E-Business
Safer Internet Day Highlights Africa’s Online Challenge
Yesterday the world marked Safer Internet Day, a reminder that emerging online issues like cyber bullying and harmful online experiences continue to pose a threat to users, especially, the youth.
Mobile telecommunications services provider Uswitch claims over half of 12 -15 year-olds have had some form of harmful online experience, one in eight young people have been bullied through social media, and 53% of 11-16 year-olds have seen explicit material online.
Uswitch has also found that six in ten parents are aware of the various technical tools and parental controls available, but only a third actually use them.
The company has emphasised the role of parental controls, which it explains is a set of measures and limits you can apply to your child’s internet devices and accounts to prevent access to upsetting or inappropriate content online.
Uswitch identifies several types of parental controls, including websites, smartphones, online gaming and streaming, which can be used to manage search engines, prevent money being spent online, keep track of your child’s location, to teach cyber safety habits and etiquette, and implement screen time limits.
Max Beckett, broadband expert at Uswitch.com says: “With the online world becoming increasingly intertwined with our children’s lives, parental controls should be a tool that all caregivers know how to use. Sadly, with only one in three parents currently using the controls available to them, there needs to be a better understanding on how to use them.
“It’s very easy to stumble upon harmful content on the web, so it’s natural that we would want to protect our children from that. However, parental controls are useful for much more. They give us the ability to teach our children how to use the internet wisely, and what is trustworthy or not — which are critical life skills in this day and age.
“While it’s frustrating that different devices and platforms all have different sets of parental controls, setting them up on as many devices as you can is the best way to plug all the gaps. It will help you ensure that your child can enjoy everything they want from the internet with minimal risks to their safety.”
Africa under attack
The message to do as much as possible to make the internet safer is amplified by market research from cybersecurity specialists like Check Point.
According to the Check Point Software 2022 Security Report, Africa experienced the highest volume of cyber attacks in the world last year. The company stressed that organisations and consumers must become more aware of the threats they face in the digital landscape.
During the past six months, Check Point Research has seen an increase in cyber attacks targeting the government, insurance, and finance sectors in South Africa.
The company adds that on average, there have been more than 1 450 attacks per week in the country.
“This trend will likely continue over the coming months as more threats start coming from cloud and mobile platforms. Threat actors will not limit their focus to South Africa and will potentially target countries across the continent,” says Check Point.
It points to the impact of cloud adoption in Africa and the emergence of supply chain attacks, as well as of remote workers and increasing concern over malware.
Check Point anticipates that these supply chain attacks will continue through 2023 with a significant amount of risk coming from the open source community.
“Typically, suppliers relying on these open source systems have not properly vetted them or have been lax in managing these environments, resulting in cybersecurity weak points emerging,” Check Point continues.
Globally, ransomware was the number one threat in 2022. Uncertainty across the various African economies around service delivery and critical infrastructure will likely see more countries face cyber attacks targeting the government.
According to Check Point, the number of cyber threats reported to the Kenyan National Cyber Crime Centre (NCC) in the first quarter of the 2022/23 year rose by almost 200%.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) said the number of cyber attacks detected in the country in the three months ending September 2022 stood at 278 million. This is almost three times the number of threats reported in previous quarter.
The country has implemented a number of initiatives to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure, including the establishment of the National Cyber Security Authority and the National Computer Incident Response Team (National KE-CIRT/CC).
Their mandate is to coordinate response and manage cybersecurity incidents nationally and to collaborate with relevant actors locally, regionally, and internationally.
“There is simply no respite from ransomware and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. This puts users under increasing pressure to keep up to date with the latest trends in the threat landscape. We know that these criminals are continually evolving in how they develop and perpetrate attacks.
“With smaller, more agile malicious groups looking to exploit any potential weak points in company and end user defences, people cannot afford to not take cybersecurity seriously,” says Pankaj Bhula, Regional Director for Africa at Check Point.
Gmail is set to replace SMS-based authentication codes with QR code systems to verify user identity as part of Google’s effort to transition to a more secure model of two-factor authentication.
According to Forbes, a Gmail insider revealed ongoing plans to shift from text message verification to an alternative approach aimed at enhancing security and reducing risks such as phishing and fraud.
Gmail has long utilised SMS-based authentication for abuse prevention and security verification, helping confirm returning users and preventing fraudulent activities like mass account creation for spam and malware distribution.
However, concerns have arisen over the vulnerability of this method, with cybercriminals increasingly exploiting text-based security codes for unauthorised access.
The shift away from SMS verification is driven by its susceptibility to phishing and reliance on mobile carrier security protocols.
Additionally, the emergence of traffic pumping scams, where cybercriminals generate revenue by triggering mass authentication messages, has highlighted the need for stronger authentication methods.
Kaspersky’s security solutions blocked over 893 million phishing attempts in 2024 – a 26% increase from 2023, when the total stood at nearly 710 million.
The surge in attempts (shown in the graph below) between May-July is traditionally tied to the international holiday season when fraudsters frequently try to lure travelers with scams involving fake airline and hotel bookings, deceptive tour packages and too-good-to-be-true offers.
Experts observed a range of phishing and scam schemes aimed at stealing data, money and installing malicious software. In 2024, cybercriminals often mimicked the websites of well-known brands like Booking.com, Airbnb, TikTok, Telegram, and others. One ongoing campaign, for example, has been targeting TikTok Shop users.
Cybercriminals created fake login pages designed to steal sellers’ credentials. Additionally, scammers capitalised on trending news, orchestrating fraud schemes involving the hype topics, for example cryptocurrency game Hamster Kombat and TON wallets.
Fraudulent schemes also tended to capitalise on fake celebrity images in 2024, falsely promoting giveaways of valuable prizes to fans that were never delivered. The trend persists in 2025.
