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Africa @ the Outskirts of Internet Development- Akwule

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Kolapo Lawson, former chairman, ETI
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Prof. Raymond Akwule, president, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), has said that Africa and indeed Nigeria with little or no contributions to core Internet development are the outskirts of the information superhighway.

Waxing worriedly, Akwule, urged experts to come up with ways to improve the continent’s contribution to Internet development.

He spoke at the 2012 edition of the Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable held in Lagos, organized by DigitalSENSE Africa Media in collaboration with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Internet Society (ISOC) Nigeria chapter, with the theme: IPv6 and the Future of Internet in Nigeria.

 Akwule who was chairman of the occasion, said it has become worrisome there is absolutely no contribution from Nigeria on core internet evolution.

 “You will find out that there has been absolutely no contribution from our own country in this process,” he decried, wondering if this was because Nigeria and Africa at large lack the requisite people and capacity. Is it because we don’t have people who understand language of the internet, architecture, engineering software?” he asked.

The DBI boss was quick to add that the above should not be the case, declaring “if we don’t have them in country, we have them in Diaspora.”

As the current president of Digital Bridge Institute, Akwule said unequivocally that Nigeria has what it takes to make relevant impact and contribute to the development of the Internet in some areas.

He, therefore urged experts to come up with how to improve on Nigeria and Africa’s contribution to Internet development, saying that this could start by crafting what happens in the core architecture of the internet such that Nigeria’s presence will be felt not just as users of the internet.

He enjoined Nigerians not to worry about studying a particular subject, pointing out that most bright Information Technology (IT) person he met so far in all institutions including the current one did not study IT.

“My best IT person that does all kinds of wonders did not study IT and I always say that because there is lesson there,” he submitted.

Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, executive director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa, the organizers, noted that the Nigeria IPv6 Roundtable, which is on its second edition aims at providing a platform for all stakeholders in the country to share IPv6 knowledge and experience, chart a roadmap for early transition to IPv6 as Internet Protocol version Four (IPv4) has ran out.

Also, she said the Roundtable was initiated to promote IPv6-enabled products and services in the country, stressing that the event stimulates public discourse and creation of awareness on the technological cum business benefits of this rapid advancing technology.


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E-Business

Kaspersky Warns of a New Phishing Technique Leveraging Bubble, a no-code AI Platform

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Kaspersky has discovered a new phishing tactic used to evade traditional security controls that exploits Bubble, a platform that allows users to build web and mobile applications through a visual interface without writing code.

Attackers are increasingly adopting innovative tools designed for legitimate software development and repurposing them to boost phishing campaigns.

Traditional phishing attacks often rely on malicious links or obvious redirection techniques, which are typically flagged and blocked by modern security systems.

However, attackers are now leveraging Bubble’s no-code environment to generate intermediary web applications which are hosted on Bubble’s legitimate infrastructure and trusted domains such as *.bubble.io, which improves their credibility and helps them bypass security filters.

These applications function as disguised redirectors, silently forwarding victims to malicious credential-harvesting websites.

In the observed campaign, victims were ultimately redirected to a convincing imitation of a Microsoft login page, protected by a Cloudflare verification layer designed to further obscure malicious intent.

This technique is likely being integrated into broader phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platforms and phishing kits. These kits enable a wide range of malicious capabilities with ready-made tools, including real-time interception of session cookies, driving phishing campaigns through legitimate services such as Google Tasks and Google Forms, and carry out adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) attacks that can bypass multi-factor authentication.

They also support the generation of phishing emails using AI, implement geo-filtering and anti-detection mechanisms to evade security crawlers and are often hosted on reputable cloud services like AWS to avoid blacklisting.

“The use of legitimate platforms like Bubble introduces a new level of trust abuse, making it harder for both users and automated systems to distinguish between safe and malicious content. This significantly increases the likelihood of credential theft, unauthorised access and potential data breaches,” comments Roman Dedenok, Anti-Spam Expert at Kaspersky.

 

 


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NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System

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Nigeria has taken a major step toward strengthening its digital governance framework as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) officially assumes control of the Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA) infrastructure.

NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System

The handover ceremony held in Abuja, marks the culmination of a high-level partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

This transition signals a shift from fragmented IT projects to a unified, disciplined approach to national digital investment.

The NGEA initiative forms a core part of the e-Government Masterplan 2.0 (Ne-GMP 2.0), aimed at establishing a unified and structured approach to managing government IT investments and digital resources.

The framework is designed to ensure that technology deployment across public institutions aligns with national priorities while improving efficiency and accountability.

With the system now operational, government agencies are expected to adopt more integrated digital processes, allowing seamless data sharing and interoperability.

This is anticipated to reduce duplication, strengthen risk management, and translate policy objectives into measurable digital outcomes.

Over the past two and a half years, Nigerian technical experts worked closely with their Korean counterparts to develop the architecture framework, create reference models, and execute pilot programmes in key institutions.

These include the National Identity Management Commission, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and NITDA.

Officials say the NGEA represents a shift from fragmented digital efforts to a more coordinated, citizen-focused system.

The infrastructure is hosted by Galaxy Backbone Limited, providing a secure and reliable platform for nationwide deployment.

Looking ahead, NITDA is expected to work with government stakeholders to expand and sustain the system, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy will provide policy guidance to ensure its adoption across the country.

 

 


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FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion  – Minister

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Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has said the government is shifting focus from expanding access to ensuring “meaningful connectivity” that drives economic growth and inclusion.

FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion  - Minister

Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy

The minister made the statement on Friday while addressing stakeholders at the inauguration of board members of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) in Abuja.

He said that although Nigeria had made significant progress since the introduction of GSM services, millions of people, particularly in rural and underserved communities, remain either unconnected or unable to fully benefit from digital services.

Dr Tijani highlighted ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, including plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network and nearly 4,000 telecom towers nationwide.

He said initiatives under the USPF had improved access through projects such as rural connectivity and digital facilities in schools but stressed that the next phase must prioritise effective usage.

“It is not enough to connect a community. We must ensure that schools can teach with digital tools and that small businesses can access market opportunities,” he said, citing a pilot project in the Kura community where connectivity has enhanced access to communication, education and healthcare.

Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also called for a shift towards meaningful connectivity, noting that while data usage had grown significantly, it remained concentrated in urban areas.

According to him, recent data shows that telecom usage has increased by about 160% over the past two years, largely driven by urban demand.

“When we drill down, we see that a lot of that growth is actually in urban centres. So, the gap between those who are not connected or not meaningfully connected is growing,” he said.

Dr Maida added that the trend underscored the need for the USPF board to intensify efforts to bridge both access and usage gaps across the country.

Both officials emphasised the importance of collaboration, sustainable investment models and improved digital literacy to ensure that connectivity translates into real economic benefits for Nigerians.

 

 


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