News
NCC Renews Partnership with NBA for Better Service Delivery

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has renewed its partnership with members of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to provide legal assistance for copyright owners under its Lawyers Advocacy for the Artiste (LAFTA).
This is in a bid to strengthen the copyright section of the Bar for the benefit of the creative industries.
Mr. John O. Asein, director-general of NCC, disclosed this during a recent webinar training on “Exploring the Legal Framework of Copyright Protection in Nigeria” organised by the Abuja Branch of the NBA as part of its Abuja Inter-Agency Discussion Series 3 in collaboration with the Commission.
Mr. Asein renewed the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with individual lawyers, firms and the relevant sections of the NBA to raise copyright knowledge and equip Nigerian lawyers with the needed tools for the roles expected of them.
“We realise the need to grow the Copyright Bar and promote active copyright practice as this would translate to better cases and ultimately ensure sound copyright jurisprudence”, he stated, adding that the draft Copyright Bill, when passed into law would help in this regards and provide the needed legislative framework to deal with digital and online copyright issues.
He assured that the Commission would encourage the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to more speedily address the peculiar needs of copyright disputes.
The director-general pointed out that “lawyers all over the world are key in the sustainable development of wholesome copyright systems. As professionals, they are best equipped to assist in promoting, protecting and enforcing the rights of creators”.
He therefore urged the lawyers in Nigeria to take more interest in providing adequate support for the growth of the creative sector.
“The Nigerian creative sector holds a lot of promise as one of the leading contributors to the nation’s GDP and the NBA would be contributing significantly to the economic development of the country if its members partner with industry practitioners”, he stated.
He remarked that the number of lawyers taking interest in the subject of intellectual property, particularly copyright, has grown significantly in the last two decades but noted that a lot of work still needed to be done to grow the required skill sets and encourage more specialisation.
The director-general noted that the country’s copyright sector offered great potentials as a rich and inexhaustible resource which, if properly utilised could generate wealth, provide employment and grow the nation’s non-oil sector of the economy.
Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau, chairman NBA, Abuja Branch (the Unity Bar) and host of the event, had earlier expressed optimism that the training would be of immense benefit to participants and stakeholders.
While appreciating the Commission for its efforts at repositioning the sector, she said topics covered at the training included: An Overview of the Framework of Protection and Enforcement of Copyright in Nigeria; Copyright Issues in the Digital Environment: Challenges and Prospects; and NCC Rights Management Initiatives: An Overview of the Copyright e-Registration System.
In his closing remarks, the director-general, represented by Mr. Michael Akpan, director, Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA), urged lawyers to take advantage of the Commission’s copyright e-registration scheme by advising their clients to submit their works for registration. He expressed appreciation to the NBA executives and the participants for the success of the training.
He explained that the e-registration scheme was necessary to expand the database of authors and their works, which would be accessible to members of the public and facilitate a global platform for the exchange of vital information on Nigerian creative works.
He called on stakeholders to continue to support the Commission’s regulatory and enforcement activities, adding that the growth of the copyright industry was dependent on effective collaboration with every sector in the creative sector, including lawyers.
“There is no way the NCC can succeed without active collaboration with stakeholders both in terms of sharing information on developments around them, supporting the Commission in tangible ways and also advising on the best way to go. There will always be space for stakeholder participation in moulding the policies and programmes of the Commission”, he stated.
Resource persons at the training were: Prof. Adewole Adedeji, Head, Department of International Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Dr. Kunle Ola, Senior Lecturer, Australian Catholic University and Mr. Michael Akpan.
The training sessions were moderated by Mr. Noah Snare, Chairman of NBA Abuja Inter-Agency Relations Committee and Eriobu-Aniede Onyekachi of the NBA and member of the same Committee.
News
Aliko Dangote Signs out @ Dangote Sugar Refinery as Chairman

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.
News
Report Reveals New Malware Posing as an AI Assistant Steals User Data

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.
News
Court Declares Bank’s Withholding of Retirement Benefits Unlawful

National Industrial Court in Lagos has ruled that a deposit money bank must pay over N162 million in outstanding retirement benefits to a group of its former employees.
The judgment, delivered by Justice R.H. Gwandu, criticized the bank’s attempt to withhold entitlements from staff employed through third-party arrangements.
The claimants, represented by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, argued that the bank violated labor laws by refusing to honor their retirement benefits. They sought declarations that the bank’s actions were unlawful and requested immediate payment of their dues.
Justice Gwandu ruled in favor of the employees, stating that the use of third-party employment to evade obligations was unacceptable.
The court acknowledged their long service and dismissed the bank’s argument that they did not meet the required 15 years of uninterrupted service.
Notably, the court upheld the rights of the 10th claimant, who continued working with the bank after its merger with Manny Bank and another commercial institution.
This landmark ruling reinforces workers’ rights and establishes that organizations cannot use outsourcing arrangements to deny employees their legitimate benefits.
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