E-Business
Lessons from Oga At the Top
The government should have capitalised on a recent embarrassing incident in which an official was exposed as incompetent to mount a major PR coup against its critics.
But it is too optimistic to expect state bureaucrats in Nigeria to see rare opportunities thrust right under their noses
Nigeria has persisted through fourteen continuous years of a tumultuous democratic experiment, and to date that is what it continues to do: persist.
Through the apparent corruption and graft, through the wasteful spending and government extravagance, and through the failing infrastructure and security, Nigeria persists.
Despite constant reports of impending doom and collapse, Nigerians find levity in most things; it is perhaps an escape from reality and a skill that was necessitated after the failure of many administrations.
Perhaps it is also the reason the entertainment and leisure industries have thrived in the country during recent years.
One such moment is the ogaatthetop internet phenomenon that has swept the country in recent weeks. The story’s background follows as such: a state commandant of a paramilitary organisation called the NSCDC (Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps) appeared on a popular local morning talk show to address allegations of fraudulent recruitment practices within the corps and to shed light on some of the activities of the corps.
During a segment of the show he was asked to provide website details for the corps; he could not. In spite of this, he did put up a brave face and excused his momentary lapse by stating that such details could only be provided by his Oga (a Nigerian colloquialism for Boss) at the top.
Hence, he birthed an internet phenomenon and inadvertently provided several comical clips and various spinoffs.
There are many ways to look at this, and arguments have been made all around. There are those gloating about government incompetence and inability; they have certainly made their point.
There are also those who have drawn attention to the fact that most government functionaries are computer illiterate, arguing that the commandant should be given the benefit of the doubt. I agree with the latter group: while I find the commandant’s mannerism and gesticulations quite comical, I know that the civil service is largely inefficient and unwilling to change.
It is nothing short of a behemoth that refuses to adapt, yet it will not go extinct. This observation can be applied universally to the Civil Service Institution.
But that is not what this entry is about; I see in this a sorely missed opportunity and the continuation of a deliberate or assumed policy to ignore a problem while treating its symptoms.
What only savvy internet entrepreneurs and marketers realized from the situation and its subsequent reactions was that it was seizable.
A good percentage of Nigerians were for a moment less worried about the threat and reality of domestic terrorism; less concerned about dilapidated or non-existence infrastructure; less moved by corruption or mismanagement; and for a brief moment, we were all concentrating on this one addictive human folly, and it was a teachable moment. In the moment, the government could relearn something about itself and its functions, and re-educate its citizens and followers.
No one is more remiss than the NSCDC itself. The truth the commandant slipped while answering a question about the website of the NSCDC is instructive: there are still many who do not know what the NSCDC is about, why they were created and what their functions are.
In a country with so many armed paramilitary organisations and a bad record of human rights and extra-judicial killings, many are suspicious and wary about the introduction of yet another armed organisation.
This was a golden moment to educate the general public . The media budget for the NSCDC for the financial year 2012 was N105 million. (approximately $665,946); Such an amount allocated in two places would still not have generated the amount of interest generated by the viral video, and this publicity was absolutely free.
With a little self-deprecating humour the NSCDC could absolutely have turned the moment to their favour; their internal discipline and reprimand structure aside, this is not about debating whether the commandant should have been suspended or not.
The ogaatthetop phenomenon gave them an enviable marketing and public relations platform to use.
Billboards turning the joke on itself, asking ‘What is the website for the NSCDC?’ with a link to the actual website, should have gone up within the week of the incident.
I can wager that they would have enjoyed the most hits they have had since the inception of the site. The ogaatthetop domain should have been registered immediately by the NSCDC with an automatic link to the actual site.
Campaigns on the radio, on electronic media, and on website banners should have begun in earnest introducing the NSCDC as the ogasatthetop.
They could have gone a step further and introduced merchandising, T-shirts, mugs, bags, notepads and the rest. Governing can be that simple sometimes.
Governments everywhere are finding ways in this digital age to connect with people, to get them or keep them interested, to keep them for being apathetic.
The amount of campaigning done via social media during the last two American presidential elections is a testament to this. In a country like Nigeria, and in fact most African countries, where the citizens are naturally distrusting of government, moments like this do not come often. Governments are going to have to find better ways to connect with their audience, to meet them, whether it is online, through the social media or perhaps even through the home videos that have become so ubiquitous.
