Connect with us

E-Business

Internet Society Report ‎Highlights Internet Governance Benefits, Multistakeholder Model

Published

on

Dawit Bekele, Internet Society Regional Bureau Director for Africa
Kindly share this post

In order to better understand what African nations need to do to reap the full benefits of the Internet, the Internet Society today released the study “Internet Development and Governance in Africa. ‎

The report, issued at the Africa Internet Summit 2015 in Tunis, Tunisia, where Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) also participated, provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the Internet in Africa and highlights the importance of the multistakeholder model of Internet governance as an essential part of Africa’s Internet ecosystem.
 
In light of the rapid growth experienced by the continent in the past ten years, the report finds that the time is right to maximize that potential.

“As Africa’s user base grows, the need to coordinate and manage the growth and development of the Internet becomes increasingly important,” said Dawit Bekele, Internet Society regional bureau director for Africa.

“If Africa has to make the progression towards a digital economy to reap the full benefits of the Internet, it needs to transition from basic connectivity to interconnectivity of networks and to interoperability of systems, and enable the development of applications and services that drive economic and social well-being.” 

The report highlights steady adoption of this transformative technology since the introduction of the Internet to Africa in 1991, reaching just over 20% continent-wide, but these aggregate indicators mask glaring disparities in Internet development levels from country to country.

Morocco, for instance, has Internet penetration rates above 50%, while other African countries have penetration rates just under 2%.

The majority of countries have Internet penetration below 10%–well below the 20% threshold found to be critical for countries to reap economic benefits.
 

IXPs
One of the ways, identified by the report, to improve the interconnectivity of networks is to establish Internet eXchange Points (IXPs) at the local level.

Africa now has more than 30 IXPs and is well on the way to achieving the goal of at least one IXP per country.

The establishment of IXPs can catalyze the build-out of terrestrial infrastructure which in turn would make access to the Internet cheaper and faster.

One example of this effort is the East African Backhaul System (EABS), which will serve Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

Through this infrastructure, the landlocked countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi have established backbones that gain access to submarine fiber almost at the same price as that of the coastal countries

 
Digital Broadcasting
An area that could be transitioned faster is the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting, which offers more opportunities to increase Internet access by freeing up unused spectrum.

By June 2014, only 19 countries had started on the digital transition and by December 2014 only three countries (Tanzania, Rwanda and Mauritius) had completely switched off their analogue signals. 

As such, the majority of countries will not meet the ITU’s June 2015 deadline.

 
IPv6
Another recommendation contained in the report is that the transition to and adoption of IPv6 in Africa should be accelerated.

By ensuring that there are enough IP addresses to cater to current and future expansion of the Internet, IPv6 will enable the Internet-of-Things (IoT) or the Internet of Everything (IoE), which refers to the ability to connect to the Internet anything capable of having an IP address.

Statistics show that South Africa and Egypt account for 97% of the uptake to date, which means all other countries are lagging behind with regards to IPv6 adoption.
 

Internet Governance‎
As Africa’s infrastructure and user base grows, the need to coordinate and manage the growth and development of the Internet becomes increasingly important.

Several institutions and processes have emerged over the last 15 years, each playing a role in strengthening Africa’s Internet ecosystem.

Africa has embraced the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, which enables policymakers to draw from the expertise of the relevant stakeholders to develop sustainable Internet public policy approaches that can meet the policy challenges of the digital age.
 
This year has seen several significant milestones for Internet governance and development.

Among these, the African Union has launched its Agenda 2065, which outlines development objectives for the next 50 years, and the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, which end in 2015, will now be replaced by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Further, the UN General Assembly will make a determination on whether or not to extend the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum, an outgrowth the World Summit on the Information Society, which marks its 10th anniversary this year.

“The growth in Internet access in Africa since 2005 can be attributed in part to the strengthening of existing institutions, the emergence of regional and national IGFs and the increased commitment of African governments to ICT development,” concludes the report.

“As Africa continues to make further strides in building its Internet economy, the multistakeholder model will continue to be an important element of helping Africa reach a critical mass of access and usage that can translate into sustained economic benefit,” according to the report circulated by ‎African Press Organization.

The Internet Society is the trusted independent source for Internet information and thought leadership around the world. It is also the organizational home for the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

With its principled vision, substantial technological foundation and its global presence, the Internet Society promotes open dialogue on Internet policy, technology, and future development among users, companies, governments, and other organizations.

Working with its members and Chapters around the world, the Internet Society enables the continued evolution and growth of the Internet for everyone.


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

E-Business

Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Jumia Nigeria has announced the launch of Jumia Tech Week 2026, a two-week campaign offering customers access to discounted technology products across key categories, including smartphones, computing, home entertainment, and wearable devices.

