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IFIP President Elect to Speak at #NCSAbuja2016
Mike Hinchey, the President Elect, International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), will be speaking at the 26th National Conference of Nigeria Computer Society tagged “Information Technology for National Safety and Security”.
This was announced by NCS on Friday stressing that the National Conference will take place at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja-FCT, Nigeria from July 19th to 21st, 2016.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that Mike Hinchey will deliver the Goodwill Message during the Opening Ceremony and serve as Keynote Speaker during a Plenary Session on “Innovation in National Safety and Security”.
He will give a technical presentation on the topic “Enhancing National Security using Software Systems”
Mike Hinchey is Director of Lero-the Irish Software Research Centre, a multi-location national research centre funded by Science Foundation Ireland and with a footprint in all of Ireland’s universities. He is also Professor of Software Engineering at University of Limerick.
Hinchey holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from University of Limerick, an M.Sc. in Computation (Mathematics) from University of Oxford, UK and PhD in Computer Science from University of Cambridge, UK.
He is a Member of Academia Europaea, Fellow of the British Computer Society, Irish Computer Society, Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications, Institute of Engineering Technology and Engineers Australia and Engineers Ireland.
Prior to leading Lero, Hinchey was Director of the NASA Software Engineering Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, Greenbelt, MD. Hinchey has been previously full professor or visiting professor in UK, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, USA, Japan and Australia.
The President Elect of IFIP (International Federation for Information Processing) is also Vice President of the Irish Computer Society and Vice Chair of IEEE UK and Ireland.
Established in 1960 under the auspices of UNESCO, IFIP is the leading global organization in Information and Communications Technologies and Sciences.
IFIP is recognized by the UN, as the body representing IT societies from all over the world. The Nigeria Computer Society is a member of IFIP.
An Outstanding Academic, Thought Leader and Global Authority, the conference will benefit from his knowledge and insights.
The 26th NCS National Conference – #NCSAbuja2016
Security as one of the most critical issues in Nigeria will form topical issues for discussion at the conference.
In the 21st century, nations invest in Information Technology as the key enabler for National Security.
Mr Jide Awe, chairman, Conferences Committee, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), said recently in a blog post, that the 26th National Conference will provide a multi-stakeholder forum to examine pertinent considerations in achieving IT enabled Security to advance and achieve Sustainable Development.
‘Engagement opportunities will be explored during the Conference to present and develop effective strategies, creative approaches and practical solutions. The Conference intends to bring together academics, innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, IT practitioners, policy makers in government and business people,’ Awe said.
Theme for this year’s conference is: ‘Information Technology for National Safety and Security’, while the sub themes are National Database – Integral to National Security; Information Technology and the National Security Strategy; Universal Broadband Access – the Security Imperative Information Technology as an Indispensable Security Tool – Terrorism in Focus and Smart Governance and Anti-Corruption through Information Technology.
Others National Security Dimension of Youth Innovation and Software Development; Cybercrime, Cyberwarfare and Cybersecurity; Digital Human Capital Requirements in the 21st Century; Social, Mobile, Analytics (Big Data) and Cloud Computing (SMAC).
IFIP InterYIT is collaborating with NCS to present the Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform (YIEP) at the upcoming NCS 26th National Conference.
DataPro Rating Agency has upgraded the long-term credit rating of Dangote Cement Plc to AA+ from AA, citing the company’s strong financial performance, market leadership and ability to meet its financial obligations despite Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.
In its latest rating report, the technology-driven credit rating agency also affirmed Dangote Cement’s short-term rating at A1, with a Stable Outlook. The ratings are valid until June 16, 2027.
DataPro said the upgrade reflects the cement maker’s sustained financial strength, resilient operating performance and dominant position in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the agency, the assessment followed a comprehensive review of the company’s capital base, earnings, liquidity, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and the sustainability of its financial performance over the medium to long term.
It noted that Dangote Cement’s strong brand, leading market share, solid earnings, robust asset base and experienced management continue to strengthen its ability to meet financial commitments on time.
The agency also highlighted the company’s outstanding financial performance in 2025.
According to the report, Dangote Cement posted N4.31 trillion in revenue during the year, representing a 20 per cent increase from the previous year. Profit before tax more than doubled, rising 109 per cent to N1.53 trillion, driven by higher sales, improved operating efficiency, lower finance costs and a stronger capital structure.