I will concede a few things. Firstly, the people who watched the video only did so because they wanted to watch a train wreck, to witness the schadenfreude because they wanted to laugh at government; this may be true, but it is human nature and not peculiar to Nigeria and if they are going to be laughing anyway, why not laugh with them and inform them of something at the same time.
Secondly, only governments that have something to say would think of seizing the moment; while I will admit that by nature every government has something to say, they may just not be saying what anyone wants to hear.
This is evident in Nigeria by the amount of time Press Secretaries spend reiterating, clarifying or defending. Perhaps the time has come for government to play offence. Thirdly, this cannot work for every situation, such as when people lose their lives needlessly to sectarian violence, or when people who have been trusted with public office mismanage funds and the privileges of their offices.
This time around, the gaffe not being one of those usual instances made the ogaatthetop phenom so rare, so special. It was not violent. It was not scandalous. It was simple human frailty and it was a very good opportunity.
Marketers are forever trying to figure out likes and dislikes, interests and potential areas of engagement with consumers in this fast changing digital world, and while there are no sure-fire formulas as of yet, one thing remains true: people are communicating, sharing and engaging via different platforms like never before.
Governments in the developed world have realised they are behind the curve and have begun to catch up; as the digital divide in Africa is gradually closing, it is time that African governments begin to think of creative ways to engage as well.
The NSCDC should have completely owned the ogaatthetop incident. For better or worse they already do. That is all.
Culled from Pambazuka (London)
E-Business
Organizations Face New Attacks via Unpatched TrueConf Videoconferencing Servers, Kaspersky Warns
Kaspersky has discovered a new multi-stage attack by the Head Mare APT group against organisations with PhantomCore and PhantomGraph backdoors. To deliver these backdoors, the attackers exploit vulnerabilities in unpatched TrueConf videoconferencing servers and can also replace TrueConf client installers with infected ones.
Kaspersky reported the attacks to the vendor; the vulnerabilities were fixed in the latest TrueConf Server update on June 18, 2026 (versions 5.3.9, 5.4.9, and 5.5.5).
To compromise the TrueConf server, attackers exploited a combination of two vulnerabilities (assigned internal Kaspersky identifiers are KLCERT-26-057 and KLCERT-26-058), which allowed the attackers to execute any code with maximum privileges. By exploiting these vulnerabilities, they replaced one of the server’s files with their own web shell.
The attackers then used this shell to collect information about the victim organisation’s IT infrastructure, gain privileged access to the TrueConf server database, and replace the client installer with an infected one. The attack applies to TrueConf servers in versions 5.3.X prior to 5.3.9, 5.4.X prior to 5.4.9, 5.5.X prior to 5.5.5, and earlier.
For users of TrueConf software, the attack looks like this: video conference participants connecting to the compromised server are prompted to download and install an “updated version” of the client application. In reality, as a result of this, malware gets onto the device.
“Exploiting vulnerabilities in popular services is one of the most common methods used by attackers. This campaign is particularly dangerous because it puts at risk not only organisations using unpatched TrueConf servers.
“Even if a company doesn’t use this solution, its employees can connect to compromised servers at the invitation of their counterparties to participate in online meetings. As a result, they may unknowingly download infected installation packages, creating the potential for compromising a large number of enterprises across different countries,” comments Evgeny Goncharov, Head of Kaspersky ICS CERT.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Iran-Israel conflict, and the controversy involving social media activist VeryDarkMan and businessman Blord dominated Google searches by Nigerians between January and July.
This is contained in a review of anonymised Google Trends data released on Friday, which ranked the major stories that generated the highest search interest in Nigeria during the period.
The World Cup recorded the highest search volume, with Nigerians following the Super Eagles’ campaign, major matches, entertainment performances and developments throughout the tournament.
The data showed that searches around the tournament far exceeded those recorded for other major events during the seven-month period.
The Super Eagles’ AFCON semi-final defeat to Morocco also generated significant search interest, with “Nigeria vs Morocco” among the leading individual searches.
