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Smartphone Production to Drop in Q1 of 2019

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The global smartphone production volume for the first quarter of 2019 (1Q19) will come to 307 million units, showing a 10% year-on-year (YOY) drop, according to TrendForce.

Although there has been a decline in the price of components, TrendForce says smartphone makers have set modest production targets due to the lower-than-expected sales in the previous quarter.

TrendForce’s quarterly prediction appears to mirror its earlier estimates that the overall outlook in the global smartphone market will remain weak in 2019.

“The latest first-quarter production figures from the major smartphone makers indicate the top six brands by production volume for 1Q19, in order, will be Samsung, Huawei, Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO and Vivo.”

The market research firm highlights that Samsung, which is still the market leader, began adjusting its product strategy in the second half of 2018 to challenge the Chinese brands head-on in the market segment for economically priced but high-spec devices.

As a result, TrendForce expects Samsung’s total volume for 1Q19 will reach 70 million units.

“In the future, Samsung is expected to raise the production of the Galaxy A devices so that they will gradually substitute the Galaxy J devices as the brand’s mainstream offerings. In emerging markets such as India, Samsung plans to heavily promote the newly established Galaxy M series that feature large-capacity batteries.

“These actions, taken together, imply Samsung is redefining its brand image to adapt to the challenges from the Chinese rivals and maintain its advantage in market share.”

Despite the market pressure, Huawei will continue to perform well, says TrendForce. Last year, Huawei rose in global rankings by ousting Apple to become the second biggest smartphone maker.

“Its total production volume for 1Q19 is forecast to increase by nearly 10% YOY to 46 million units. Besides having extensive product lines and establishing a strong presence in overseas markets, Huawei has also succeeded in wresting market share away from iPhone in the high-end segment in China with its P and Mate series.”

TrendForce believes the US-China trade war is likely to bear some influence on Huawei’s smartphone business. “In Europe, Huawei’s presence as a provider of telecom equipment has also come under suspicion. These issues will likely have some adverse effects on Huawei’s performance in the smartphone market.”

The Apple brand, according to TrendForce, will be in third place of the production ranking in 1Q19.

Based on its performances in the first quarter so far, TrendForce expects Apple’s total iPhone production volume for the period will come to just 41.5 million units, registering a YOY decline of nearly 26%.

“Apple has been reported to have consistently marked down their iPhone production targets since 4Q18 in order to control its inventory. To stimulate purchases, the company has also lowered the prices of the latest models for some regions in the current quarter.

“Apple’s pricing strategy as a whole is not conducive to driving iPhone sales in the present market environment. Furthermore, the sales ban on older iPhone models in China will deny Apple a sizable portion of consumer demand.”

After eight consecutive quarters of growth, Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi’s smartphone production registered its first decline in 4Q18, falling to 30 million units, says TrendForce.

For 1Q19, Xiaomi’s smartphone production is expected to drop, with total volume falling by 12% YOY to around 26 million units.

“The greatest challenge faced by Xiaomi currently is the lack of R&D into cutting-edge technologies and too much focus on low-price devices with thin margins. On one hand, Xiaomi has to rely more on marketing to drive sales of devices. On the other hand, thin margins can limit the profit gains that can be ploughed back to R&D. The situations result in more resources going to marketing and less going to R&D, forming a vicious circle.”

The research firm notes Xiaomi is trying to remedy the aforementioned problems by recruiting more R&D talent and adjusting the market positioning of its subsidiary brands to retain overall market share.


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EFCC Seals Anti-Corruption Alliance with Anambra Security Chiefs, Traditional Rulers

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In a strategic drive to bolster inter-agency and institutional synergy against economic and financial crimes, the Anambra Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched courtesy visits and awareness campaigns targeting key law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and traditional institutions in Anambra State.

EFCC Seals Anti-Corruption Alliance with Anambra Security Chiefs, Traditional Rulers

On March 5, 2026, Acting Zonal Director ACE I Ofen-Imu Atiba Sunday led a delegation to: State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), C. Anukposi; State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akachia Godwin; State Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Umerah Timothy Nwanegbo; State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bridget Asekhauno; State Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Onubogu Charles Orakwue; and His Majesty, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Eze Iweka III (Eze Ogalagidi), Eze Obosi and Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Council, along with his cabinet.

