General News
Mohammed Rudman is the managing director of Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).
In his over a decade experience in the information and communications technology, Rudman has worked as network administrator in Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) from where he moved to Galaxy Backbone.
He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on how IXPN will help stimulate growth in internet service delivery and local content.
Exchange Point and Nigerian Economy
Our role is to interconnect service providers, Telcos, Universities, financial sectors and virtually almost every organization that deals with information technology so that they can exchange local traffic locally within Nigeria.
This will benefit the economy tremendously, because it will have multiple effects. Apart from the direct benefit; there are other indirect benefits to the economy. When you look at all our service providers, they interconnect right now outside the country and therefore their traffic is being exchanged outside the country, on the process they pay for that interconnection outside the country in foreign currency, so that is capital flight, for traffic that suppose to be exchanged within the country, you now export it for you to bring it back. So, to save the country that capital flight, it means that local traffic should be made local which is the reason behind the establishment of Internet Exchange of Nigeria.
And if you look at issue of our security, because our traffic is no longer going outside the country, it remains local within the country; it means that we are secured to some extent because we are communicating within ourselves. By the time you push those Email outside Nigeria to come back it is possible for somebody to see your own email, it means we are a bit vulnerable, but by the time we are all interconnected such email will not be taken away.
Also if you look at our educational institution, they can interconnect with us, and right now we are working with University of Lagos to have what is called Eko Connect, which is higher educational connectivity project to interconnect higher educational institutions within Lagos towards national research and educational network, so this also will have multiple effect on the economy, because they are training our graduates, and they should be able to collaborate for research. It also promotes local content development, because with us you can start posting content locally, so with this you can promote culture and heritage.
Value Added Services
First, because exchange points are very suitable for centralized infrastructure within the country, we decided to discuss with one of the thirteen global root server operators in the world for them to keep their servers in Nigeria. This will make local translations of names in the internet possible in Nigeria and our discussions have reach advanced level and within the next one month, the root servers will be active in Nigeria, which will be the first root server in West Africa.
Secondly, we are also trying to put time server within Nigeria so that one can synchronize his or her time with us, like if you have a computer at home or in your office you can synchronize it with us so that their timing will be exactly the same because right now there is no public time server for Nigeria, so with that, different network can now synchronize their time from one source. We have already implemented what is called Community DNS in Nigeria. It has been implemented 100% and it is working.
So we are doing other things like that so as to promote local content and provide centralized infrastructure.
ISPs with Foreign Partners
This will not affect our services because this site is very important, we put them in remote places where people can have access to the internet and it will continue because we have so many remote areas that needs internet access.
Also some of them are already thinking in this direction and are relocating their hubs back into the country. They want to localize their traffic and have brought back their hub from US back to the country, for them to be interconnected to the exchange point. By the time all of them bring back their hub, it means that local content within Nigeria remains local and it will also save them some satellite bandwidth.
New Undersea Cable Initiative as Boost to ISPs in Nigeria
This will help to lower the cost of internet access generally, and will promote reliability because it is more than one cable, formally we have only one submarine cable, SAT 3, now Glo 1 is coming Main One is coming and WACS will come maybe next year, so with this, it means that we have multiple redundancy. Because internet is becoming our ways of life, it is becoming also a critical infrastructure just like water, power and so on. It is very good that we are having this many cables coming in so that, we will now have reliability incase one cable fails, and normally when it happens we have back ups because competitors are coming in and because they are many. I believe that due to competition the prices of internet will really drop and it will be available to the common man as long as the distributing channels are there. As they all are coming in through the sea to the landing stations in Lagos, just like you have containers coming in ships to Lagos, now if we don’t have the road to distribute these containers then there is a problem. The distribution network is in terms of fiber network connecting to the most remote part of the country like Sokoto, Maidugri etc., if such infrastructure exists in these locations, I think it will really lower the cost.
Success Made so Far
Formally the progress and the success were a bit small because we are new and people don’t want to change. We are telling them to change, instead of having one direct path to the internet, to start having two interconnections, one to the left and the other one to the right, if you are going to the internet, you go to the left and if you are going to the Nigerian content, you go right. So this means a change from the one single direction to two directions. It was difficult trying to bring competitors to cooperate for the common interest of both parties. It has been difficult, but eventually we have broken that barrier and it is now happening. The service providers are now cooperating. Though they are competing outside publicly, but they are collaborating privately trying to save the country and to promote efficient services to their customers.
The traffic has increased from very small to more than few thousand percent from the time we started. I think we have made a reasonable progress and we are right now at what is called the tipping point, where things will eventually start changing so fast because we have made the progress to this level and there will be tremendous progress because international organization are even coming to join us like Google now is coming to connect to us very soon.
Force on Operators to Interconnect
The answer could be yes or could be no, because there is a say that you will take the horse to the river but cannot force it to drink water. You can force them to interconnect but you cannot force them to exchange traffic, and on the other hand when you force them to interconnect, you might awaken them to see the actual benefit that formally they were not seeing, so it has a good side for the regulators to force them and it also has a bad side.
Required Capacity to Carry theTraffic
We have more than what is required. Right now, we are using less than 5% of our capacity; we have excess capacity that we can accommodate. We can easily handle all the traffics, so I think we have the capacity to handle almost everybody.
Expansion of Operations
We intend to be in six geopolitical zones, and we are partnering with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to add two additional exchange points before the end of this year in two regions within Nigeria.
The Way Forward
We have a program right now; we are trying to move to a better modern facility, and this is where we are going to have the switching equipment, the browsing equipment and this is all because of the support from Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC). They are funding the movement and I want to also use this opportunity to thank them for this; and with this infrastructure we will be able to provide quality service because the international organizations are coming in and they wouldn’t want to compromise on quality. That is why we are providing a high standard world class facility for them and for the entire Nigerian service providers to connect.
IP Version Six
IP version 6 is a new standard protocol for IP communication, right now we are using IP version 4. Because of limitation on size of IP version 4, it is almost going into extinction and it is anticipated that in the next one year it will no longer be available for use that is why globally people are moving into IP version 6. Unfortunately, Nigeria is left behind and that is why we are battling with original internet registry for them to start training in Nigeria for IP version 6.
The first training is going to take place in September, first week of September most likely in Lagos and on the second week in Abuja and we intend to continue this training so we can make the impact, so that the networks here can move from IP version 4 to IP version 6.
General News
Haleon Introduces New Corporate Identity in Nigeria

