News
Presidency Makes Tough Call against Vandals
The federal government is to make a tough call with a special executive administrative directive to protect the nation’s ICT infrastructure currently subjected to attacks from all angles, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
The special executive administrative directive with strong political backing from the presidency is in lieu of an Act which protects ICT infrastructure, the same way railway and electricity infrastructures are protected by law.
Checks at the ministry of Communications Technology at the weekend revealed that directive is a short term measure to arrest the growing targeted attacks on ICT infrastructures and workers.
On the long run, the ministry also expects to muster the same political will for the early passage of the Critical Infrastructure Protection bill being packaged by Banwo & Ighodalo, a first class law firm reputed for its innovation and outstanding in the provision of efficient legal solutions.
A top official at the ministry who not want to be named said “we cannot just wait till a law is enacted to begin to protect these infrastructures. This directive is riding on existing laws. For instance, the existing laws do not allow you to destroy a base station; you are not allowed to damage other people property. The only difference is that this carries the weight of the highest authority in the land, the president”
According to the source, the wanton destruction of ICT infrastructure has far reaching consequences including; security, safety, quality of service and return on investment.
The directive will involve some kind of special marking for critical national infrastructures and would require security agencies to work closely with the industry to secure the facilities.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that attacks on ICT infrastructure affect the delicate tripod on which the telecom industry stands: the regulator; operators; and the subscribers.
Though figures are hard to come by, this senseless crime is believed to be costing the industry billions of naira annually and denying Nigerians of better quality of service from the operators.
Attacks on ICT infrastructure come in forms of vandalisation; demands for right of way from various tiers of governments; multiple regulation and taxation and so on.
Apart from theft of generators and vandalisation of telecommunications equipment, the industry has also been plagued by the rising incidence of damage to their fibre-optic networks.
Cuts on the fibre-optic networks are as a result of poor road construction practices; willful damage perpetrated by criminal elements and sabotage.
But Lack of awareness of the critical nature of the infrastructure; and attitudes are at the root of most of the attacks.
ICT Infrastructure is the Central Nervous System of communications. Any minor errors (technical faults, accidents, vandalisation, data recording errors,) can alter, disrupt or block the system processes unintentionally.
These disruptions not only disconnect subscribers, but could cause embarrassment to businesses and national security.
ICT infrastructures are easy preys to vandals who are exploiting the lax security situation and absence of stiff punishment for offenders.
“That is why we have to do something fast because nobody knows how long it will take to enact an Act to protect these infrastructures. If we hesitate a little longer, the consequences may dire and this is what we want to avoid” our source at the ministry said.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek had in its past editions pointed to the clear and present danger posed by the ruthless attacks on ICT infrastructures and urged the government to declare ICT equipment, critical national infrastructure that must be protected by law.
Most state and local governments in the country have notoriety for unfriendliness to the telecommunications infrastructures.
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, president of Teledom Group and former president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (Atcon) said the vandalisation of telecom infrastructure has negative impact in further investment in the sector with the attendant ripple effects on the economy including job losses, poor quality of service, reduced taxation to the government and so on.
These disruptions not only disconnect subscribers, but could cause embarrassment to businesses and national security.
Entrepreneurs backed by the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) have generated more than $4.2 billion in cumulative revenue since the organisation began its grant programme in 2015, according to Somachi Chris-Asoluka, chief executive officer of the foundation.
Chris-Asoluka, revealed this during a virtual media briefing, where she also stated that over $100 million has been distributed to nearly 24,000 young entrepreneurs across Africa.
She noted that the beneficiaries of the programme have gone on to create about 1.5 million jobs, both directly and indirectly, across various sectors of the continent’s economy.
The performance, she said, has strengthened the resolve of the foundation and its partners to scale up financial support for emerging businesses.
Chris-Asoluka emphasised that the foundation’s interventions are anchored on the conviction that entrepreneurship is central to reducing poverty and reshaping Africa’s economic future.
She explained that selected participants receive a $5,000 seed capital grant, in addition to structured business training and mentorship designed to help them either expand existing enterprises or establish new ones.
Highlighting operational challenges faced by entrepreneurs, she identified inadequate electricity supply as a major constraint.
According to her, many small businesses spend as much as 60 per cent of their earnings on alternative power solutions, including generators and inverters.
To mitigate this challenge, she disclosed that Tony Elumelu, TEF founder, alongside the foundation’s leadership, has been engaging governments across Africa on the urgent need to improve power infrastructure.
She further stated that investments by programme beneficiaries cut across critical sectors such as agriculture, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and technology innovation.
Chris-Asoluka also announced that the foundation’s 2026 cohort of entrepreneurs will be formally unveiled by Elumelu in Abuja.
A new financial operations platform, Morney, has officially launched in Nigeria to help businesses face growing pressure to digitise their finance processes as the country’s shift towards electronic invoicing.
Developed by Morzoe Technologies Inc. and introduced locally through its partner, BuySimply Services Limited, the platform is designed to help organisations streamline and automate financial workflows.