Starting from March 2 to March 15, Jumia Nigeria’s Tech Week 2026 is themed ‘Tech Products for Less’ – a deliberate commitment by the e-commerce giant to drive down the cost of technology products for Nigerian consumers. The campaign offers significant price reductions across key product categories, enabling more Nigerians to access the devices they need at prices that reflect the company’s dedication to affordability and consumer value.

Jumia Tech Week will feature deals across a wide range of product categories, including mobile phones, computer systems and accessories, televisions and audio equipment, gaming products, home appliances, portable power solutions, health technology,, and wearable devices.

Customers will also have access to curated recommendations, including top smartphone deals, must-have accessories, gaming essentials, and home technology upgrades.

According to Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, the campaign reflects Jumia’s broader commitment to making everyday technology more accessible to Nigerians.

“Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and access to the right devices enables more people to participate fully in the digital economy,” said Ojo. “At Jumia, we remain focused on expanding access and improving the shopping experience as we continue to build Nigeria’s everyday retail destination.”

The campaign will include a range of customer engagement initiatives such as flash sales, brand days, anchor deals and interactive activities designed to enhance the online shopping experience.

Special highlight periods, described as Explosion Days, will take place on March 6 and March 13, featuring limited-time offers across selected technology categories. Customers will also be able to participate in interactive activities, including product-based games, treasure hunts,, and live shopping sessions during the campaign period.

The campaign will feature participation from leading brands including Oraimo, Silver Crest, Samsung, Ecoflow, Nivea and Aeon, offering customers a wide selection of technology, household and lifestyle products. Early access promotions already begun during the teaser period from February 16 to March 1, allowing customers to preview selected deals ahead of the official launch.

Jumia Tech Week forms part of the company’s broader strategy to expand e-commerce adoption by improving access to essential products and enhancing the customer experience across its platform. As Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to grow, Jumia remains focused on strengthening its product assortment, logistics capabilities, and digital experience to serve customers better nationwide.

Customers can participate in the campaign by using the Jumia mobile app or visiting the Jumia website and following the conversation online using #JumiaTechWeek.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

House Queries NDIC: ₦5m Max Payout for Failed Bank Depositors

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) pays between ₦2 million and ₦5 million as deposit insurance to customers of liquidated banks, Managing Director Thompson Oludare Sunday told the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters during 2026 budget defence.

House Queries NDIC: ₦5m Max Payout for Failed Bank Depositors

NDIC

House Spokesperson Akin Rotimi Jr sought details on depositor entitlements, citing Heritage Bank’s June 2024 collapse and public concerns over financial confidence.

Sunday explained NDIC’s mandate: banks pay risk-based premiums (now under 1%, down from 15/16 of 1%) to guarantee deposits. Coverage is ₦5 million for deposit money banks, primary mortgage banks (PMBs), and microfinance banks (MMOs); ₦2 million for other financial institutions.

Using BVN, NDIC auto-pays guaranteed sums without visits for amounts up to the limit. For Heritage, post-revocation, NDIC liquidated assets—selling buildings, recovering loans, realizing investments—and paid a second ₦24.63 billion dividend on January 6.

“Anything above ₦5 million or ₦2 million depends on recoveries,” Sunday said, noting ongoing asset sales and debt chases.

Committee Chairman Ahmed Jaha Babawo commended the clarity, noting the limit rose from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million recently. Over 90% of Heritage depositors got insured sums in under four days, meeting International Resolution Deposit (IRD) standards.

Babawo added liquidation dividends would be discussed in executive session.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

Kaspersky Discovers New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google Tasks Notifications to Steal Corporate Credentials

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Kaspersky has uncovered a new phishing scheme that abuses legitimate Google Tasks notifications to trick corporate users into revealing corporate login credentials.

By leveraging Google’s trusted @google.com email domain and notification system, attackers bypass traditional email security filters and exploit users’ trust in familiar services.

In this campaign, victims receive an authentic-looking notification from Google Tasks with the subject line “You have a new task.” The message creates the illusion that the recipient’s company has adopted Google’s task management tool, pressuring them to act quickly. The notification often includes elements of urgency, such as a high-priority flag and a tight deadline, to prompt the victim’s immediate response.

Upon clicking the embedded link, users are directed to a fraudulent form disguised as an “employee verification” page, where they are asked to enter their corporate credentials under the pretense of confirming their status. These stolen credentials can then be used for unauthorised access to company systems, data theft, or further attacks.

“Google’s vast ecosystem of services gets exploited by scammers. The scheme with Google Tasks is part of a broader trend observed before and continuing into 2026, where cybercriminals misuse legitimate platforms to distribute scams and phishing.

Notifications originating from legitimate domains naturally evade many spam and phishing filters, while the social engineering aspect – making it seem like an internal company process – lowers the victim’s guard,” comments Roman Dedenok, Anti-Spam Expert at Kaspersky.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending