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African Banks Poised to Benefit from Chat Commerce

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Participants at Clickatell’s Connect Interact and Transact (CIT) annual event in November heard how chat commerce can assist companies, especially banks, connect with customers who are increasingly demanding a new way of engagement and shifting their trust from traditional organisations to startups.

The event, which is normally hosted in Lagos for Clickatell’s Nigerian and other African customers and partners, was hosted virtually this year and chaired by Hannes van Rensburg, Clickatell’s Chief Commercial Officer.

He introduced the speakers by positioning the importance of digital engagement in a pandemic challenged world.

“Covid-19 has changed customers’ buying behaviour and how they interact with brands. For this reason, it has accelerated digital investments for many organisations. Companies are now urgently turning to chat channels to help them meet these new expectations. Clickatell is investing and innovating in this space so we can enable commerce where your customers are,” van Rensburg explained.

Featured speaker, Alyson Clarke, principal analyst at Forrester kicked off her keynote titled: The Future of Banking, by sharing some of the company’s research findings.

These showed how banking business priorities have changed during the pandemic. Of note was banks accelerating their shift to become digital businesses, ranked as the third top priority post-pandemic, closely following growing revenue and reducing costs.

Forrester states that the next decade in banking will be all about insights and who consumers trust to use them. The organization says: consumers want personalized experiences and products, with a level of guidance and assistance set by customer preference; that customers expect return on consent and that trust and permission must not be taken for granted.

It was also noted that a focus on financial well-being, through advice and in refining products for consumer needs, will define leaders.

An engaging panel discussion following the keynote focussed on the importance of chat when it comes to empowering consumers in a digital world.

Gareth Bray, Business Development and Partnerships at WhatsApp, opened the discussion by sharing how Covid-19 had accelerated existing trends.

“We’ve been working with our partners, such as Clickatell, to onboard new businesses, whether it’s their first foray into conversational commerce or to vastly increase the efficiency of their customer service by using asynchronous chat apps.

“We have multiple use cases in the fintech space in Africa. One company began onboarding new customers through their chat channel, which meant they could still grow their business even in the throes of a pandemic,” he said.

Pieter de Villiers, co-founder and CEO at Clickatell confirmed this trend saying chat was faster, simpler and smarter for both the customer and for the bank. He said Clickatell believes banks, particularly in the emerging markets, can increase their reach by a factor of three if they implement chat. “The goal should be no pain for your customer and ultimately zero hold time,” de Villiers added.

With over 2 billion users on its platform, WhatsApp understands user behaviour when it comes to chat.

“Meeting your customer where they are is key in all of this. Our findings show that sixty percent of users choose to message a business rather than pick up the phone.

“They want to interact with a bank on a device of their choosing, on the platform of their choosing, at a time of their choosing. They want this frictionless, convenient service from any company they may be interacting with,” Bray shared.

Samson Isa, Clickatell’s West Africa Director, underpinned these findings when he shared the results of an online poll event attendees had taken earlier.

When asked how comfortable their customers were transacting digitally, 60% of attendees responded ‘very comfortable’, 44% responded ‘somewhat comfortable’ and just 6% said their customers were ‘not very comfortable’ transacting digitally.

“We can see that African customers want to engage with brands via digital channels. Enabling chat commerce provides a huge opportunity, particularly for banks in the region,” said de Villiers in his closing.


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E-Business

Study Reveals Majority of IT Professionals Show Openness to Cyber Immunity

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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.

 


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Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

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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 launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free 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.


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E-Business

Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

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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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