News
Globacom Blames Vandalisation for Poor Services in Jan
Globacom, telecommunications giant has said that wanton vandalisation of its equipment in various areas of the country was responsible for its poor performance in January this year.
This is coming as the telecom giant initiated moves to underpin its operations and check the activities of vandals
Globacom was reacting to the recent statistics released by the National Communications Commission (NCC), to the Information and Communications Ministry which showed that it had the highest rate of dropped calls for the month of January 2009, among GSM service operators in Nigeria. It had a dropped call rate of 1.76 percent, which fell within NCC’s minimum standard of dropped calls rate of two percent or less.
Mr. Aremu Olajide, head of Network Operations, Globacom, said that the company suffered vandalization of it fibre optic ring in Aba which affected service delivery in South east, Uyo in Akwa Ibom state and Epe area of Lagos.
He added that Globacom also lost over 20 generators to theft between October 2008 and January this year.
Olajide explained that they had to deploy alternative transmission system to ensure that service delivery was not badly affected as repair work on the damaged fibre is expected to be completed in few weeks.
He also listed other issues the company faces on nearly a daily basis to include forced closure of cell sites by communities/miscreants, frequent fibre cut with 32 of such in February alone, very lengthy and frustrating processes with federal, states and local governments and multiple taxation across the different tiers of government.
Recalling Globacom’s major achievements last year, Olajide said what was most gratifying to the company was the reduction in customer complaints by 25% thereby reducing the time spent on complaints resolution.
“We also increased our interconnect capacity with all operators thereby reducing the occupancy to an average of 52% compared with above 75% in April 2008. We also upgraded our transmission capacity, completed our OFC from Port Harcourt to Eket to Uyo and Ibadan to Ife, opened 10 Gloworld shops across the country, replaced old generators and provision of at least two generators in all sites thereby reducing outage due to power by 20%, improved community relation thereby reducing downtime due to community, rolling out of 3G service, migration of BSC connectivity to fibre as primary route with microwave backbone as backup.
Meanwhile, telecommunications equipment vendor, Alcatel-Lucent has promised timely completion of the multi-million naira network improvement contract it signed with Globacom.
Speaking in Lagos at a media parley organized by Globacom, Mr. Peter Schubert, the general manager in charge of Globacom projects in Alcatel-Lucent, expressed the commitment of his company to the timely delivery of the key elements of the mega expansion project it recently signed to undertake for Globacom.
“It is a flagship project and when completed, the Glo network will be expanded and modernized. Alcatel-Lucent is committed to Globacom’s desire to provide excellent services for its subscribers not only in Nigeria but also in its other regions of operation in West Africa”, he added.
The projects, aimed at radically transforming service delivery on the Glo network, will see to the addition of at least 1500 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to its existing over 5000 BTSs across the country and an additional 25 Base Switching Centres in order to improve traffic on the network.
Also included in the multi-million dollar contract package are four New Generation Network (NGN) Mobile Switching Centres (MSCs), which installation will increase the network’s switching capacity from the present 30 million to 45million.
These will assist Globacom beyond mere voice communication, as it will significantly push up capacity for other value adding services such as upgrading the network’s Short Message Service Centre license from 400 messages per second to 600 messages per second. It will enhance Globacom’s 3G coverage in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt as well as extend it to cover various other state capitals, while also increasing its GPRS capacity to 10 million data subscribers from the current 5 million.
Mr. Mike Jituboh, Globacom’s executive director, Special Projects, described the Globacom expansion project as the most ambitious expansion project by any telecommunication network in Nigeria, pledged the assurance of Globacom for excellent service delivery to its subscribers nationwide.
The media parley was rounded off with a visit to new switching centres and the Customer Care Centre where recent improvements have seen more hands employed to attend to over 70,000 inbound calls every day.
News
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health

OpenAI maker of ChatGPT is rolling out a health-focused feature to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool that’s used by nearly a billion users.