Senegal eventually won the AFCON title after defeating Morocco in the final on Jan. 18.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, also attracted substantial interest from Nigerians in February, including searches around ice hockey and other events.
Google Trends data further showed increased searches around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
Searches including “Iran news,” “Israel Iran war” and “Strait of Hormuz meaning” featured prominently as Nigerians sought information on the conflict and its possible impact on global oil prices.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global oil transit route, carrying about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
The controversy involving cryptocurrency entrepreneur Blord and social media activist VeryDarkMan also maintained strong search interest for several months.
The saga peaked around Blord’s arrest and subsequent remand in Kuje prison in April, followed by his release on bail 16 days later.
Searches for “Who is Blord” also featured prominently, indicating growing interest among Nigerians seeking background information on the businessman.
The death of celebrities also generated significant search activity during the period.
Afro-fuji singer Destiny Boy, who died in January at the age of 22, remained in the news amid investigations into his death and an autopsy.
The death of American actor Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, also generated substantial searches in February.
Similarly, the reported death of Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo in May, at the age of 40, generated renewed search interest in June during his burial ceremonies.
Political and legal developments were also among the major subjects searched by Nigerians.
Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was sentenced to 75 years in prison over an alleged N33 billion fraud, generated significant interest following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kaduna in May.
The political crisis involving Mudashiru Obasa and his return as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly also featured prominently.
Globally, Nigerians showed strong interest in the release of millions of pages of documents relating to the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Meanwhile, internet culture accounted for some of the lighter moments in the search rankings.
The Gen Z meme “67” became one of the most searched terms in January, generating curiosity among older Nigerians over its meaning.
The trend originated from a U.S. rap song and became popular among young people, with the phrase often used without a specific meaning.
In April, the case involving Opeyemi Awodoyin, an OPay customer who reportedly received N100,000 in error and declined to return the money, also attracted widespread online interest and public debate.
The reported hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship further prompted Nigerians to search for information about the disease in May.
Celebrity-related stories also featured prominently in the rankings.
Veteran broadcaster Frank Edoho’s confirmation of his divorce and subsequent allegations involving his former wife generated considerable search interest in May.
In July, music promoter Sam Larry survived a road crash on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road which reportedly claimed the life of his bodyguard, leading to renewed online discussions around the late singer Mohbad.
In the entertainment sector, Wizkid and Asake’s “Jogodo” dominated searches around January, while Asake’s album generated renewed interest in May.
The 2026 Grammy Awards also attracted substantial search traffic, with Nigerians searching for winners and other developments from the ceremony.
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance also generated significant interest, while films including Mortal Kombat 2 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey featured among popular entertainment searches.
Footballer Zadok Yohanna’s reported €28 million transfer to Brighton also attracted attention, particularly among Nigerian football followers.
Commenting on the findings, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, West Africa, Google, said search data provided an insight into issues commanding Nigerians’ attention.
“Search data is the most honest record of national attention we have, because nobody performs for a search bar,” he said.
According to him, Nigerians did not only consume major stories but actively searched for explanations and context surrounding them.
The rankings were based on peak monthly search interest in Nigeria between January and July 2026, with related queries grouped together.
The top 25 trending searches during the period included the FIFA World Cup 2026, 2026 Winter Olympics, AFCON Nigeria vs Morocco, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Blord, Alexx Ekubo, “67”, Destiny Boy, Erling Haaland and France’s World Cup campaign.
Others were the Grammy Awards 2026, Epstein files, hantavirus, Saleh Mamman, Obasa impeachment saga, Sam Larry, Shakira and Burna Boy’s World Cup performance, Zadok Yohanna, Eric Dane, Opeyemi Awodoyin, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show, Frank Edoho, Mortal Kombat 2, The Odyssey and “Jogodo” by Wizkid featuring Asake.
Google Trends provides access to an anonymised sample of search requests made to Google and categorises the information to show collective search interest across regions and over time.
Kaspersky’s latest survey highlights a protection gap between macOS and Windows based devices. While macOS has long been regarded as the more secure operating system, 12% of its users reported malware infections compared with 9% of Windows users. Moreover, only 35% of macOS owners install dedicated security software, versus 42% of Windows users.
