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Nigeria Loses $1.5Bn Monthly to Sea Pirates, Fuel Fraud

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Nigeria is losing about 1.5 billion dollars a month to piracy, armed robbery at sea, smuggling, and fuel supply fraud, a U.S. official said.

Amb. Michele Sison, U.S. Deputy Representative to the UN, made this known in New York at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Peace Consolidation in West Africa with the theme “Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea in the Gulf of Guinea.’’

Sison said illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing also generate a sizeable income loss in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year, for many countries and communities that depend on this sector to survive.

She said that earlier this month on April 11 at 7.56 p.m., pirates attacked a cargo vessel off the coast of Nigeria.

She added that the pirates waited for darkness before ambushing the vessel and boarded with force.

“The captain and crew sounded the alarm and hid in a protected space on the ship only to discover when they emerged the following day that two of their crew were missing. A second officer from the Philippines and an electrician from Egypt; both are still missing.

“This was neither the first pirate attack of the year, nor even the first attack that day. Earlier on April 11, the very same day, pirates had attacked a Turkish cargo ship off the coast of Nigeria, kidnapping six of the crew, including the vessel’s captain.

“Those men are also still missing. Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea are increasing at an alarming rate, with some industry experts recording at least 32 attacks off the coast of Nigeria alone in 2016, affecting many Member States, including the U.S.

“The economic consequences for the people of the region are devastating. According to a Chatham House report, as much as 400,000 barrels of crude oil are stolen each day in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ she said.

She  further said: “We have spoken many times in this chamber about the root causes of piracy, ineffective governance structures, weak rule of law, precarious legal frameworks and inadequate naval, coast guard, and maritime law enforcement.

“The absence of an effective maritime governance system in particular hampers freedom of movement in the region, disrupts trade and economic growth, and facilitates environmental crimes.

“We have also acknowledged in our resolutions and in the presidential statement adopted this morning that the solution to these root causes lies in greater African stewardship of maritime safety and security at the continental, regional, and Member State level.

“Strong political will from African governments and leaders is needed to pursue and prosecute crimes at all levels within criminal enterprises”.

She said that maritime crime flourishes under ineffective or complicit governance structures, but was diminished when rule of law was effective.

She said that with the absence of African ownership and action from national and local governments to tackle maritime security challenges, there was little reason to believe that attacks in the Gulf of Guinea would decline.

In this regard, she welcomed the Yaoundé Summit documents, which articulated a comprehensive view of maritime safety and security, including combating illegal fishing; trafficking of arms, people, drugs, and maritime pollution.

She commended the UN offices of West and Central Africa for providing capacity building and technical assistance to governments in the region.

As well as sub-regional organizations, including the Gulf of Guinea Commission, the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS, and the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Sison urged the Member States of the regional and sub-regional organisations to make the Inter regional Coordination Centre fully operational.

She also said the U.S. was doing its part to support the efforts of its African partners in the Gulf of Guinea.

Sison explained further that the U.S. approach was based on three guiding principles: the prevention of attacks, the response to acts of maritime crime, and enhancing maritime security and governance.

“On prevention, we are supporting ECOWAS and ECCAS efforts to strengthen regional maritime strategies, including the completion of their Memorandum of Understanding and Code of Conduct for Central and West Africa.

“We are also encouraging nations to fully implement the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and the 2050 AU African Integrated Maritime Strategy.

“We encourage states in the region to further enhance security by establishing pilot maritime Zone ‘E’ covering the coasts of Nigeria, Niger, Benin, and Togo, an area where the majority of attacks occur,” she added.

She said that the establishment of the Zone, would provide the means for an integrated approach to coordinating joint patrols, naval drills, training programs, and intelligence sharing among the naval forces of countries in the zone.

On responding to acts of maritime crime, she said, the U.S. trains, equips, and conducts exercises and operations with African maritime forces through its African Partnership Station.

To enhance maritime security and governance, she added that the U.S. is assisting with strengthening the judicial sectors of Gulf of Guinea nations and regional capacity to address impunity for piracy and related maritime crime.

She also said that Technical assistance helps these countries put in place the necessary criminal laws to effectively prosecute armed robbery at sea and piracy cases.

Sison underscored the importance of a comprehensive regional approach to addressing maritime insecurity.

A comprehensive approach, she said, would help to reduce the loss of national revenue, support socioeconomic development and expand environmental protection in the region.


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WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

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World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend declared the Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus strain a global public health emergency.

WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Worse than Reported

WHO said there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain of Ebola.

At home, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said there is “no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria” but had  tightened surveillance against the deadly virus.

The outbreak, linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has already caused dozens of deaths in Congo and spread into Uganda, raising fears of wider transmission across the region.

In response, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said that the country remains on alert because of growing movement across African borders.

Jide Idris, director-general said the agency was “closely monitoring the situation” and working with the Port Health Services and other health agencies to strengthen preparedness nationwide.

He added that surveillance has been increased at entry points and within Nigeria’s health system.