“While the core mechanics of phishing and scams remain unchanged, attackers constantly refine their disguises. They capitalise on trending news, hype-driven topics, and even combine branding from multiple companies on a single phishing page to enhance efficiencies of their campaigns.
“AI-driven tools help them to create highly convincing fake websites, making fraud harder to detect. These evolving tactics pose a growing risk – not just to financial security but also to personal identity protection. As a result, vigilance and the use of robust cybersecurity solutions have never been more crucial,” says Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kaspersky.
Spam and malicious email campaigns
According to Kaspersky data, both individuals and corporate users encountered malicious email attachments more than 125 million times in 2024.
Cybercriminals used various tactics in email campaigns targeting businesses, as observed by experts. These included sending emails with password-protected archives containing malicious content and SVG images disguised as harmless graphics, and many other schemes. Attackers lured victims into clicking on malicious content through fake court appeals, fake deals, counterfeit official notifications and more.
Nearly every second email in a corporate mailbox – 47% of global traffic, marking a 1.27 percentage point increase from the previous year – was spam. South African users encountered 20% more malicious emails in comparison to the previous year.
While spam includes different email threats, including those mentioned above, it is not always malicious and consists mostly of unsolicited advertisements.
Experts note that corporate spam trends of the last year prominently feature advertisements for AI solutions, related webinars, online promotion services, follower-boosting schemes and more.
Nigeria’s growing investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation is positioning the country as one of Africa’s most ambitious tech-driven economies, with AI projected to contribute $15 billion to Nigeria’s economy by 2030.
As global technology companies deepen their focus on Africa, Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T) has acknowledged the deliberate policy moves by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure AI becomes a real driver of economic growth, job creation, and youth empowerment.
Following the President’s high-level discussions with global technology leaders, including his recent meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, there is increasing recognition that Nigeria is taking active steps to secure its place in the global AI economy. But beyond diplomatic engagements, the administration has backed its vision with tangible programs that are already making an impact.
The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative has already begun producing a pipeline of AI-trained professionals, while the National AI Strategy Framework has laid the groundwork for AI integration across finance, agriculture, healthcare, and education.
The administration’s efforts to attract investment into Nigeria’s AI and technology ecosystem have also led to direct support for startups and digital enterprises, ensuring young Nigerians have access to the resources and capital necessary to innovate and compete internationally.
Global partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, Meta, and Nvidia have further reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to AI as a pillar for economic transformation.
“AI is no longer a theoretical concept—it is a defining force in global economies, and Nigeria is now actively securing its place in that future,” said Victor Benjamin, West/South South Director of YP4T.
“For years, young Nigerians have sought opportunities in technology and digital innovation. What we are seeing now is a deliberate effort by the administration to turn that aspiration into reality through strategic policies, funding, and industry collaboration.
“This is a critical time for Nigerian professionals and businesses to position themselves in the AI-driven economy.”
While many African economies continue to grapple with integrating AI and digital transformation into their long-term growth plans, Nigeria’s current trajectory signals a shift toward becoming a leader in AI adoption and development.
The impact of AI is already being felt in precision agriculture, AI-driven financial inclusion, digital healthcare, and education technology, demonstrating how these investments are directly improving productivity, economic diversification, and access to essential services.
However, experts warn that Nigeria must sustain these efforts to fully unlock the potential of AI-driven growth. With a youth population expected to exceed 100 million by 2050, ensuring that young professionals have the skills, tools, and infrastructure to build AI-powered solutions is key to job creation and economic stability.
“As a network of young professionals actively engaged in shaping Nigeria’s future, we see these investments as fundamental to building a globally competitive workforce,” continued Benjamin.
“This is not just about innovation; this is about securing economic opportunities for millions of young Nigerians. AI and digital transformation must be central to Nigeria’s long-term growth strategy, and every young Nigerian should be paying attention to these opportunities.”
With AI projected to add billions to Nigeria’s GDP in the coming years, industry stakeholders, government institutions, and the private sector must work together to ensure these initiatives translate into real economic gains.
As Nigeria continues to attract international AI investment, YP4T remains committed to mobilizing young Nigerians to engage, innovate, and lead in this digital revolution.
MultiChoice Announces Fresh Price Hike for DStv, GOtv Packages
Fuel Scarcity Looms as Marketers Threaten Strike over N100Bn Debt
SpaceSail, Kuiper Battle Starlink for Souls of Customers
Gmail to Replace SMS Codes with QR Authentication
TD Africa’s Accra Synergy Summit to Ignite Tech Transformation in Ghana
Canal+ to Carve, Spin out MultiChoice’s LicenceCo in Aggressive Takeover Bid
Fidelity Bank Raises ₦232Bn in First Phase of Capital Raising
Schmidt, Ex Google Chief Says AI Risky in Terrorist Hands
Fidelity Bank and NIYEEDEP Join Forces to Empower 6 Million Nigerian Youths
FCCPC Issues Message to Nigerians on How to Report Loan Apps Harassing Customers
General News2 days agoSANEF Appoints Uche Uzoebo as New Chief Executive Officer
E-Financial2 days agoFlutterwave Visits Tinubu, Seeks Support to List on NGX
General News2 days agoAgain, Gambaryan, Binance Executive Accuses 3 Lawmakers, NSA of Demanding $150m Bribe
Telecom2 days agoGlobacom Continues Upgrade of Network Infrastructure Across Nigeria
Telecom2 days agoATCON Warns of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage
News2 days agoNITDA Inaugurates Technical Working Group to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Sovereignty
E-Financial2 days agoSERAP Drags CBN to Court over ATM Fee Hike
News2 days agoNigeria to Witness First Lunar Crescent on 28 February – NASRDA