According to Kaspersky’s latest global survey*, Windows users report a higher adoption rate for most security measures, while macOS users show a modest advantage in a few privacy‑focused actions. At the same time, during the past year macOS users reported higher percentages than Windows users for a number of cybersecurity incidents.
The largest gap in cybersecurity approaches appears in the habit of not opening suspicious emails or links, with 62% of Windows users following this practice compared to 51% of macOS users.
What’s more, when it comes to cybersecurity software installation, macOS users are also lagging behind. While among Windows users 42% reported using digital‑life‑protection software, for macOS this rate is only 35%, what Kaspersky security experts call a worryingly low figure.
It is noteworthy that 12% of macOS respondents said they fell victim to phishing (fake emails, websites or messages) over the past year compared with 9% of Windows users. Moreover, during this period macOS users faced more scams and investment frauds (16% vs 13%), privacy violations (11% vs 8%) and thefts of personal data (12% vs 7%).
To counter these specific threats, robust anti-malware and anti-phishing protection is essential. Malware authors put a lot of effort into developing new, more powerful and stealthier versions of stealers, spies and other classes of malicious payloads, while relying on phishing techniques that allows them to get access to user’s data.
Dedicated security solutions add a crucial layer of real-time detection and defence that complements macOS’s built-in protection – and independent tests have repeatedly shown that effective options, such as Kaspersky Premium for macOS, deliver strong protection. In 2025, AV-TEST recognised it as the top-performing macOS security solution based on consistent, reliable results across a full year of evaluations.
When it comes to credentials and passwords safety, Windows users also show better security practices’ adoption rates. They lead in using a unique password for each account (38% vs 35%) and complex passwords (52% vs 45%), two‑factor or multi‑factor authentication (51% vs 46%).
Adopting a dedicated password manager becomes a logical next step. Such tools store all credentials in a secure vault protected by a single master password, eliminating the need to remember hundreds of passwords while keeping them safe from breaches.
They also support modern authentication methods like passkeys, enabling seamless, single-tap sign-in across all devices through secure synchronisation – capabilities offered by solutions such as Kaspersky Password Manager.
“There are entrenched stereotypes that macOS is inherently more secure because its user base is smaller, leading cyber‑criminals to deem it a lower‑value target, or because the platform itself includes many robust security features. While these observations are not entirely unfounded, the threat landscape has evolved dramatically.
Attackers actively employ phishing and commit supply chain attacks, which often allow them to affect users of any operating system in a single malware campaign. Moreover, mac specific malware is not rare and there are many malware families that target macs exclusively. Consequently, any device with an Internet connection, regardless of its operating system or form factor, requires cybersecurity software to defend against a wide range of cyber threats,” comments Sergey Puzan, cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.
FG Seeks to Half Burkina Faso’s Internet Cost while Nigerians Pay more
Cyberthreat: New Malware, Turns Phones into Tools for Card Fraud- Report
SEC Clears Blockchain for Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme
Union Bank Secures Global Payment Data Security Certification
NLNG, NCDMB Boost Engineering Research with Innovation Centre
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
Fact-Check: Elon Musk’s “Tesla Pi Phone” is Internet Rumor
NBC Tasks Broadcasting Stations over 2028 DSO Global Deadline
Glo Sponsored African Voices to Feature Netflix’s “The Polygamist” Stars
NBC, INEC, Plan Joint Broadcast Monitoring Framework ahead of 2027 Elections
News3 days agoNCAA to Introduce RFID Technology to Tackle Missing Luggages
General News3 days agoNigeria Not Making Progress in Fiscal Transparency –US
Telecom3 days agoGSMA Industry Services Unveils Circularity Services to Help Operators Reduce E-Waste and Unlock Value
Telecom3 days agoMTN Nigeria Unveils Y’ello Street Museum to Mark 25 Years of Connectivity
News3 days agoFirm Urges MSMEs to Increase Digital Payments Adoption for Growth
E-Financial3 days agoSEC Directs Operators to Subscribe to NigSac Alerts, Freeze Terrorists-Linked Funds
Telecom1 day agoAirtel Nigeria Adds Over 1,000Cell Sites in Nationwide Expansion to Surpasses 17,000
E-Financial3 days agoAFC Raises $430m in Digital Bond to Deepens Digital Financial Infrastructure