According to the WHO, the outbreak has recorded more than 240 suspected cases and about 80 suspected deaths in Congo’s Ituri province, while imported cases have also been confirmed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

The WHO said the outbreak is “extraordinary” because of uncertainty around the true number of infections and the lack of approved medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain.

Health authorities advised Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, avoid contact with infected persons and report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting and bleeding to the nearest health facility immediately.

Nigeria was declared Ebola-free in 2014 after successfully containing an outbreak brought into the country by an infected traveler from Liberia.

 

 


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Digital PayExpo 2026 to Convene Africa’s Most Influential Payments Leaders in Lagos

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Africa’s digital payments ecosystem will take center stage as Digital PayExpo 2026 returns to Lagos on June 17–18, 2026, at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, under the theme: “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the AI Era.”

At a time when artificial intelligence, cross-border commerce, and financial inclusion are redefining Africa’s economic future, the event is set to convene over 3,000 senior executives, policymakers, fintech innovators, and global technology providers.

The speaker lineup reflects a powerful blend of regulatory leadership, private sector innovation, and pan-African expertise.

Among the headline speakers:

  • Dr. Rakiya Yusuf, Director, Payment Systems Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria — a key architect in Nigeria’s payment system reforms.
  • Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager & Area Business Head (West Africa), Mastercard — a leading voice in digital payments expansion across Africa.
  • Clara B. Arthur, Managing Director, GhIPSS (Ghana) — driving Ghana’s interoperable payment ecosystem.
  • Wacera Maina, Chief Operations Officer, Kenwitch Kenya — an expert in East Africa’s payment infrastructure evolution.
  • Akeem Lawal, CEO, Interswitch Group — a pioneer in Africa’s fintech growth story.
  • Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director, NIBSS — shaping Nigeria’s core payment infrastructure.

The conference will explore:

  • AI-powered financial services
  • Cross-border payment systems and interoperability
  • Cybersecurity and trust frameworks
  • SME financing and financial inclusion
  • Infrastructure for a unified African digital economy

With participation from banks, fintechs, telcos, regulators, and global payment networks, Digital PayExpo 2026 is positioned as a critical marketplace for ideas, partnerships, and investment flows. Register: https://digitalpayexpo.com/register
Sponsorship Enquiries: [email protected]


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Only 1 in 3 Families Fully Secure their Devices, Kaspersky Study Reveals

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On International Day of Families observed on May 15th, a global Kaspersky study* reveals that while 47% of respondents talk about online safety, only 33% secure all their family devices – highlighting the need for proactivity from Family Digital Managers.

As online threats develop and every generation joins the online space, cybersecurity habits have become an essential part of life for every family. Typically, in every family, one or two people become so-called Family Digital Managers, responsible for managing subscriptions, setting up new devices, or thinking about cyber protection. Kaspersky has conducted a survey to find out what measures modern families take to stay safe online.

According to Kaspersky’s data, a significant portion of respondents adopt an educational approach to cybersecurity within their families:

47% regularly coach elderly relatives and children on safe online practices

45% advise family members to adopt password manager solutions

42% encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA)

An equal 42% actively review and adjust privacy settings on both family devices and critical online accounts

Although a growing awareness of the importance of proactive, family-focused digital protection can be observed, when it comes to the implementation of security solutions, the trend is slightly different. 10% of respondents take no measures at all to protect their loved ones online, rising to 21% among those aged 55+.

As for the parental control apps, 67% of families with children under 18 years use this tool to monitor and secure their kids’ online activity. Parental control, such as the Kaspersky Safe Kids solution, can help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and also gently manage their online habits by limiting access to certain websites and apps, controlling their screen time, and even enhancing their physical security by tracking their geolocation.

The most worrying number is that only 33% of respondents – just 1 in 3 – install security solutions on all family members’ devices. Kaspersky experts highlight that the current threat landscape shows that mobile devices and tablets as well as PCs all require comprehensive cyber protection, as they are often targeted by cybercriminals.

According to the survey, only 30% of respondents set up new devices for their families. Setting up a new device is not often regarded as a step that contributes to cyber safety; however, some actions performed before the device is put into use can significantly enhance its security.

For instance, experts recommend installing a security solution first, to scan the device for hidden threats and make web browsing safe from the first queries. What’s more, reviewing privacy settings on a new device allows you not to share data that you would like to keep private with some applications and services.

The research also shows that the older generation (55+) is generally less included in family security habits. Around 1 in 5 (21%) of this age group globally do not take any measures to protect their family online and only a quarter (24%) install security solutions for family members. The most popular security measure among them turns out to be a password manager, as 40% of this age group recommend their family members to use it.

“We are now using a lot of gadgets and digital services, and with every new device and every additional hour spent online, the potential entry points for cybercriminals continue to grow, exposing us to a wider range of cyber threats. At the same time, not every generation adapts to these rapid changes with the same ease.

“That’s why having someone in the family take on the role of a ‘Family Digital Manager’ can be so valuable, especially when it comes to protecting kids and elder people from digital cyberthreats, give advice and help with the use of trusted security solutions,” comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky.

 


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