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Nigeria Business Leaders Tasked on Customer-focused Innovation

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Nigeria’s business leaders have been advised to define innovation from customers’ perspective in order to provide value to their clients.

The advice was given by a Professor of Innovation and Marketing and Founder/President of the Nobel International Business School (NIBS), Accra, Ghana, Prof. Kwaku Atuahene-Gima, during a virtual presentation of a paper titled: “Innovation in Crisis Environment: The Role of Corporate Directors,” during the 2020 edition of Fellows’ Investiture ceremony of the Institute of Direcrors (IoD) Nigeria in Lagos.

Atuahene-Gima said it was important for businesses to define and understand competition from customers and not products’ perspective by focusing on creating and delivering unique value that makes competition irrelevant.

“Differentiating your products or services from competition is best achieved by adding new tangible features,” he said while emphasising that, “value to the customer should always be tangible and something that visibly adds to the customers benefit.”

He also added that not every customer would be satisfied merely with a product or service that is of high quality, reliable, durable and error free.

“What customers want from the core product,” according to him, are, “the features that make the product or service work, which are always the most important to customers and should receive the most attention from the company.”

Speaking during the investiture ceremony, the President and Chairman of Council, IoD Nigeria, Mr. Chris Okunowo, charged the recipients of the awards to continue to uphold good corporate governance principles and be guided by the ethical code of the institute at all levels in their work places and in their business affairs.

Okonowo said that it was important to note that despite the COVID-19 challenges, the IoD Nigeria has continued to demonstrate greater concern and commitment to work with all stakeholders in order to engender a business-friendly environment for a robust economic growth.

He said: “More particularly, we have continued to canvass for good corporate governance of all private and public sector organisations in the country and will continue to partner with all business and thought leaders from both the public and private sectors to push forward innovative ideas for our collective benefits.

“I, therefore, implore both existing and new Fellows to be alive to their duties and responsibilities by rising up to the challenge by supporting the Institute and also continue to be great mascots of our Institute and wear this badge of honour with a consciousness that we look up to you as the custodians of our heritage.”

The recipients of the fellowship award were Ms. Ngozi Chibututu, Mr. Ben Onuora, Dr. Ebun Sonaiya, Mr. Victor Eburajolo and Mr. Edmund Yomi Jones.


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Kaspersky Takes Part in the Development of the New ISO/IEC Standard for IoT Devices

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From smart watches and digital assistants to connected cars, web-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) devices and technologies are transforming daily life and industry.

To ensure the integrity and safety of IoT systems, Kaspersky experts are contributing to the development of a new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard for IoT devices: “ISO/IEC TS 30149 Internet of Things (IoT) – Trustworthiness principles”.

This standard is being established in collaboration with experts from the Joint Technical Committee 1 between ISO and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The standard sets out the factors making IoT devices safe and trustworthy, analysing the relations between unconditional trust and assured system dependability, formalising the general concept of trust.

With the complexity of today’s IoT solutions and increasing sophistication of cyberattacks targeting these devices, having a technical understanding of solutions is crucial for mitigating the inherent risks of these products.

Kaspersky perceives trust as a concept to ensure all relevant stakeholders understand the specific trust elements of an IoT solution, and any potential risks in their given use case.

Developed over the last five years, the standard sets requirements for the trust of cyber-physical systems, including various devices and systems of IoT and industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The standard defines a complex and ambiguous concept of trust, as well as principles for building and managing trust in the system life cycle.

The document also describes principles for IoT system trust management and building trusted systems, with the standard annex containing best practices for IoT system trustworthiness.

They include participative (stakeholder-based) approach, trustworthiness characterisation method, system maturity models, and impact assessment, among others. The annex also specifies a trustworthiness view that covers practical aspects of assuring the quality and security of IoT system usage.

The document standard regulates the principles of trust in terms of reliability, security, information security, personal data security, and robustness in the face of attacks. It outlines principles for building and managing trust and confidence in IoT and IIoT systems throughout their life cycle, considering both the informational and physical aspects.

Ekaterina Rudina, Security Analysis Group Manager at Kaspersky, noted: “The operation of IoT systems is a serious process that should be secured on both cyber and physical levels. The trustworthiness of these systems is a key factor for developers and users.

“We are always committed to creating the highest security standards and constantly work on sharing our global expertise. It’s encouraging to see how the international expert community continues to work and to make significant progress in this area.”


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Family of Detained Binance Executive, Raises Alarm Over Deteriorating Health, Rights Violations in Nigerian Custody

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Family of Tigran Gamabryan, a Binance executive who has been detained by the Nigerian government, has raised serious concerns about his deteriorating health and the alleged violation of his rights as he approaches six months in custody.

Gamabryan, who has been in detention since February 26th, 2024, is reportedly suffering from severe health issues, including a herniated disc and spinal injury, which have left him unable to walk.