Haleon, a global consumer health company with a purpose to deliver better everyday health, is introducing its corporate identity across Nigeria in a phased transition. Trusted brands such as Panadol, Sensodyne, Macleans, Otrivin, Voltaren, Cac 1000 and Andrews Liver Salts remain unchanged in formulation, quality, and effectiveness.

Following the formal demerger from GSK, Haleon was launched on July 18, 2022, as an independent company 100% focused on consumer health. Haleon is the new home for brands like Sensodyne, Panadol, Centrum and others, trusted by millions worldwide for their proven effectiveness in improving everyday health.
From relieving tooth sensitivity or pain to providing essential vitamins and nutrients, our products are designed to fulfil Haleon’s purpose: to deliver better everyday health with humanity.
This revised corporate identity is a branding change only and does not affect the safety, quality, or efficacy of the products. Haleon is sharing this update as part of its commitment to transparency and consumer confidence, helping consumers continue to choose the brands they know and trust.
Haleon’s collaboration with Fidson Healthcare forms part of this approach, reinforcing the value of local production in supporting trusted everyday health brands in Nigeria.
Panadol Extra 100s and Panadol Pain & Fever 100s are currently being produced and supplied to the market under the Haleon identity. Sensodyne Rapid Action will bear the Haleon corporate identity from mid-June, followed by Andrews Liver Salts later this year.
In due course, additional brands—including Otrivin, Voltaren, Cac 1000, Macleans, and the wider Sensodyne portfolio—will also transition to the Haleon identity.
Haleon remains committed to ensuring consumers can continue to access the same high-quality brands at pharmacies, supermarkets and other retail outlets across Nigeria.
“As Haleon introduces its identity in Nigeria, we want consumers to feel informed and reassured. The trusted products they rely on remain the same in quality, formulation and effectiveness.
“At the same time, our local production approach in partnership with Fidson Healthcare supports reliable access to high-quality everyday health products in Nigeria,” said Himanshu Raj, Haleon General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.
General News
Elon Musk Makes History as the World’s First Trillionaire

Tech entrepreneur and SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, has become the world’s first trillionaire after the successful public listing of SpaceX pushed his net worth beyond the $1 trillion mark.

