E-Business
New Research from Trend Micro Shows Cyberattacks Relied on Substance Over Size in 2023
Trend Micro Incorporated, a global cybersecurity leader, has revealed that it blocked around 18 million email threats, almost two million malicious URLs and over four million malicious mobile apps targeted at Nigerian businesses and consumers between January and December 2023. This as threat actors deviate from big-batch attacks to focus on a narrower range of more lucrative targets.
These new patterns in the cybercrime landscape are highlighted in the Trend Micro 2023 Annual Cybersecurity Report, which presents highlights from the company’s telemetry covering the broadest attack surface view across millions of commercial and consumer clients.
“Our latest data shows that threat actors are fine-tuning their operations, shifting away from large-scale attacks, and instead focusing on a smaller range of targets but with higher victim profiles for maximum gain with minimum effort. As they continue to double down on tried and tested techniques, they are also delegating and streamlining operations — resulting in bolder, more effective strikes,” says Gareth Redelinghuys, Country Managing Director, African Cluster at Trend Micro.
Attacks focused on substance over quantity are more difficult to block
Though thousands of ransomware attacks were blocked by Trend Micro in Nigeria in 2023, year-on-year research shows that ransomware groups are working smarter instead of harder, prioritising high-value targets over volume.
There has been a general downward trend in ransomware detections, with worldwide detections from 2021 to 2023 averaging less than half of the recorded detections in 2020; however, this should not be misconstrued as a cue for security operations centres and decision-makers to lower their guards. Historically, ransomware attacks were launched in “bulk,” such as spam campaigns with malicious links, but attacks that focus on quantity can more easily be blocked.
What’s more, a continued increase in Trojan FRS threat detections globally could suggest that attackers are using more effective ways to evade preliminary detection by focusing on arrival and defense evasion techniques. Examples of this include Living-Off-The-Land Binaries and Scripts. Because these computer files are non-malicious in nature and local to the operating system, they can be used by threat actors to camouflage their attacks.
Last year, several ransomware families across the world were also observed maximising remote and intermittent encryption, as well as abusing unmonitored virtual machines to bypass Endpoint Detection and Response. Because there is less content used during intermittent encryption, for example, there is less chance of triggering detection.
Gangs are also launching bolder attacks: Prolific groups were some of the most active in 2023: Clop exploited major vulnerabilities, and BlackCat launched a new variant, while also making its extortion public by leveraging the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission’s four-day disclosure requirement to incentivise its victim to communicate more quickly with them.
Email threats – attackers are using more sophisticated ways to avoid detection
This trend towards threat actors opting for quality over quantity is equally present in the patterns observed around email threats. Though email threat detections in Nigeria decreased from more than 45 million in 2021 to 18 million in 2023, the increase in malware detection count over the same period suggests a shift in the threat landscape that finds attackers making use of more sophisticated ways to avoid detection.
Trend Micro’s data also shows a slight decrease in malicious URL detection in Nigeria from 2021 to 2023, indicating that instead of focusing on malicious links to randomly victimise users, criminals are using more targeted operations, such as BEC schemes, where emails are less likely to undergo scrutiny because of how legitimate they look.
Instead of launching attacks on a wider range of users and relying on victims clicking on malicious links in websites and emails, more sophisticated attacks are launched using specificity to trick a narrower field of high-profile victims. This also allows them to bypass early detection layers like network and email filters.
AI-powered phishing attempts are more convincing than ever
Over the course of 2023, AI showed great promise in social engineering attempts globally: its automation proved most useful in mining datasets for actionable information, while generative AI have made phishing on mass scale virtually effortless with error-free and convincing messages. The use of generative AI in phishing attempts is already branching beyond emails and texts to include persuasive audio and video ‘deepfakes’ for an even more business-affecting threat.
Imagine a company that requires live voice authorisation for purchases above a million dollars, for example. An attacker could send a real-seeming email request with a rigged phone number embedded and answer the confirmation call with a deepfaked voice to validate the transaction. These new tactics introduce the possibility of everything from stock market manipulations to democratic or wartime disinformation campaigns, or smear attacks on public figures.
The barriers to entry for techniques like these have fallen away radically with the rise of readily available app-style interfaces like HeyGen. Cybercriminals with no coding knowledge or special computing resources can produce customised high-resolution outputs that are humanly undetectable.
“Looking at the overall trend in decreasing ransomware threats, it might be tempting for local organisations to develop a false sense of security and lower their defenses. However, our research shows that these increasingly sophisticated attacks are going to become more and more difficult for businesses to detect and that they will be increasingly costly when they succeed. IT leaders must refine their processes and protocols to enable their defenses to combat persistence with efficiency,” concludes Zaheer Ebrahim, Solutions Architect, Middle East and Africa at Trend Micro.
E-Business
Study Reveals 83% of Employees Stay Connected to Work During Time Off, Fuelling Digital Anxiety
A new Kaspersky survey undertaken in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region reveals that digital anxiety is becoming a defining feature of modern work culture, as employees don’t disconnect even during their free time and vacations.
According to the findings, 83% of respondents keep an eye on work tasks outside working hours. An overwhelming 85% reply to all work-related messages in instant messaging apps, while the same share (85%) check work emails during their time off – and 81% admit they are responding to work emails while on vacation or in their personal time.
The pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened stress levels in the workplace. Other sources of stress include work issues, for example, 43% experience anxiety after accidentally sending a random message to a work chat.
Interestingly, not all digital mishaps are perceived equally: 40% report that they take it calmly when they send an unfinished email, proving that some mistakes are considered less damaging than others.
Blurred boundaries between professional and personal life, combined with instant communication tools, are intensifying feelings of constant monitoring and fear of making digital errors.