DataPro said the AA+ long-term rating indicates low credit risk and reflects excellent financial strength, business profile and operating performance relative to its rating benchmarks.
It added that the A1 short-term rating signifies good credit quality and shows that the company has a strong capacity to meet its short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
The rating agency, however, noted that the credit rating has a maximum shelf life of 12 calendar months in line with international best practice and should be used only as a reference, not as an offer to trade in securities or as a substitute for investors’ independent judgement.
Xora Finance has announced it will no longer consider job applicants from Nigeria.
Xora Finance is a digital bank founded by Joren Lundgren, in February 2026 and allows users to deposit and earn interest on their XRP cryptocurrency.
Lundgren, founder, in an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), cited an ongoing pattern of misconduct, such as dishonesty and theft, from previous Nigerian hires as the reason for the decision.
This sudden blanket ban came just days after the company’s official career page was aggressively recruiting remote workers for marketing and content roles.
The announcement generated heavy backlash online, with many people upset that a blanket rule punishes honest job seekers.
Some lawyers have said that victims of Ponzi schemes have legal remedies, although recovering lost funds and prosecuting perpetrators remain major challenges.
A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that pays existing investors with funds collected from new participants rather than from actual profits.
Operators lure victims by promising high returns with little to no risk.
The scheme inevitably collapses when the flow of new investors slows down.
Some lawyers who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) separate interviews with on Sunday, said that victims could pursue civil actions to recover their money.
Mr Chibuikem Opara, a lawyer at Justification Chambers, Ikeja,said many Nigerians continued to fall victim to Ponzi schemes in spite of repeated warnings.
Opara said it was wrong to attribute participation in Ponzi schemes to a lack of investment opportunities, noting that promoters often exploit investors’ greed through promises of unrealistic returns.
“What you cannot take away is the fact that many Nigerians have fallen and continue to fall victim to these schemes every time,” he said.
According to him, victims may individually or collectively institute civil actions against the beneficiary company for breach of contract or refund arising from failure of consideration.
Opara said victims could also unite to seek an order from the Federal High Court to wind up the beneficiary company.
He, however, noted that such efforts might yield little benefit if perpetrators had already siphoned the funds and left behind an empty shell.
The lawyer said available remedies largely depended on the actions of relevant authorities, adding that recipient accounts could be frozen to facilitate fund recovery and support winding-up proceedings.
Opara said regulators and law enforcement agencies often became aware of Ponzi schemes only after substantial losses had occurred.
According to him, victims frequently failed to report suspicious schemes early enough to enable timely intervention.
He added that funds are sometimes moved outside the country before authorities become aware of the fraud.
Opara also cited inadequate information and the deceptive nature of the schemes as major obstacles to investigation and prosecution.
“Most times, everything about the schemes is made to appear elusive, just like the profits promised to victims,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Vincent Aminu of A.F. Aminu and Co. advised that victims of investment scams should report such cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies on time.
Aminu said victims could petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or file reports with the police.
He said that after investigation, prosecutors could bring charges against suspects under relevant fraud-related laws, including provisions of the Criminal Code and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.
Beyond criminal prosecution, Aminu said .victims could pursue civil actions to recover their money
According to him, such actions may be based on breach of contract, unjust enrichment, or fraudulent misrepresentation, depending on the circumstances.
He added that victims could petition the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which could investigate illegal operators, shut down unauthorised platforms, and freeze assets.
He identified the anonymity of online fraudsters as one of the biggest challenges confronting investigators.
According to him, many operators concealed their identities through fake digital profiles and technologies that made tracking them difficult.
Aminu also noted that victims who delayed taking legal action risked losing opportunities for redress.
He added that prolonged court proceedings often delayed justice for victims.
“Many fraud-related cases take years before the court reaches a verdict, thereby delaying justice for victims,” he said.
Also, Mr Chris Ayiyi of Ayiyi Chambers, Apapa, described Ponzi schemes as a gamble that benefited early participants at the expense of later investors.
Ayiyi said some early entrants received returns on their investments, thereby encouraging others to join the schemes.
He said the schemes eventually collapsed, leaving late investors to bear the losses
The lawyer called for a complete ban on Ponzi schemes or sustained public enlightenment campaigns against them.
He urged the National Assembly to enact laws that would strengthen regulation and provide greater protection for investors.
According to him, stronger legal safeguards are necessary in a country operating a capital-based economy.
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