Elon Musk
According to multiple financial reports, Musk’s fortune surged to approximately $1.1 trillion following SpaceX’s historic stock market debut on June 12, making him the first individual in history to achieve the milestone.
The sharp increase in wealth was driven primarily by SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO), which valued the company at more than $1.7 trillion at listing before rising above $2 trillion during its first day of trading. Musk’s holdings in SpaceX, combined with his stakes in Tesla and other ventures, significantly boosted his net worth.
Musk, 54, is also the founder or co-founder of companies including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and The Boring Company. He acquired social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in a $44 billion deal and has remained one of the most influential figures in technology and business.
Financial analysts noted that Musk’s wealth now far exceeds that of any other billionaire.
Matt Durot, deputy editor at Forbes Wealth, said the gap between Musk and the world’s second-richest individual had widened significantly, with no other person currently close to the trillion-dollar threshold.
Despite the historic achievement, Musk’s vast wealth has reignited debates over global inequality and the responsibilities of ultra-wealthy individuals in addressing humanitarian challenges.
Advocacy groups have frequently pointed to issues such as hunger, disease eradication and access to education as areas where large-scale private philanthropy could make a significant impact.
In 2021, Musk publicly challenged the United Nations to provide a detailed plan showing how billions of dollars could help combat world hunger. Although a proposal was later presented, no donation followed.
Analysts note that much of Musk’s wealth remains tied to company shares rather than liquid cash, meaning his net worth can fluctuate significantly with market movements.
Nevertheless, the SpaceX IPO marks a historic moment in global finance, placing Musk in a wealth category previously considered unimaginable.
Commenting on Musk’s business achievements, Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase, described him as “the Edison of our time.”
Musk’s rise from co-founding internet startup Zip2 in the 1990s to becoming the world’s first trillionaire is regarded by many analysts as one of the most remarkable wealth creation stories in modern history.
General News
Kaspersky Warns of “Grey” Scam Websites Exploiting User Trust

Recent research by Kaspersky has shown that the so-called “grey” websites repeatedly target all world regions, and this may be driving both financial loss and large-scale data harvesting.

Grey websites are deceptive online platforms that fall outside traditional phishing definitions but still manipulate users into voluntarily handing over money and personal data. Kaspersky’s new report provides detailed insights into the threats posed by the grey websites on global and regional levels.
Unlike classic phishing attacks, which aim to steal credentials outright, grey websites rely on persuasion, misleading interfaces, and hidden terms to exploit users. They often impersonate legitimate services such as e-commerce platforms, financial tools, AI services, or subscription-based content, making them significantly harder to detect.
Kaspersky analysis shows that the majority of suspicious resources globally fall into several recurring categories:
- Fake browser extensions and “security tools” that actually harvest browsing data and track user activity.
- Fraudulent financial platforms including crypto exchanges, trading tools, and investment schemes promising unrealistic returns.
- Intermediary services (e.g., legal or real estate), charging for low-value or nonexistent services while harvesting sensitive personal data.
- Subscription traps offering low-cost trials that convert into costly recurring payments hidden in fine print.
- Fake online shops that either deliver counterfeit goods or nothing at all.
Example of a grey website.
A notable trend is the emergence of tools disguised as AI services or image-processing platforms, reflecting attackers’ ability to adapt to current digital trends and target younger audiences.
There are proven security solutions that help users to detect grey websites across different types of devices – those running on Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. The detection model is based on many factors, including domain name and age, IP reputation, stability of the infrastructure used, DNS configurations, HTTP security headers, digital identity and popularity of the web resource and other criteria.
Regional specifics
Regional variations in grey websites demonstrate how threat actors localise scams based on user behaviour and trending technologies.
In Europe, the threat landscape is dominated by links to suspicious browser extensions and fake “privacy-enhancing” tools.
These resources often present themselves as security solutions, promising safer browsing or anonymous search capabilities. In reality, they function as browser hijackers – intercepting traffic, collecting cookies, tracking user behaviour, and injecting advertisements.
The popularity of these threats reflects a high level of user concern around privacy and security, which attackers actively exploit. Additionally, these regions show a steady presence of phishing intermediaries and crypto-related scams, indicating a blend of technical and financially motivated attacks.
Across African markets, financial scams are the most prominent category of suspicious resources. Fraudulent trading platforms, fake brokers, and investment schemes frequently mimic legitimate financial services, often accompanied by fabricated licenses or endorsements.
These platforms typically prevent users from withdrawing funds, instead introducing additional “fees” or taxes to prolong the scam. The concentration of these threats highlights how attackers leverage growing interest in online investing while exploiting gaps in regulatory enforcement and financial literacy.
In the Middle East and North Africa region, suspicious resources frequently mimic communication (Internet telephony) tools, financial platforms, or betting services. Additionally, Ponzi-style investment schemes and crypto scams are widespread, often presented through polished interfaces that mimic legitimate platforms.
Web browser-based threats also play a significant role, with malicious extensions targeting user data and browsing activity. The regional threat profile reflects a convergence of financial fraud and technical compromise, where users risk both data exposure and monetary loss.
“Suspicious websites don’t look harmful at first glance. But they exploit trust, urgency, and familiarity, and a single click on what looks like a harmless AI image tool, a “secure” browser extension, or a heavily discounted online shop could be all it takes to lose money or expose sensitive data.
Instead of direct credential theft, attackers turn to behavioural manipulation – whether that’s subscribing, investing, or installing software,” comments Anna Larkina, Web Content and Privacy Analysis Expert at Kaspersky.
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