Following CAC’s Directive for POS operators to register and submit their CAC details on or before July 7, 2024, PalmPay is encouraging its Business users who have not yet complied with the directive to do so promptly.

This directive follows Section 863 (1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 and the 2013 CBN guidelines on Agent Banking.

Speaking on this directive, Umuteme Enakeno, Head of Marketing and Communication at PalmPay, stated: “PalmPay fully supports the CAC’s directive. To provide a seamless experience for our customers, we have integrated the registration portal with our Business App. In cases where the customers need support, we provide 24/7 customer support to our operators and also conduct weekly meetings to guide them on the process.”

Important Steps to Follow:

1. Register Your Business via the PalmPay Business App: Ensure that all necessary documents and information are provided accurately before submitting your application.

2 Update Your PalmPay Account Once you get the certificate, update your business details in your PalmPay account to reflect your new corporate status.

As always, PalmPay is committed to doing our part to foster a secure financial ecosystem. We urge all PalmPay Business customers to submit or register their CAC before the deadline. Failure to do so means that the account would be frozen.

In commemorating the 2024 Stop Cyberbullying Day, 9mobile, Nigeria’s customer-friendly network held an enlightening online session titled “Cyberbullying vs Free Speech: The Reality, The Difference, and Our Responsibility.”

The event took place on X Space and featured distinguished experts from the media, mental health, and legal sectors who provided insights and answered questions from the participating audience.

The online session brought together voices from diverse fields to dissect the fine line between free speech and cyberbullying. Participants explored the reality of cyberbullying, its impact on individuals and communities, and the differences between harmful behaviour and exercising free speech.

The event underscored the shared responsibility of individuals, corporations, and society in fostering a safe online environment.

The expert panel included: Nikki Laoye, a talented musician, radio host and entrepreneur; Precious Richard-Okon, Plus-size Lifestyle and Dance Content creator; Alice Okoro, Manager, Legal Services for 9mobile and Amara Ruth Esomchi, Certified Health Worker and Therapist.

Talented musician and radio host Nikki Laoye, said that while people are at liberty to make comments on social media, it is important to checkmate bullies on the internet. “I am a radio personality, musician, humanitarian among other things, and I relate with different people across board.

This has opened me up to cyberbullying, but I have learnt how to handle these situations. I agree that people are free to express their opinions, but I know when to put a stop to insults and bullies when necessary”.

Legal expert Alice Okoro highlighted that the right to free speech and freedom of expression is often used as an excuse for cyberbullying. She said, “The Nigerian constitution grants us the right to talk freely, express our opinions, and disseminate information on the internet.

However, there is no fundamental human right in the constitution that is absolute. This means that every right that is granted in the Constitution has limits, and free speech is limited in such a way that individuals are expected to express themselves without contravening any law or provision of the Constitution.”

Okoro further explained that there is major legislation to curb cyberbullying and stalking captured in the Cyber Crimes Act of 2015.

This act seeks to prevent cyber-related offenses such as cyberbullying, online harassment, and cyberstalking among others. Offenders who are guilty of these crimes can be sentenced to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to seven million naira, or both. Repeat offenders can be sentenced to a fine of up to fifteen million naira.

Plus-size Lifestyle content creator and Senior business executive, Precious Richard-Okon, also shared her first-hand experience in the online space and tips on how to navigate effectively.

Public Relations Lead at 9mobile, Chineze Amanfo, emphasized the company’s commitment to promoting responsible online behaviour and the pivotal role of telcos in this endeavour.

She stated, “At 9mobile, we recognize our responsibility to promote causes that shape the digital landscape to ensure it is safe and conducive for all users. We are dedicated to creating platforms encouraging positive engagement and providing users with the tools and knowledge to navigate the internet safely.”

“Our efforts extend beyond connectivity. We are actively involved in educating the public on the importance of responsible online behaviour and regularly disseminate information on how to manage and counter the effects of cyberbullying.

By hosting events like this, we aim to empower our customers and internet users with the understanding and resources needed to combat online harassment and uphold the principles of free speech responsibly,” Amanfo remarked.

As a forward-thinking telecommunications company, 9mobile remains committed to leveraging its platform to foster an inclusive and respectful online community. The company continues to champion initiatives that protect and educate its users, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable digital experience for all.

A new report by a leading global IT infrastructure and services company, NTT DATA has revealed that 80 per cent of organizations have agreed that inadequate or outdated technology is holding back organizational progress and innovation efforts.

In fact, 94 per cent of C-suite executives believe legacy infrastructure is greatly hindering their business agility.

These findings come from NTT DATA’s inaugural Lifecycle Management Report. The report, which leverages 25 years of data-led insights from NTT DATA, explores the challenges and opportunities that exist for organizations as they navigate infrastructure lifecycle management.

The research was conducted over 2022 and 2023, gathering data from over 248 million active assets across 130 countries and supported with responses from up to 1400 senior technology decision makers.

Lifecycle management is a critical enabler of business success. Unfortunately, rapid modernization, and the proliferation of technology consumption models, coupled with an increasingly complicated and fragmented supplier ecosystem, make it difficult for many organisations to adequately maintain their technology infrastructure in a way that fosters business agility and innovation.

Compounding issues, the report finds that more than two thirds (69%) of currently active hardware (with scheduled last day of support) will no longer be supported by 2027.

According to the report, just 51 per cent of enterprises have fully aligned their technology approach to their business strategy needs, while 71 per cent of organizations say their network assets are mostly ageing or obsolete.

Unfortunately, lifecycle management can also have an even more direct impact on operations. Misaligned lifecycle patterns can result in inappropriate coverage levels, laborintensive renewals, extended incident resolution times, security breaches, and even costly license violations and compliance issues.

Gary Middleton, Vice President of Networking GTM at NTT DATA, said: “Infrastructure lifecycles are a critical part of the IT management process. They represent an opportunity and a challenge for leadership, as effective lifecycles can result in huge business benefits – from increased efficiency to fostering greater innovation. “However, inefficient lifecycle management can equally be a meaningful operational blocker, posing numerous risks to security and business continuity.

“Through the Lifecycle Management Report, our aim is to help organizations enhance their infrastructure lifecycle processes and unlock the huge benefits doing so presents.”

It would be recalled that an earlier report by PwC had indicated that in Africa, the tech-ecosystem had experienced impressive growth and is evolving rapidly.

It noted that there was a high level of optimism about the potential that the continent has to offer by harnessing the strength of its largely young, rapidly growing and technology savvy population.

“Nigeria is one of the continent’s more established startup ecosystems, with firms like Interswitch dating as far back as 2002. “Albeit the growing tech-sector in the Nigerian economy and significant private funding secured by African tech start-ups over the years, the tech sector is grossly underrepresented in the Nigerian capital market “ the report said.

It also highlighter that the future of countries, businesses, and individuals would be more dependent than ever on their adoption of technology, adding that economic vibrancy and wealth creation in developed countries had been associated with technological advancements and digital innovation & transformation.

“Today, most of the companies with the world’s largest market capitalizations are tech companies that generate much of their revenue from the digital ecosystems they created. This is a significant change from the early 2000s to this current time,” the report added.