News
ITAN @ Dinner, Tasks CT Minister on Moving Industry Forward
The Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN) has listed job creation and capacity building, eGovernment and local content as some of the key ingredients to achieving the the ferederal government transformation Agenda.
ITAN at a an interactive dinner session in Lagos with Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology, also appraised the minister with the harmonization that had taking place among all IT stakeholders and the preparedness of the industry to address its challenges with one voice.
Mrs. Florence Seriki, president of ITAN commended the minister for honouring the invitation to meet the industry.
She said that “this is the first time ever that a serving minister will be meeting the industry that falls within the purview of her ministry to seek ways of collaborating and addressing the challenges that the industry players face”
The interactive dinner session, organized by ITAN, was the first ever in the industry and was designed to pave the way for industry and government to build a synergy to achieve clear cut goals on advancing the sector.
Seriki, who is also the CEO of Omatek Computers Ventures Plc said that “the industry is here tonight to speak as one voice on the challenges it faces. ITAN wants to key into the transformational agenda of the government and ITAN desires that the ministry will involve stakeholders in the implementation of the government’s transformational agenda.
Responding, the minister assured stakeholders of government’s desire to work with them and to create the right environment for the promotion of indigenous IT ventures.
She said ‘Guidelines for Local Content in the IT’ industry is set for release soon by the Federal Government as part of its policy to encourage growth of the local industry particularly the indigenous hardware and software sub-sectors.
In his contribution, Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Computer urged government to create demand for products of the local IT industry.
“In every market, local industry players are protected because to recycle wealth, create jobs and build local content. Government must support the local OEMs – original equipment manufacturers- by driving demand,” said Ekeh.
Adding his voice, Mr. Willy Aniebulam, managing director of Beta Computers Limited said that “I cannot produce and store up goods in the warehouse when government would rather buy from outside than from me. Government is the biggest spender in any economy therefore, only government can ensure greater patronage of local manufacturers.”
He said government has to lead in revving up demand for local computer manufacturers.
Also speaking for the industry, Dr Gabriel Obi, former head of the Computer Professional Registration Council (CPN) tasked the minister to end the disconnect between the local industry, the industry professionals, and government.
“We believe this will be the beginning of a more engaging relationship between the industry and the government through your ministry which creation we all canvassed for. There has to be a strategic framework that is unique to Nigeria; a framework that addresses our unique circumstances. Government role is to promote strategic investment and to encourage the local industry to innovate and recreate solutions that address our unique needs,” said Dr Obi.
To Mr. Chris Uwaje, president of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), government must not relent in its efforts to support the local software industry through sufficient policy framework. He canvassed for a positive economic turn-around through the creation of a robust local software industry. Government must bring its weight and patronage to bear on the local software industry if it desires to expand national income beyond crude oil export.
The Minister acknowledged these points.
“I have to be the No.1 promoter of ‘made-in-Nigeria’ products. I have to lead the campaign in consumer preference marketing” she said;
She added that the “The ministry is resuscitating the policy of patronizing local brands. It is specifying the minimum specifications and the industry itself has a role to play to ensure enforcement of the policy.”
According to the minister, there is already a policy to encourage students in tertiary institutions to own devices: laptops, PCs and tablets worth over a million units. 50% of these must be local brands.
The onus is on the local players to make local brands cheaper and equally competitive in terms of quality.
Many key Stakeholders and elders in the industry like Chief Odeyemi – the first Provost, The current Provost – Alh Oguneye formally MD of Datasciences, Chief Ayodele of labyet Polaris, Mr Aghanenu of Innovative Computers equally spoke. Mr Balogun of Brian spoke regarding how to assist local manufacturers and those at the Otigba Ikeja market whilst Dr Emmanuel Ekuwen supported the capacity building request by ITAN for its members
China has announced the full implementation of a zero-tariff scheme for 53 African countries, including Nigeria, under the Changsha Declaration, further strengthening economic ties within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The announcement, made by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, followed a high-level meeting between Chinese officials and African foreign ministers in Changsha. The initiative stems from commitments made during the 2024 Beijing Summit of FOCAC, which focused on building a stronger China-Africa partnership in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
According to a statement released after the meeting, the representatives of China, 53 African nations, and the African Union Commission affirmed their commitment to creating an “all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.”
The declaration highlighted the rising influence of the Global South and underscored the importance of collaboration in advancing development, multilateralism, and equitable global governance. It also criticized growing unilateralism, protectionism, and economic coercion, calling on countries, particularly the United States, to resolve trade disputes through mutual respect and dialogue.
The ministry stressed that African nations face pressing economic and developmental challenges that demand urgent international attention. It urged for increased development assistance, rather than cuts, to support poverty reduction and infrastructure growth across the continent.
In a significant move, China committed to expanding zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing, excluding Eswatini, which has no official diplomatic ties. This will allow greater access for African goods to the Chinese market.
For Africa’s least developed countries, the plan includes enhanced market access measures, streamlined inspection and customs procedures, and increased technical training and trade facilitation.
Additionally, China pledged support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with a focus on modernization and sustainable development.
The Chinese government also announced plans to implement the China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development, deepen cooperation in green industries, e-commerce, science and technology, artificial intelligence, finance, and legal frameworks.
The statement also reaffirmed plans to strengthen people-to-people ties, including initiatives like the “2026 Year of People-to-People Exchanges.”
In September 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed five memoranda of understanding during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking at the Beijing summit, Tinubu described the China-Africa relationship as a “true testament” to the strength of mutual respect and cooperation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar later confirmed that the agreements signed with China are in various stages of implementation.
