E-Business
10,000 Nigerians to Benefit from MSU, MasterCard Foundation ‘Agri Youth Lab’

Nigeria is likely to have the lion’s share in a five-year, $13 million collaboration between Michigan State University and the MasterCard Foundation launched on Monday to help 15,000 young people access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the fast-growing horticulture, aquaculture, poultry, cassava and oilseed sectors in Tanzania and Nigeria.
The partnership, the AgriFood Youth Opportunity Lab, will focus on youth ages 18 to 24 in major food shed regions surrounding Lagos and Dar es Salaam.
The Ag Youth Lab will assist economically disadvantaged, hard-to-reach and out-of-school youth transition into employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the agrifood system.
“Working with The MasterCard Foundation and African partners to address one of the most critical problems facing the continent—youth unemployment—reflects how we pursue MSU’s global vision,” said Lou Anna K. Simon, MSU President. “We see great potential to expand youth agrifood employment both on and off the farm.”
More than 60 percent of Africa’s young people are jobless or underemployed, and formal job creation efforts in Africa’s growing economies have been insufficient, according to African Economic Outlook. Comprising 20 percent of Africa’s population, Tanzania and Nigeria together represent an important opportunity for intervention in skills acquisition, job creation and employment for youth.
The program will have a special focus on gender equity, aiming for equal representation of young men and women across its programs and addressing policy, training, mentoring and other constraints that affect the ability of young women to start enterprises or obtain employment.
The Ag Youth Lab will respond directly to opportunities and constraints identified in the 2016 MSU andThe MasterCard Foundation-Agrifood Youth Employment and Engagement Study (AgYees).
The report highlighted the need to:
Actively engage the private sector in the design, development and implementation of youth employment programs;
Improve training curricula to ensure its relevance to the modern agrifood sector;
Apply information and communication technologies (ICT)and other advanced technologies to solve agrifood system problems; and
Adapt youth programs to meet the expanding consumer demand for fresh fruits, vegetables, high-quality proteins, semi-processed and ready-to eat meals.
“This partnership with Michigan State University is an excellent example of using evidence to address youth unemployment,” said Reeta Roy, president and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation. By engaging the private sector to develop business opportunities for young people the project also addresses some of the challenges youth face in seeking work.”
MSU will lead implementation of the Ag Youth Lab in close collaboration with regional partners. They include the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture; Venture Garden Group, a Nigerian company; Tanzania’s Sokoine University Graduate Entrepreneurs Cooperative (SUGECO); and Nigeria’s Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology.
The Ag Youth Lab will emphasize policy research, data and analytics to develop a cost-effective, scalable model for youth training and facilitation. “Our e-learning and monitoring and evaluation platforms will support the program by providing trainees and other stakeholders with the information needed to succeed,” said Bunmi Akinyemiju, CEO of Venture Garden Group, the lead partner responsible for data and information technology activities.
Using a “train the trainers” approach, local colleges and their graduates will train community facilitators to expose youth to new opportunities and pass on skills using an experiential learning approach. “We will work together to establish an atmosphere where youth will be able to create jobs and become agents of food sufficiency as well as ambassadors of character,” said J.G. Adewale, provost at OYSCATECH.
The project will give youth the skills they need to build their own businesses and, in turn, create additional employment opportunities for other out-of-school youth. “Agriculture is much more than just farming,” said Anna Andrew Temu, founder of SUGECO. “Equipped with the right entrepreneurial and technical skills, and with guidance from experienced mentors, youth can imagine and bring to life their own innovative agribusinesses.”
Ultimately, the Ag Youth Lab seeks long-term impact by building the capacity of local organizations, working directly with the private sector to help youth transition to quality agrifood employment, addressing key policy constraints, and reducing the cost of expanding youth employment. “IITA will bring the lessons from its experience to help Ag Youth Lab tap the dynamism of Africa’s youth,” said N. Sanginga, director general of IITA. “By creating better jobs for themselves, youth can transform Africa’s agrifood systems and build a brighter future for Africa.”
Michigan State University (MSU) has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years.
One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges, while the MasterCard Foundation works with visionary organizations to provide greater access to education, skills training and financial services for people living in poverty, primarily in Africa.
E-Business
Study Reveals Majority of IT Professionals Show Openness to Cyber Immunity

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly, with organisations seeking more robust ways to protect their digital assets. A recent global study conducted by Kaspersky reveals a growing shift toward proactive security strategies, particularly the adoption of Secure by Design development and Cyber Immunity – an innovative approach that embeds resilience directly into system architecture.