More than a third (36%) of respondents say they feel extremely uncomfortable or even scared if their boss notices them scrolling through social media at work instead of working. The “always-on” culture may undermine employee well-being, increase burnout risks, and reduce overall productivity in the long term.
“Digital anxiety doesn’t just affect employee well-being – it can also increase cybersecurity risks for organisations. When people feel constant pressure to respond immediately to messages and emails, they are more likely to act impulsively, without carefully verifying links, attachments, or sender identities.
This urgency can make employees more vulnerable to phishing, and other scams using social engineering techniques,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.
Kaspersky recommends employees to follow the below tips to avoid digital anxiety and associated cyber risks:
- Slow down before clicking or replying. Digital anxiety can trigger automatic reactions. A short pause to check sender details, URLs, or attachments can prevent security breaches.
- Treat urgency as a red flag. Cybercriminals often exploit pressure and fear. Always verify unexpected or urgent requests before responding.
- Avoid handling sensitive information on unsecured networks. Public Wi-Fi, often used when working outside regular hours, increases exposure to cyber threats. Mobile network and VPN should be applied in such cases.
- Use technologies that will help reduce risks. For example, Kaspersky Premium offers AI-powered anti-phishing features designed to help warn of potential threats.
Businesses can reduce cybersecurity risks related to employees’ digital anxiety by providing regular cybersecurity training that helps staff recognise threats and respond correctly even under stress.
At the same time, organisations should use robust cybersecurity solutions to minimise the impact of human error. Kaspersky Next’s adaptable and robust cloud-native protection, underpinned by an unequalled cybersecurity track record, is one of such products.
Protection solutions for mail servers, such as Kaspersky Security for Mail Server, with anti-phishing capabilities, help to additionally decrease the chance of infection through a phishing email.
Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the acquisition of electric buses for civil servants as part of efforts to promote cleaner transportation and boost local vehicle manufacturing.
The development was disclosed in Abuja by Joseph Osanipin, Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC). Osanipin said the buses would be sourced from local assemblers to strengthen domestic production and stimulate growth in Nigeria’s automotive sector.
He stated: “The initiative is aimed at encouraging the transition to cleaner mobility while creating opportunities for local manufacturers.” According to him, the government has also procured charging infrastructure that will be deployed across parts of the country to support the adoption of electric vehicles.
As part of broader efforts to develop the sector, the council is establishing the Nnewi Automotive Development Park in Anambra State. Osanipin explained: “We are developing the Nnewi Automotive Development Park where we will provide the necessary infrastructure so that users of the park can share facilities.”
He added that the shared infrastructure model would enable investors and manufacturers to operate without bearing the full cost of setting up independent facilities. The council is also seeking additional investment to accelerate the development of the park and attract more industry participants.
Osanipin urged Nigerians to support locally assembled vehicles, noting that increased patronage would help create jobs and drive economic growth. He said the council is providing training to manufacturers and stakeholders to enhance local production of vehicle components such as batteries and tyres.
“The move will reduce import dependence, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product,” he said. The NADDC is also working with the Bank of Industry Nigeria to facilitate the disbursement of the National Automotive Development Fund to qualified stakeholders.
As the global community commemorates World Consumer Rights Day, Jumia Nigeria joined industry leaders, regulators, and consumer advocates at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, for a high-level panel session hosted by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
Speaking during the session, Peters Afebuame, Group Head of Content and Production at Jumia, highlighted Jumia’s comprehensive approach to protecting consumers from counterfeit or adulterated products on its marketplace, noting that the company has implemented structured checks and technology-driven systems across the entire product lifecycle, from seller onboarding to post-listing monitoring, to safeguard product authenticity.
“Ensuring product authenticity on our platform requires a combination of technology, policy enforcement, and continuous seller engagement,” he stated.
“At Jumia Nigeria, we have implemented a multi-layered process that begins with rigorous seller onboarding and policy agreements, followed by catalogue configuration controls, AI-driven product attribute verification, and the use of global product identification standards. These systems are reinforced by ongoing quality moderation, brand protection mechanisms, and strict enforcement actions, including product and seller delisting, ensuring that customers can shop on our platform with confidence.”
Central to Jumia’s consumer protection framework is a rigorous seller verification process designed to ensure marketplace integrity. Vendors are required to provide proof of legal and regulatory compliance before gaining access to the platform. This vetting process is reinforced by a strict quality control system that monitors products listed on the platform, backed by a zero-tolerance policy toward counterfeit or substandard goods. Non-compliant sellers face penalties and permanent delisting from the marketplace.
Transparency also remains a core priority in helping customers make informed purchasing decisions. Product listings across the platform feature clear specifications, verified descriptions, and detailed images, enabling shoppers to understand exactly what they are purchasing before completing a transaction.
Recognising that digital literacy plays a critical role in online safety, Jumia continues to invest in consumer education initiatives through instructional “how-to” videos, platform guides, and social media campaigns that equip Nigerian shoppers with practical knowledge to navigate online shopping securely and confidently.
To further strengthen transaction security, Jumia leverages its proprietary payment solution, JumiaPay, which provides a secure and encrypted payment infrastructure designed to protect customer financial data. The company also adheres to internationally recognised data protection standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and local regulatory frameworks established by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), ensuring responsible handling and protection of user information.
Beyond the point of purchase, Jumia reinforces consumer protection through a customer-centric return and refund policy designed to ensure seamless resolution when issues arise. A dedicated customer service team also provides support through multiple channels, including phone and social media, enabling swift response to consumer inquiries and complaints.
As e-commerce continues to expand across Nigeria, Jumia reaffirmed its commitment to building a marketplace that prioritises fairness, transparency, and consumer safety. Through continuous investment in technology, strong policy enforcement, and ongoing consumer engagement, the company aims to strengthen trust and confidence in Nigeria’s growing digital commerce ecosystem.
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