Named ChatGPT Health, the new feature aims to provide users with health and wellness information. This, as health is one of the most common ways people use ChatGPT, according to OpenAI.
In a blog post, Microsoft-backed OpenAI says de-identified analysis of conversations show that over 230 million people globally ask health and wellness-related questions on ChatGPT every week.
ChatGPT Health will also “securely” connect medical records and wellness apps to ground conversations with a user’s own health information, making responses more relevant and useful.
“Designed in close collaboration with physicians, ChatGPT Health helps people take a more active role in understanding and managing their health and wellness – while supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians.”
According to OpenAI, health information is often scattered across portals, apps, wearables, PDFs, and medical notes making it hard to see the full picture, and people are left to navigate a complex healthcare system on their own.
“ChatGPT Health builds on these so responses are informed by your health information and context. You can now securely connect medical records and wellness apps – like Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal – so ChatGPT can help you understand recent test results, prepare for appointments with your doctor, get advice on how to approach your diet and workout routine, or understand the trade-offs of different insurance options based on your healthcare patterns.”
According to the company, ChatGPT Health is designed to support, not replace, medical care, adding that it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. “Instead, it helps you navigate everyday questions and understand patterns over time – not just moments of illness – so you can feel more informed and prepared for important medical conversations.
“To keep your health information protected and secure, Health operates as a separate space with enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data. Conversations in Health are not used to train our foundation models. If you start a health-related conversation in ChatGPT, we’ll suggest moving into Health for these additional protections.”
OpenAI adds that access to ChatGPT Health has started with a small group of early users to learn and continue refining the experience, adding that users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the UK are eligible.
“As we make improvements, we plan to expand access and make Health available to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks.
“Medical record integrations and some apps are available in the US only, and connecting Apple Health requires iOS.”
News
Kaspersky Shares AI Cybersecurity Predictions for 2026

Kaspersky experts outline how the rapid development of AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in 2026, both for individual users and for businesses. Large language models (LLMs) are influencing defensive capabilities while simultaneously expanding opportunities for threat actors.

Deepfakes are becoming a mainstream technology, and awareness will continue to grow. Companies are increasingly discussing the risks of synthetic content and training employees to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to it. As the volume of deepfakes grows, so does the range of formats in which they appear.
At the same time, awareness is rising not only within organisations but also among regular users: end consumers encounter fake content more often and better understand the nature of such threats. As a result, deepfakes are becoming a stable element of the security agenda, requiring a systematic approach to training and internal policies.
Deepfake quality will improve through better audio and a lowering barrier to entry. The visual quality of deepfakes is already high, while realistic audio remains the main area for future growth.
At the same time, content generation tools are becoming easier to use: even non-experts can now create a mid-quality deepfake in just a few clicks. As a result, the average quality continues to rise, creation becomes accessible to a far broader audience, and these capabilities will inevitably continue to be leveraged by cybercriminals.
Online deepfakes will continue to evolve but remain tools for advanced users. Real-time face and voice swapping technologies are improving, but their setup still requires more advanced technical skills. Wide adoption is unlikely, yet the risks in targeted scenarios will grow: increasing realism and the ability to manipulate video through virtual cameras make such attacks more convincing.
Efforts to develop a reliable system for labelling AI-generated content will continue. There are still no unified criteria for reliably identifying synthetic content, and current labels are easy to bypass or remove, especially when working with open-source models. For this reason, new technical and regulatory initiatives aimed at addressing the problem are likely to emerge.
Open-weight models will approach top closed models in many cybersecurity-related tasks, which create more opportunities for misuse. Closed models still offer stricter control mechanisms and safeguards, limiting abuse.
However, open-source systems are rapidly catching up in functionality and circulate without comparable restrictions. This blurs the difference between proprietary models and open-source models both of which can be used efficiently for undesired or malicious purposes.
The line between legitimate and fraudulent AI-generated content will become increasingly blurred. AI can already produce well-crafted scam emails, convincing visual identities, and high-quality phishing pages.
At the same time, major brands are adopting synthetic materials in advertising, making AI-generated content look familiar and visually “normal.” As a result, distinguishing real from fake will become even more challenging, both for users and for automated detection systems.
AI will become a cross-chain tool in cyberattacks and be used across most stages of the kill chain. Threat actors already employ LLMs to write code, build infrastructure, and automate operational tasks.
Further advances will reinforce this trend: AI will increasingly support multiple stages of an attack, from preparation and communication to assembling malicious components, probing for vulnerabilities and deploying tools. Attackers will also work to hide signs of AI involvement, making such operations harder to analyse.
“While AI tools are being used in cyberattacks, they are also becoming a more common tool in security analysis and influence how SOC teams work. Agent-based systems will be able to continuously scan infrastructure, identify vulnerabilities, and gather contextual information for investigations, reducing the amount of manual routine work.
“As a result, specialists will shift from manually searching for data to making decisions based on already-prepared context. In parallel, security tools will transition to natural-language interfaces, enabling prompts instead of complex technical queries,” adds Vladislav Tushkanov, Research Development Group Manager at Kaspersky.
News
Nigerians with Albinism Reject Pity, Demand Dignity at Empowerment Forum

