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Okereafor, Nigerian Makes History with Book on ‘Cybersecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic’
Kenneth Okereafor, a United Nations trained cybersecurity and biometric expert, has made history with Cybersecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic, the first book to demystify Cybersecurity concepts using real-world cybercrime incidents from the pandemic.
Cybersecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic, due to be to be formally released on March 17, 2021, is published by CRC Press, UK, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, US.
The book illustrates how threat actors perpetrated computer fraud against valuable information assets particularly healthcare, financial, commercial, travel, academic, and social networking data.
Cybersecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic, also simplifies the socio-technical aspects of Cybersecurity and draws valuable lessons from the impacts COVID-19 cyberattacks exerted on computer networks, online portals, and databases.
The book also predicts the fusion of Cybersecurity into Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics, the two emerging domains that will potentially dominate and redefine post-pandemic Cybersecurity research and innovations between 2021 and 2025.
The book’s primary audience is individual and corporate cyberspace consumers across all professions intending to update their Cybersecurity knowledge for detecting, preventing, responding to, and recovering from computer crimes.
Cybersecurity in the COVID-19 Pandemic is ideal for information officers, data managers, business and risk administrators, technology scholars, Cybersecurity experts and researchers, and information technology practitioners.
Readers will draw lessons for protecting their digital assets from email phishing fraud, social engineering scams, malware campaigns, and website hijacks.
Okereafor, the author is deputy general manager responsible for Database Security at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Nigeria.
He is with 24 years’ ICT experience spanning industry, government, and academia. He has specialized skills in Threat Mitigation Technologies for preventing, detecting, and responding to Cyberattacks.
Okereafor, is a member of the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee on Health Informatics (ISO-TC-215), and he chairs ISO’s Security and Privacy Working Group-4 in Nigeria developing Cybersecurity standards for digital health.
Okereafor was a key member in developing Nigeria’s eHealth Strategic Framework (2015-2020) in collaboration with the WHO and UN Foundation.
Prior to joining NHIS in 2013, he had extensive data security work experience in telecoms, diplomatic relations, and public sector including the US Department of State where he supported the Biometric security rollout for personnel at the US Embassy in Nigeria.
In addition to advanced Cybersecurity training by ITU, UNESCO, SANS Institute, EC Council, and ISACA, Kenneth holds a PhD in Cybersecurity from Azteca University Mexico, where his research in Biometric Security resulted in the Multi-Modal Random Trait Biometric Liveness Detection System (MMRTBLDS), a framework that improves biometric authentication by diminishing imposter predictability.
Okereafor graduated cum laude and obtained an MSc in Network Security and BSc in Computer Information Systems from American Heritage University of Southern California, and has a first class background in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering.
His research interests centre on Global Cybersecurity, Incident Response, Cyberattack Prevention and Mitigation, Biometric Security, Threat Intelligence, eHealth Security, Telemedicine, and Digital Identities.
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PalmPay Launches CSR Initiatives to Empower Women, Foster Financial Literacy in Northern Nigeria
In a strategic move to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria, leading mobile banking platform, PalmPay has launched a series of CSR programs across Kano and Kaduna. The CSR initiative named “Passing the Baton” represents the brand’s commitment to passing on knowledge and providing the resources individuals and businesses need to achieve financial independence and drive economic empowerment.
This initiative is a bold move by PalmPay to bridge the opportunity gap in the North by providing financial literacy training and micro-business branding support to 5,000 women-owned businesses in Kano and Kaduna. This strategic initiative reaffirms PalmPay’s commitment to inclusive development and economic empowerment, particularly in underserved regions.
“At PalmPay, we believe that real financial inclusion must be far reaching and cover the grassroots,” said Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay. “Our new CSR program is focused on supporting gender equity by equipping women with the knowledge, tools, and visibility they need to thrive as entrepreneurs in their communities.”
Through this initiative, beneficiaries will receive free health insurance, hands-on training workshops, enhanced store branding to boost visibility, and branded merchandise to strengthen their business presence.
The initiative is part of PalmPay’s broader strategy to extend its innovative solutions, expand its footprint in Northern Nigeria, while building sustainable partnerships with local stakeholders for long-term impact.
In a show of support, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, has endorsed the initiative, calling on other stakeholders to join forces with PalmPay in ensuring the North benefits fully from the growing digital economy. PalmPay has received commendation from community stakeholders, as the initiative aims to serve as a model for similar projects across other northern states.
As PalmPay continues to scale across Nigeria, the company remains committed to bridging the financial inclusion gap and empowering underserved groups, particularly women and youth, through its innovative solutions and impact initiatives.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
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