Speaking at the launch, Head of Growth at BuySimply, ‘Mide Olubi, said many Nigerian organisations still depend on fragmented systems such as emails and spreadsheets to manage expenses, supplier invoices and payments.
According to him, this approach often results in inefficiencies, delayed processes, weak oversight and a higher risk of errors.
He noted that Nigeria’s increasing adoption of electronic invoicing and tax digitisation frameworks is accelerating the need for structured and transparent financial systems. Businesses, he said, must move away from manual processes and adopt platforms that provide clear visibility into financial operations.
Morney integrates payments, procurement, expenses and invoicing into a single system, enabling finance teams to automate approvals, monitor transactions in real time and maintain accurate records.
The platform also supports supplier onboarding and invoice processing, helping organisations better manage operational spending.
The company revealed that businesses across sectors such as FMCG, manufacturing, energy, banking and telecommunications are already adopting the solution to improve efficiency and strengthen financial control.
It added that the partnership with BuySimply reflects a broader trend of digital transformation, as organisations respond to evolving regulatory requirements and the demand for more efficient financial management systems.
Dr Krishnan Ranganath (Krish) to Lead UniCloud Africa in Continental Digital Infrastructure Push
UniCloud Africa Limited, the premier pan-African cloud platform dedicated to advancing the continent’s digital sovereignty, has announced the appointment of Dr. Krishnan Ranganath as its Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Krish, a seasoned industry leader known for building and scaling digital infrastructure while maintaining rigorous operational excellence, steps into the role as UniCloud Africa accelerates its mission to redefine the continent’s digital landscape.
The appointment coincides with the groundbreaking launch and immediate availability of UniCloud Africa’s enterprise-grade Sovereign Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure across six key markets: Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Senegal, and Mozambique, even as it plans to launch in Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Uganda, Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire as part of further continental expansion.
Operating under the mission of “One Cloud, One Africa,” UniCloud Africa provides governments and enterprises with a world-class, fully compliant sovereign cloud alternative to high-latency offshore providers,ensuring a robust, scalable foundation tailored to Africa’s unique environmental and economic needs.
“UniCloud sits at the epicentre of Africa’s cloud evolution. We are committed to deploying 100% sovereign infrastructure across the continent. My focus is on driving high-growth partnerships and scaling the next generation of resilient, sustainable cloud infrastructure to accelerate the evolution of the African digital ecosystem,” said Dr. Krish, CEO of UniCloud Africa Limited.
He disclosed that his focus at UniCloud Africa is on driving high-growth partnerships and scaling the next generation of resilient, sustainable cloud infrastructure, and will deploy GPUs in certain economies based on market potential and need.
While admitting that the challenges from AI integration to the green energy transition are immense, Dr Krish believes that the opportunities are greater. “I am eager to collaborate with our partners and customers to redefine the digital frontier and accelerate the evolution of the African digital ecosystem,” he added.
Ladi Okuneye, Co-founder and outgoing CEO (who remains as a director on the board) remarked: “As we enter this new chapter of growth, I am confident that Dr Krish’s extensive experience in the African digital landscape will add immense value. His technical depth and regional insight make him the ideal leader to drive UniCloud Africa forward.”
Before he was appointed CEO of UniCloud Africa, Dr. Krish was, until last month, the Regional Executive – West Africa at the Africa Data Centres (ADC).
Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026
CBN Wins Central Bank of the Year Title @13th Global Awards
Jury Finds Elon Musk Liable for Misleading Twitter Investors
FG Taps Quest Merchant Bank for Advisory on 90,000km Fibre Project
TEF-Backed Entrepreneurs Generate $4.2Bn, Create 1.5m Jobs across Africa
Kaspersky Discovers New Phishing Campaign Exploiting Google Tasks Notifications to Steal Corporate Credentials
esentry 2025 Report Shows Healthcare, Financial Services and Telecoms as Staging Grounds for Increased Cyberattacks in Africa
AfDB, UNDP Launch $10Bn AI Initiative for Africa
MultiChoice Suspends Yearly DStv Price Hike as Canal+ Pushes Growth
MTN Nigeria Posts Record N1.70 Trillion Pre‑Tax Profit, Declares N20 Dividend for 2025
News3 days agoAfrican Tech Start-ups to Receive $46m of Speedinvest Africa Fund
Telecom3 days agoCourt Bans Kenyan Telcos from Recycling SIM Cards
E-Financial3 days agoProvidus Bank Fully Meets CBN Capital Requirement, Sets Record Straight
E-Financial3 days agoUBA UK, BII Sign Letter of Intent to Slash Africa’s $80Bn Trade Finance Gap
Telecom3 days agoBinance Earn: Simple Way to Earn Rewards on Idle Crypto Holdings
News3 days agoUK, Nigeria Unveil Three-Year Plan to Combat Immigration Crime
News3 days agoU.S. Charges Three in $2.5 Billion Plot to Smuggle Nvidia AI Chips to China
General News3 days agoCourt Jails ‘Colonel’, ‘Major’ of Global Money-Laundering Ring