Nigerians living with albinism say their biggest challenge is not skin sensitivity or poor eyesight, but being seen, heard and treated as full human beings, a message that resonated at a recent empowerment session hosted by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) and Albino Empowerment Foundation.

CADEF
The event last Saturday focused on lived experiences, self-advocacy and rights awareness rather than handouts, though participants received food, protective clothing and skin/eye care materials.
CADEF Executive Director, Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, said real progress requires respect and inclusion, not pity, adding that knowledge of human rights equips people to demand fairness.
“Dignity begins when people are seen fully and treated equally,” she said.
Ifeoma Ngesina, founder of Albino Empowerment Foundation, defined inclusion as equal rights and participation in decisions affecting their lives, not stereotypes.
“When persons with albinism are included in schools, workplaces, leadership and media, harmful myths fade,” she said, stressing it builds confidence and leadership.
CADEF Advisory Board Member, Ms Kobi Ikpo, urged participants to own their narrative: “If you do not tell people how to treat you, they will not know how to address you. Once you accept yourself as a complete human being deserving of respect, it reflects in how you carry yourself — and that confidence commands respect.”
Afolake Odudinu highlighted parental ignorance leading to school dropouts, skin damage from sun exposure and social/marital stigma, noting skin cancer treatment remains inaccessible for many.
Efosa Peter, a father and associate pastor, rejected pity for genuine empowerment: “I hate pity. I don’t want to be pitied — I want empowerment.” He described persons with albinism as creatively gifted and warned against insincere initiatives.
“Empowerment must include self-esteem and self-motivation. When you see yourself as whole, others will follow,” he said.
Teacher Rose Adudu shared overcoming school bullying through discipline and advocacy, helping enrol a young albino girl in school despite later parental withdrawal.
“Your character will speak for you,” she said.
Participants were encouraged to use content creation for education and myth-busting, with CADEF planning annual events and advancing Digital Financial Inclusion Rights for Persons With Disabilities.
The forum underscored a core demand: opportunity, understanding and respect over sympathy.
Telecom3 days agoSamsung Plans to Double AI Mobile Devices to 800 million Units this Year
E-Financial3 days agoZacch Adedeji says Rebranded NRS will Overhaul Revenue Administration
Telecom2 days agoNITDA DG Charts Bold Path for Innovation-Led Digital Boom in North
News2 days agoINEC Warns of Fake Ad-hoc Staff Recruitment Portal
News2 days agoNRS Boss Dismisses Fears of Political Weaponisation in Tax Reforms
Telecom2 days agoMandatory Biometric Verification for Starlink Users in Nigeria Begins
E-Financial2 days agoSenders Now to Pay N50 Stamp Duty – GT Bank
E-Financial2 days agoEcobank Offsets Repayment of $300m Eurobond Notes