According to a statement released by his family on Tuesday, the prison authorities have refused to provide Gamabryan with a wheelchair, forcing him to remain bedridden. This has resulted in muscle atrophy, requiring him to take blood thinners to prevent blood clots. His condition they said, has worsened over time, and he has also suffered from malaria, double pneumonia, and now severe tonsillitis, which reportedly requires surgery.

The statement also revealed that Gamabryan’s legal team has also faced significant challenges in accessing him.

“From July 26th to August 14th Tigran’s legal team were denied entry to visit him in prison – with no explanation – which is against the Nigerian constitution and the governing laws of the prison in which he is being held.

When the team was allowed to visit him (after it was made public that they had been denied entry), they were only allowed a 5 minute visit which is insufficient time to prepare for his trial, in contravention of the Nigerian constitution (Chapter 4 section 36, subsection 6b). Since then they have been denied entry again.”

The U.S. Embassy, which has been involved in the case, no longer has access to Gamabryan due to his inability to walk to the visitor area.

His family has also expressed concern that his health will continue to deteriorate without proper medical care.

Gamabryan’s detention began under controversial circumstances. He was invited to Nigeria by the government for a meeting and was assured of his safety.

However, during the meeting, his passport was confiscated, and he was taken to a “guest house” where he was held for nearly a month before being formally charged. The Nigerian authorities initially informed the American Embassy that Gamabryan was staying at the guest house willingly.

He was eventually moved to Kuje prison after charges were brought against him by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC prosecutor reportedly stated that Gmabryan was being charged because Binance operates virtually, and he was the only individual they could hold accountable.

“Tigran was invited to Nigeria by the Nigerian government for a meeting and was given assurances that he would be safe. However, during the meeting his passport was taken and he was made to pack his items from the hotel and was taken to a “guest house”.

“After he was detained by them, the Nigerian authorities told the American Embassy that Tigran was staying at the guest house willingly.

Tigran was held for almost one month in this guest house before two sets of charges were brought against him and Binance and Tigran was moved to the infamous Kuje prison. According to the Nigerian EFCC prosecutor, Tigran is being charged because, “The 1st defendant (Binance) is operating virtually. The only thing we have to hold on to is this defendant.”

In addition to the charges from the EFCC, Gamabryan was initially facing tax evasion charges brought by the Nigerian Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). These charges were dropped on June 14th, with the FIRS agreeing to pursue the charges against Binance through a locally-appointed representative.

The trial for the remaining charges began on May 17th, with Binance offering to appoint a local representative. Cross-examination of the witnesses has started, but the court went on recess until October. However, an application to hear the case during the recess was granted, and the next hearing is scheduled for September 2nd.

Despite repeated court orders, the Nigerian authorities have refused to release Gamabryan’s medical records to his legal team and the U.S. Embassy. In response, the judge presiding over the case issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Nigerian prison doctor.

Gamabryan has reportedly missed several significant milestones while in detention, including his son’s 5th birthday, his own 40th birthday, and his upcoming 15th wedding anniversary.

His family continues to plead for his release, citing the severe toll his detention has taken on his health and the violation of his legal rights.


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US Donates 10,000 Mpox Vaccines to Nigeria

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As part of efforts to mitigate the spread of Mpox, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated 10,000 Jynneous vaccines to Nigeria.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the official handover, the Director General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NHPCDA) Dr Muyi Aina, said the distribution of the vaccine will commence immediately and priority will be given to states with the highest cases and frontline workers.

He thanked the US government for the support and pledged to the judicious use of the vaccines which he said will help save lives and curb the spread of monkey pox across Nigeria.

Nigeria Intensifies Surveillance As Mpox Cases Hit 39

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths from Mpox have been recorded across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Director General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, made the revelation at a press briefing on the declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern earlier in the month.

He said the NCDC is intensifying surveillance across Nigeria to swiftly detect and respond to new cases.

According to Idris, the NCDC all port health services across all five international airports, 10 seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders are on high alert.

He added that some states have also been put on high alert including Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

WHO recently declared the mpox surge in Africa a global public health emergency, worried by the rise in cases in DRC and the spread to nearby countries.

The WHO called a meeting of experts to study the outbreak and make a recommendation to Dr Ghebreyesus.

“Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice,” Tedros told a press conference.

“This is something that should concern us all. WHO is committed in the days and weeks ahead to coordinate the global response, working closely with each of the affected countries, and leveraging our on-the-ground presence, to prevent transmission, treat those infected, and save lives.”

The decision comes after the African Union’s health watchdog declared its public health emergency over the growing outbreak.

Mpox has swept through the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus formerly called monkeypox was first discovered in humans in 1970, and spread to other countries.

Tedros said the more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths reported so far this year in DR Congo have already exceeded last year’s total.


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