The study highlights that 90% of cybersecurity professionals surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region are familiar with Secure by Design development. This methodology integrates security into the very fabric of a system from its inception, rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Such an approach is already employed in high-stakes industries like aerospace, where security cannot be bolted on later – it must be intrinsic. Despite its advantages, however, adoption has been slow due to challenges related to standardisation and cost.
Cyber Immunity is the next frontier in cybersecurity
Building on Secure by Design principles, Cyber Immunity takes cybersecurity a step further by creating systems that inherently resist attacks without the need for constant patching or additional security layers. The study reveals that most experts are familiar with Cyber Immunity but interpret it differently.
When asked what they associate with the term, 64% of respondents in the META region linked it to Secure by Design systems that remain resilient under attack, while 56% viewed it as a combination of technology and policy measures that block cybercriminal access. Another 48% connected it to highly skilled cybersecurity teams, indicating that while awareness is high, a unified understanding is still developing.
The growing demand for proactive security
One of the most striking findings is the optimism surrounding inherently secure systems. Over half of respondents in the META region (63%) believe it is already possible or definitely achievable to design systems capable of withstanding cyberattacks without relying on additional security solutions.
Another 32% think it might be possible, reflecting openness to this idea despite some uncertainty. This shift in mindset aligns with a broader industry trend: traditional reactive security measures are no longer sufficient.
With AI-powered threats and increasingly sophisticated attacks, organisations need solutions that do more than just detect breaches—they must prevent them by design.
Integrating Cyber Immunity into security strategies
The study emphasises that resilience, expertise, and flexibility will define the next generation of cybersecurity. While Secure by Design provides the methodology, Cyber Immunity represents the ultimate goal—systems so robust that they minimise reliance on external defences.
“For companies looking ahead, Cyber Immunity offers more than just protection — it brings clear business benefits. When systems are built to be secure from the ground up, there’s less need for constant updates, patches, and extra security tools. That means fewer costs, less strain on IT teams, and stronger, more reliable protection over time,” said Dmitry Lukiyan, Head of KasperskyOS Business Unit.
Most importantly in today’s threat landscape, Cyber Immunity offers robust protection against next-generation challenges — including AI-driven attacks capable of outmaneuvering traditional security measures.
When security becomes an intrinsic property of system architecture rather than an external addition, businesses gain more than just protection—they secure a competitive market advantage.
This proactive approach future-proofs critical infrastructure, enabling organisations to operate confidently even as threats evolve. It transforms cybersecurity from a defensive necessity into a strategic differentiator that accelerates digital transformation while mitigating risk.
As the cybersecurity environment becomes more complex, Cyber Immunity is emerging as a vital strategy. Organisations that adopt it now will not only enhance their protection but also position themselves ahead of the curve in an increasingly volatile digital world.
E-Business
Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform, has launched its inaugural 2026 shopping campaign, Konga Jara, offering 25 per cent discount on Starlink internet kits alongside free nationwide delivery.

Konga
The campaign, drawing from the Nigerian concept of “jara” — the extra value traders add to purchases — aims to deliver exceptional deals across categories, helping shoppers turn new year aspirations into reality through affordable technology and value-driven shopping.
To qualify for the Starlink discount, customers must purchase kits on Konga.com, activate them at starlink.com/activate, and email activation details to [email protected] for verification against Starlink’s records. Discounts are subject to terms and conditions.
Konga said spotlighting Starlink underscores reliable internet’s role in Nigeria’s digital economy, supporting work, learning, entrepreneurship and communication for households and businesses.
Mr Onochie Melvin, Head of Commercial Planning at Konga, said: “We listened carefully to what Nigerians said they needed to truly kickstart 2026 on the right footing. Reliable internet connectivity emerged as the foundation upon which other aspirations depend.”
He added: “Students need it for online learning, entrepreneurs need it to scale digital businesses, and professionals rely on it for remote work. This Starlink offer is not just about selling products; it is about removing barriers that prevent Nigerians from fully participating in the digital economy.”
Beyond connectivity, Konga Jara provides genuine products from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with transparent pricing, warranties and authenticity guarantees.
As a composite e-commerce ecosystem, Konga integrates shopping, payments and logistics for seamless nationwide access, with exclusive deals shared via its social media channels throughout the campaign.
Shoppers can explore offers at www.konga.com and follow Konga’s official pages for updates across the Konga Group.
E-Business
Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

The premiere of Avatar 3 has taken place in several countries and has been accompanied by a noticeable increase in online interest. Amid the heightened attention surrounding the release, Kaspersky experts identified an increase in cyber-scam campaigns that exploit the movie’s launch and users’ desire to watch it online. The fraudulent websites target users across multiple regions, indicating attempts by attackers to reach a global audience.

The scam operates as follows: cybercriminals create suspicious websites that offer online access to the Avatar 3 movie. Attackers place particular emphasis on localisation, publishing the sites in multiple languages to attract users from different countries. However, the translations are often poorly executed and contain grammatical errors and inconsistencies, which may serve as indicators of fraudulent activity.
When users attempt to start the video, they are presented with a fake media player and prompted to register in order to obtain “full” or “unlimited” access to the film. As part of the registration process, users are asked to provide personal information, including an email address and mobile phone number.
At later stages, scammers may request additional data, including payment details, under the guise of activating a “free trial.” This creates risks of credential compromise, particularly if users reuse passwords across multiple services, and may also lead to financial losses.
“Cybercriminals consistently exploit major movie premieres to capture users’ attention and increase the effectiveness of their schemes. We advise accessing films only through official platforms and exercising caution when encountering websites that request personal or payment information. It is also important to use reliable security solutions to protect all devices, including mobiles,” comments Olga Altukhova, Senior web content analyst at Kaspersky.
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