Nigeria’s Presidential Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy (PODES) has forged a pioneering alliance with Cyberpedia Internet Governance, AI powerhouse  an African Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Cybersecurity corporation, to deploy cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools and grassroots networks in redefining civic participation.

This is in a strategic counterstrike against the global infodemic.

The collaboration, spearheaded by Otega Ogra, senior special assistant to the President, seeks to “reimagine civic communication in Nigeria,” according to official statements.

The announcement precedes Cyberpedia President Abiodun Sowemimo’s keynote address at the global CloudFest conference in Frankfurt, Germany.

The core objective of the partnership is to “strengthen the government’s digital resilience by equipping citizens with innovative tools to identify and counter misinformation in real-time.”

This initiative directly addresses the challenges posed by “disinformation, misinformation, and fractured digital attention,” as outlined in the official release.

The partnership rests on two key pillars: Mapping Public Sentiment, which involves “utilising artificial intelligence to capture real-time insights across Nigeria’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape,” acknowledging the complexities introduced by the nation’s over 400 languages; and Grassroots Empowerment, which focuses on “collaborating with local influencers, content creators, community leaders, and cultural ambassadors to co-develop relatable, engaging content that promotes clarity and national values, combats misinformation, and fosters constructive dialogue among citizens.”

“This initiative is not about controlling the narrative. It is about equipping Nigerians with the tools to lead their own informed conversations,” stated Otega Ogra.

“In an age of digital disruption, trust is the ultimate currency. Our goal is to build transparency by empowering Nigerians directly, meeting them on platforms where they already engage, debate, and form opinions,” he explained.

Abiodun Sowemimo, president of Cyberpedia Internet Governance, emphasised the broader implications of the partnership, describing it as “an innovative model for governance in a disrupted digital era.”

He further stated, “This initiative goes beyond Nigeria. It is about demonstrating how democracies can harness technology ethically, ensuring greater citizen participation without compromising democratic principles.”

The partnership, currently in its early stages, will prioritise “digital literacy initiatives designed to equip citizens with tools to identify and counter disinformation proactively.”

Plans include the development of “interactive mobile applications and gamified educational experiences to help citizens recognise manipulated content, fake news, and deepfake technology.”

This initiative arrives at a crucial juncture as democracies worldwide grapple with the spread of misinformation amplified by emerging technologies.

Nigeria, with its “vibrant digital landscape and one of the continent’s youngest populations,” is poised to “pioneer scalable solutions and set new standards for digital engagement and public trust globally.”

Further details of the partnership’s initiatives will be unveiled in the coming months.

Sowemimo will formally introduce the initiative at CloudFest in Frankfurt, Germany, highlighting “Nigeria’s commitment to innovation-driven civic engagement on the global stage.”

“MyLagos App,” which was launched with fanfare by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with MTN Nigeria has remained  unavailable for download on app stores, raising questions about its immediate accessibility.

Hours after its official introduction on March 13, a search on Google PlayStore for the app returned the message, “No results for MyLagos App.”

Similarly, attempts to locate it on the Apple Store yielded no results, prompting concerns over the rollout’s status.

The digital platform was introduced as a comprehensive solution to enhance city navigation and improve the overall experience for Lagos residents.

It was touted to provide essential features, including real-time traffic updates, personalized navigation, emergency services, utility payments, business listings, and tourism information.

This reporter’s attempt to download the app proved unsuccessful. Furthermore, tests by Lagos-based individuals mirrored these findings, suggesting the app may not yet be publicly accessible.

The absence of the app has sparked speculation: could it be a work in progress, or was its availability restricted post-launch for undisclosed reasons?

Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor, described the app as a revolutionary tool aimed at improving governance and service delivery.

“Technology has evolved from being a luxury to a necessity. In our fast-paced world, effectively utilising technology can significantly enhance governance, improve service delivery, and simplify the lives of every resident in this vibrant state.

“With the launch of the MyLagos App, Lagos State is poised to remain at the forefront of digital transformation, not just in Nigeria but across Africa,” he said.

Abdulhakeem Giwa, manager of Digital Channel Management, MTN Nigeria, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the app’s potential to transform urban living and enhance navigation for residents.

While the app’s unavailability casts doubt on its immediate implementation, stakeholders remain optimistic about its promised benefits once fully operational. Whether technical challenges or strategic decisions have delayed its rollout remains unclear.

National Social Investment Management System (NASIMS) has leaked millions of federal government records in a major system oversight  which could be exploited by cyber criminals.

NASIMS is the central management platform for the administration and coordination of Social Investment Programmes under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development

The major leak exposed everything from home addresses to work backgrounds of  tens of millions of Nigerians

According to the Cybernews research team, the exposed AWS S3 bucket stored over 23 million files, including passports, birth certificates, educational certificates, and N-Power-submitted applications.

N-Power is a social welfare scheme to combat youth unemployment. N-Power applicants use the NASIMS platform to apply to take part in the program.

“The implications of exposing 23 million application-related documents of N-Power candidates could be severe for the affected individuals. Identity theft, fraud, and targeted phishing attacks are the most likely risks for the leaks’ victims,” Cybernews research team said.

According to Cybernews research team, “Worryingly, the instance remains open to the public, even after multiple attempts to reach NASIMS administrators and relevant authorities in Nigeria. We have also reached out to the ministry behind NASIMS for a comment and will update the article once we receive a reply”

What data leaked, and why is it dangerous?

Documents stored on the exposed instance include different sets of citizens’ data. However, the team surmised that the leak revealed:

Full names

Dates of birth

Places of birth

National Identification Number (NIN)

Email addresses

Phone numbers

Home addresses

Work background

Education background

Exposing sensitive and personal data poses numerous threats to the individuals involved.

Most pressingly, attackers might utilize the information for identity theft and various fraud schemes. For one, malicious actors could try opening fraudulent bank accounts or use stolen identities for illicit activities, masking their own IDs.

“Another way attackers can exploit similar data sets is by exploiting the identities to access financial services or execute unauthorized transactions, potentially causing long-term financial damage to the victims,” Cybernews research team said.

Cybercrooks could also exploit the leak to carry out targeted phishing and social engineering attacks.

For example, malicious actors could attempt to masquerade as legitimate organizations in order to deceive individuals into providing even more sensitive data – such as login credentials – or downloading malware.

“The implications of exposing 23 million application-related documents of N-Power candidates could be severe for the affected individuals. Identity theft, fraud, and targeted phishing attacks are the most likely risks for the leaks’ victims.”

The leaks’ nature empowers attackers to craft spear-phishing attacks custom-made for each individual or group of individuals. Such attacks are hard to distinguish, as they often include targets’ personal details and other data points meant to lure in unsuspecting victims.

“Criminals could use the exposed data to offer fake job opportunities or promise assistance with the N-Power application process in exchange for payments or additional personal information, exploiting the candidates’ vulnerabilities,” the team explained.

Additional attack vectors involve risks to victims’ physical safety. For example, criminals could exploit leaked data to locate and target victims for various malicious purposes, such as stalking, harassment, or even burglary.

To avoid similar leaks in the future, Cybernews research team advised:

Change the access controls to restrict public access and secure the bucket. Update permissions to ensure that only authorized users or services have the necessary access.

Monitor retrospectively access logs to assess whether the bucket has been accessed by unauthorized actors.

Enable server-side encryption to protect data at rest.

Use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) to manage encryption keys securely.

Implement SSL/TLS for data in transit to ensure secure communication.

Consider implementing security’s best practices, such as regular audits, automated security checks, and employee training.