In a major leadership transition, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc (DSR) has announced the retirement of Aliko Dangote, its founder and chairman, from the Board, effective June 16, 2025.
Aliko Dangote
The announcement was made in a regulatory filing with the Nigerian Exchange Ltd on June 11, highlighting the company’s commitment to sound corporate governance and structured succession planning.
In a statement signed by Mrs. Temitope Hassan (FCIS), company secretary and legal adviser, the Board praised Dangote’s extraordinary leadership and lasting contributions to the company.
“Alhaji Aliko Dangote is one of the founding Directors of the Company and has served with exceptional leadership, integrity, and vision since 2005,” the statement read.
“Under his stewardship, Dangote Sugar Refinery transformed significantly, navigated industry changes, consistently delivered value to shareholders, and upheld strong governance principles.”
Widely regarded as Africa’s most influential industrialist, Dangote led DSR’s evolution into a dominant player in Nigeria’s sugar value chain.
His strategic initiatives, particularly the Backward Integration Projects (BIPs) across Adamawa, Taraba, and Nasarawa States, advanced the company’s self-sufficiency goals and aligned with the federal government’s national sugar master plan.
While stepping down from DSR, Dangote will continue as President of Dangote Industries Limited.
His legacy at DSR is marked by industrial innovation, strategic foresight, and sustained operational excellence.
To ensure a seamless transition, the Board has appointed Mr. Arnold Ekpe, a seasoned independent non-executive director, as the new chairman, effective June 16.
Ekpe is renowned for his tenure as Group CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, where he championed pan-African financial inclusion and institutional growth.
His extensive experience in banking and corporate governance is expected to strengthen DSR’s next phase of development.
The leadership change signals continuity of vision, with DSR reaffirming its focus on operational efficiency and long-term value creation in a dynamic market.
For shareholders and industry observers, Dangote’s exit from the Board marks the end of a transformational era—one defined by bold ambition and strategic execution—while opening a new chapter under Ekpe’s leadership.
Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis Team researchers have discovered a new malicious campaign which is distributing a Trojan through a fake DeepSeek-R1 Large Language Model (LLM) app for PCs.
The previously unknown malware is delivered via a phishing site pretending to be the official DeepSeek homepage that is promoted via Google Ads.
The goal of the attacks is to install BrowserVenom, a malware that configures web browsers on the victim’s device to channel web traffic through the attackers servers, thus allowing to collect user data – credentials and other sensitive information. Multiple infections have been detected in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, India, Nepal, South Africa and Egypt.
DeepSeek-R1 is one of the most popular LLMs right now, and Kaspersky has previously reported attacks with malware mimicking it to attract victims. DeepSeek can also be run offline on PCs using tools like Ollama or LM Studio, and attackers used this in their campaign.
Users were directed to a phishing site mimicking the address of the original DeepSeek platform via Google Ads, with the link showing up in the ad when a user searched for “deepseek r1”.
Once the user reached the fake DeepSeek site, a check was performed to identify the victim’s operating system. If it was Windows, the user was presented with a button to download the tools for working with the LLM offline. Other operating systems were not targeted at the time of research.
After clicking on the button and passing the CAPTCHA test, a malicious installer file was downloaded and the user was presented with options to download and install Ollama or LM Studio.
If either option was chosen, along with legitimate Ollama or LM Studio installers, malware got installed in the system bypassing Windows Defender’s protection with a special algorithm.
This procedure also required administrator privileges for the user profile on Windows; if the user profile on Windows did not have these privileges, the infection would not take place.
After the malware was installed, it configured all web browsers in the system to forcefully use a proxy controlled by the attackers, enabling them to spy on sensitive browsing data and monitor the victim’s browsing activity.
Because of its enforcing nature and malicious intent, Kaspersky researchers have dubbed this malware BrowserVenom.
“While running large language models offline offers privacy benefits and reduces reliance on cloud services, it can also come with substantial risks if proper precautions aren’t taken.
Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the popularity of open-source AI tools by distributing malicious packages and fake installers that can covertly install keyloggers, cryptominers, or infostealers.
These fake tools compromise a user’s sensitive data and pose a threat, particularly when users have downloaded them from unverified sources,” comments Lisandro Ubiedo, Security Researcher with Kaspersky’s Global Research & Analysis Team.
China Expands Zero-Tariff Trade for Nigeria, 52 Other African Nations
Sterling Bank Pledges ₦2bn to Fully Fund University Scholarships
MTN Nigeria Unveils CPaaS Platform to Transform Business Communication
Aliko Dangote Signs out @ Dangote Sugar Refinery as Chairman
Court Declines Access Bank’s Request to Freeze MTNN Account over N180Bn Claims
General News3 days agoAfDB to Provide $184.1mfor Africa’s Largest Solar Energy, Battery Storage Project
General News3 days agoCourt Declines Access Bank’s Request to Freeze MTNN Account over N180Bn Claims
News3 days agoReport Reveals New Malware Posing as an AI Assistant Steals User Data
Telecom3 days agoMTN Mulls Establishment of Fintech Firm in Nigeria, Others
News3 days agoAliko Dangote Signs out @ Dangote Sugar Refinery as Chairman
E-Business3 days agoFG Mulls Fibre Optic Layout to Bridge Internet Gaps
E-Financial3 days agoFG to Train 100,000 Youths Annually in Forex Trading and Financial Skills
E-Financial2 days agoSterling Bank Pledges ₦2bn to Fully Fund University Scholarships