the human in the centre of its attention to protect their data and their interaction with the Internet.
In his presentation, the Managing Director of Infodata Professional Services, Chuks Ulu Udensi noted that current data has showed that there is an increasing proliferation of targeted cyber-attacks in the financial services sector ranging from insider threats to typical Ransomware, phishing, web application and vulnerability exploitation attacks, denial of service (DoS) attacks and attack campaigns of the nation-state and state-sponsored threat actors.
He noted that; “These challenges especially in this ever-evolving hybrid distributed work-life environment requires a consolidated diversified approach to securing the enterprise in the modern world.”
In this light, Chuks Ulu Udensi explained that, “Infodata in collaboration with Forcepoint was happy to launch the Forcepoint One Solution Platform which brings to the market a unified platform approach to protecting hybrid workforce and the information they access on the web, via the cloud and in private applications while ensuring end-user experience and team collaboration is seamless especially in the financial services sector.”
With a highly motivated, experienced and qualified team spread across the globe, Infodata is poised to deliver the highest level of security services and solutions to our customers.
Eze Isiago, Regional Solution manager, Sub Sahara Africa Infodata Professional Services said it had partnered with Forcepoint to sensitize prospective and current customers about the growing trend in technology.
Isiago said that most businesses had migrated to Cloud due hugh cost of maintenance of server infrastructure and as such have data in the Cloudbthat needs securing and coordination.
He said that staying in the cloud means that your data are no longer within the confines of your power.
According to him, we want to help the customers in Cloud adoption to secure their data consolidate them and give it a single view.
Isiago said that as much as businesses were excited to go to the Cloud, Infodata was saddled with the responsibility to secure their data so that is the sensitisation of today’s event.
According to him, we are concerned about helping people to work without any issues with the barest minimum risk .
He emphasised the need for organisations to organise sensitisation for staff because it gives an insight to know that the cyber world is filled with threat and know when on click links or not .
In the same vein, Chika Udensi, Regional Sales Manager, Infodata Professional Services said that as we all know technology is evolving and Infodata and Forcepoint have decided to come together to give end users topnotch security platform.
Udensi said that the security platform where they can be able to carry on with their businesses without loosing data within or outside their organisation.
Mr Igboa Abumeri, Chief Information Security Officer of StanbicIbtc said that the event had helped to create more awareness on how to keep safe online and protect the systems made available to customers to carry out financial transactions.
Abumeri said that as an institution, threat that targets our financial institutions and customers are constantly monitored.
He said that the institutions constantly take a look at the potential vulnerable points that customers might fall victims to and then be exploited.
According to him, the solution to threats is not a one off approach so constant look at multiple ways that can help to improve the level of confidence of customers was key.
He expressed his appreciation to the organisers -Infodata and Forcepoint for keeping them up date.
MTN Nigeria is set to reignite the dreams of creatives with the launch of its Best of the Streets talent competition for the 2025 edition. This initiative aims to discover and nurture Nigeria’s next generation of creative talent.
L-R: Mobolaji Ogunlende, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Lagos State; Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo, Singer and Founder of C.R.E.A.M platform; Dandizzy, Rapper and Singer; A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria and Obi Asika, Nigerian music executive and Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC., at the Best of the Streets press briefing on Wednesday, April 23 held at the MTN Rooftop Events Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Slated to commence on May 1, 2025, the competition offers unsigned artists a transformative platform to compete for life-changing rewards, including a grand money prize, professional music video production, and an EP recording deal.
At the press briefing on Wednesday April 23, A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer of MTN Nigeria, emphasized the initiative’s impact.
“The premise of Best of the Streets is that there’s talent in every street in Nigeria, whether it’s acting, singing, dancing, comedy or other performance arts.
“Best of the Streets seeks to bring out that talent, to show Nigerian youths that there are opportunities everywhere; and at MTN, we are very proud to take part in creating these opportunities.”
Best of the Streets is in collaboration with C.R.E.A.M (Creative Reality Entertainment Art and Music), founded by Nigerian rapper, Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo is a platform which provides talent management, publishing, and funding support to grassroots artists.
“The C.R.E.A.M platform provides solutions and services for talents, creatives and entrepreneurs, by granting them convenient access to showcase their skills and monetize their content. With our newly launched distribution arm, we are not just discovering talent, we are giving them the tools to take them global,” D’banj explained.