The Acting Zonal Director stressed that combating corruption demands sustained cooperation among institutions and community leaders to boost intelligence gathering, prevention strategies, and enforcement. “Collaborative efforts among stakeholders, including community leaders, are essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability and future,” he declared.

Highlighting crime trends in the Directorate’s jurisdiction—covering Anambra and Imo States—Sunday noted that public sector corruption, land and property fraud, tax fraud, advance fee fraud, cybercrime, bank fraud, and open market abuses dominate.

Responses were uniformly positive. DSS State Director Anukposi pledged robust support, underscoring intelligence sharing and joint operations to counter threats to national security and economic stability.

NSCDC Commandant Godwin lauded the EFCC’s proactive stance, citing ongoing collaboration on illegal bunkering, vandalism of public assets, and oil theft.

NIS Comptroller Nwanegbo affirmed readiness to partner on border control, migration monitoring, and intelligence against transnational financial crimes.

FRSC Sector Commander Asekhauno hailed the EFCC’s push for accountability, urging use of the Corps’ database and sustained rule-of-law partnerships for national development.

NDLEA Commandant Orakwue committed to tackling criminal networks linking drug trafficking, money laundering, and economic crimes.

At the Eze Obosi’s palace, the monarch welcomed the EFCC’s outreach, decried corruption’s toll on communities, and vowed Traditional Council backing to instill ethics and integrity. He promised to rally other leaders for grassroots anti-corruption sensitization.


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NCDC Issues Public Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis

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Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a Public Health advisory on the spread of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

NCDC Issues Public Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis

It said that the caution is particularly for states within the African Meningitis belt.

In a statement by the Corporate Communications Division of NCDC urged all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures.

The statement said: “As Nigeria continues through the peak dry season months, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) alerts the public to the ongoing risk of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), particularly in states within the African meningitis belt.

“Cerebrospinal meningitis occurs more frequently between December and April, when dry, dusty conditions, overcrowding, and poor ventilation increase the risk of transmission.

“The NCDC urges all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures. Surveillance and response activities remain ongoing nationwide, and laboratory testing is being conducted at the state level while national laboratory capacity is being strengthened.

It explained that Cerebrospinal meningitis is a serious infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

According to NCDC the affliction is most commonly caused by bacteria, particularly Neisseria meningitidis.

“Bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly and may be fatal within hours if untreated.

“However, early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment significantly improve survival and reduce complications. CSM spreads through respiratory droplets during close contact, especially in overcrowded or poorly ventilated environments.”

It said that symptoms to watch out for include sudden high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness.

It said other symptoms may include: nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or altered consciousness and seizures.

For In infants and young children, NCDC said the symptoms could bulging soft spot on the head.

The Centre said that early recognition and treatment can save lives.


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Report finds the Number of Trojan Banker Attacks on Smartphones Increased by 56% in 2025

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According to a Kaspersky report “Mobile malware evolution,” the number of Trojan banker attacks on Android smartphones increased by 56% in 2025 compared to the previous year*.

This type of malware is designed to steal user credentials for online banking, e-payment services and credit card systems. Cybercriminals commonly distribute Trojan bankers through messaging apps, as well as through malicious webpages.

The number of new Trojan banker installation packages for Android (unique APK files) also increased sharply, reaching 255,090 packages – a 271% increase over 2024. This may indicate that these tools generate substantial profit for cybercriminals.

Kaspersky experts believe threat actors will continue both to expand delivery channels and develop new Trojan variants trying to evade detection by security solutions. Among all detected Trojan bankers, the leading families were Mamont and Creduz.

“Although Trojan bankers for smartphones are the fastest-growing type of malware, we also observed another important trend: preinstalled backdoors such as Triada and Keenadu appeared more frequently compared to previous years. People purchase completely new, but infected, Android devices and may be unaware of the threat.

Once integrated into the firmware fully functional preinstalled backdoors provide attackers with unlimited control over the victims’ smartphones and tablets. As a result, all information on infected devices can be compromised.

It’s quite difficult to remove such malware. If the device is infected, we recommend users check for firmware updates. After the update, run a scan of the device with a security solution again to make sure newly installed firmware is not infected,” comments Anton Kivva, malware analyst team lead at Kaspersky.

 


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