Chris Anokute, Nigerian-born LA-based American Executive, known for discovering global superstar Katy Perry, commended the efforts of this initiative in pushing local Nigerian music to the international stage. “Best of the Streets is the greatest artiste discovery platform I’ve seen come out of Africa.
“The music industry is, as of last year, a 30-billion-dollar industry. Afrobeats is the fastest growing genre in the entire world, over 1.1 million hours of music streamed out of Nigeria on Spotify this year alone.”
On the importance of empowering the creative capacities of the youth, Mobolaji Ogunlende, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State. “As a government, we have vowed not to leave anybody behind in Lagos state, irrespective of their background.
“There are about 30 million citizens in Lagos, and 60% of the youth. Not every youth will be able to go to school, but we still have the creatives, digital, fashion icons, among others. This platform is an avenue to encourage them.”
To participate, aspiring contestants can dial *463# on their MTN line, upload original content via the official @creamplatform, and mobilise votes from the public. Over 2584 creatives are set to be showcased and rewarded this year. Entries into this competition continue up until December, with daily, weekly and monthly winners, with a final winner who will secure the grand prize.
The Best of the Streets initiative reinforces MTN’s commitment to youth empowerment and creative innovation, aligning with Nigeria’s growing entertainment industry demands.
Meta has announced its intention to appeal the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), which upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over its data practices.
The penalty follows a 38-month investigation conducted by the FCCPC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which ran from 2021 to December 2023.
The investigation found evidence of unauthorised data sharing, insufficient user consent mechanisms, and discriminatory practices that treated Nigerian consumers differently from those in other regions.
In July 2024, the FCCPC imposed the $220 million fine on Meta and WhatsApp, citing violations of Nigeria’s data protection and consumer rights laws. Additionally, the ruling mandated corrective actions to ensure that Meta’s business practices comply with Nigerian regulations.
In a decision delivered on Friday, April 25, the tribunal upheld the fine, reaffirming the FCCPC’s authority and investigative processes. The tribunal also ordered Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to cover the costs incurred during the investigation.
However, Meta expressed disagreement with the tribunal’s ruling, stating in a statement on Saturday, April 26, that it would urgently seek to appeal the decision and apply for a stay of execution.
“We are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal today’s decision to avoid any impact to users,” WhatsApp said.
The company also contested the tribunal’s findings, claiming that the ruling misrepresented how WhatsApp operates and contained inaccuracies regarding its data practices.
Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC for data privacy violations in Nigeria.
The Tribunal also awarded $35,000 in investigative costs to the country’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission .
In a statement issued by the FCCPC, the Tribunal delivered its judgment in the appeal filed by Meta Platforms Incorporated (Facebook) and WhatsApp LLC against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), affirming the Commission’s authority and ruling in favour of its actions on nearly all contested issues.
According to the statement by the FCCPC, “The Tribunal specifically determined that the Commission adhered to prevailing laws, fulfilled its mandate, and exercised its powers by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“It ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the Commission made findings of violations, were correctly identified, and that the Commission did not err in making those findings.”
The statement revealed that WhatsApp and Meta’s legal team was led by Professor Gbolahan Elias (SAN), while the FCCPC was represented by Babatunde Irukera.
It added that both legal teams presented their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28, 2025.
“The FCCPC had on July on July 19, 2024, issued a Final Order imposing a $220 million administrative penalty after concluding that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers, the investigation started in 2020.
“The case arose from a 38-month joint investigation initiated by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.
“Dissatisfied with the Order last year, Meta and WhatsApp appealed to the Tribunal, challenging both the legal basis and the findings of the Commission,” FCCPC said.
The Tribunal upheld the FCCPC’s authority and investigative procedures in Meta and WhatsApp’s appeal, resolving most of the contested issues in the Commission’s favour.
It confirmed that the FCCPC acted within its constitutional and statutory mandate, particularly regarding fair hearing, data protection, and consumer rights.
While it dismissed the majority of the appellants’ objections, it set aside one specific order (Order 7) for lacking sufficient legal basis.
While expressing satisfaction with the judgment, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman/CEO, commended the Commission’s legal team for their exceptional diligence and forensic expertise in assembling evidence and presenting their case.
He reaffirmed the FCCPC’s unwavering commitment not only to protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers but also to promoting fair business practices in line with the FCCPA (2018) and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Nigerian government.
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