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Backup is Important to Mitigate Crash, Theft -Omotoso

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Bolanle Omotoso is the country manager of Data Recovery Specialist Limited. He studied Computer Science and has a Certificate in Marketing at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He has vast exposure in the ICT industry.  Besides IT consulting and training organizations, he has other experience in the discount house sub-sector where he served as a pioneer head of IT of a PFA. He also has a brief stint as the head of IT of a leading issuing house/capital market operator; Greenwich Trust Limited. Omotoso spoke to Hilary okeke
Businesses Reluctance to Make Provisions for Disaster Recovery
It is not peculiar to Nigeria; it is a global problem.  People easily forget to do the needful why catching up with other chores of life.  It never occurred to many people that they actually spend more time on their computers than in their cars or bed at home. That simply means that our lives or businesses depend to a large extent on these systems, so why would you not backup your files?  These files make up business information with which we run the operations and take decisions. In large organizations where you have an IT department, the IT people are usually overwhelmed with tasks such that in order to keep pace with requests and challenges posed to them by the business people, they just dedicate their time only to the routine backup of the business applications because this is where the books are maintained, leaving out user’s files.  That is the mistake made easily. If you want to confirm how critical the users’ files are, take a laptop belonging to a CEO of a company for five minutes and let us watch if he can function.  Backup is necessary not only to escape a crash but also to mitigate theft. No data recovery company can recover files from a stolen laptop.
Building Redundant Data Centres is Very Expensive
Whatever is good and essential will cost money, but the costs must be associated with the business running costs because if you do not have access to your business information, then the business may cease to exist.  By our partnership with the largest IT Company in Asia, our proactive solutions are very affordable now as we do not ship crashed disks.  Our proactive solutions which involve setting up Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity strategy deployments are also next door because we have partnered with 2 other world leading backup solutions giants, Acronis and Synology.
Let me quickly say that most costs associated with these sites are actually spent on infrastructure, not the actual solutions.  In the developed worlds, they do not use generators as we do. If you remove the power generation cost alone from a hot site, you will realize that it is a one off cost and is infinitesimal compared to its benefits.
With time, we will begin to introduce online backup solution to the corporate customers since we cannot guarantee when adequate power supply will become stable in Nigeria.
Online backup solution means a customer’s critical files are stored on a remote server accessible only by the authorized representative of the customer.  The servers are maintained in an environment where light does not blink, and also electrical surge and spike are uncommon.  The solution will really save cost for customers.
Convincing Businesses to Look Towards the Area Of Data Recovery
What we have started to do is to sensitize the corporate organizations to take the issue of total user backup as a serious business; this is preventative and proactive, and also cheap.  As regards data recovery, once a crash occurs, it is logical for the victim to seek our assistance except the lost files are not critical, but because adequate backup will always be better than a recovered job, we are busy deploying proactive solutions to prevent crashes because 100% data recovery is usually not feasible anywhere in the world.
Other Solutions to Recover Data in Cases of Accidents
The off site backup centres are proactive solutions which can cater for accidental deletion or unintentional crash or a good response to a natural disaster. On the other hand, when a storage medium has crashed and there is not up to date backup copy of the files, the next logical thing to do is to shutdown the machine to prevent further accesses which may jeopardize a professional data recovery exercise, and then call for a professional’s help.
In some cases, you will see customers using some online data recovery software tools without first evaluating the crash situation.  You need more than recovery software for successful data recovery, your skill counts too. For example, if you are given a chainsaw, can you fell a tree?  Of course no, because you have not been trained; not everybody with a clipper can cut your hair.  Most customers end up destroying the files by using the do-it-yourself tools. The best bet is to come to the professional provided the sought files are critical.
e-Payment and Role of Data Recovery
Obviously the need for storage is growing, and the more we depend on computers, the more storage we will need, and the more protection we must give to these storage devices.  In actual fact, we will be saving lives if a critical payroll system should crash and the last month credible backup is not available. That would definitely delay people’s salaries.  Our ability to quickly restore the files will lower people’s blood pressure as they will get their pay timely, and also ensure that the e-Payment system continues to work. 
Popularity of Data Recovery in Nigeria
As I said during the press conference, the data recovery knowledge is very limited and in fact, not existing in a qualitative or organized manner. What you have everywhere is just hard disk slaving.  When a crash occurs, a typical IT personnel will attempt to attach the crashed disk to another working system so that he can access the files through that system.
There are different complexities to a crash, and that is why after slaving does not work, they will then send the disk to us. We see that everyday especially with big organizations because they have IT departments. But data recovery body of knowledge transcends just slaving a disk.
There are procedures and processes to be followed religiously, and they are not static. It is the crash situation that will determine what procedure to adopt.  Surgeons do not operate on a patient the same way for all ailments.
There are several causes of a crash and each crash situation may be hardware or software related.  By God’s grace, one of our mandates is to establish an International School of Data Recovery and Forensic Sciences in West Africa.  We have already chosen Ikorodu as a very good location for this school because of its serenity and security.
100% Guarantee of Data Recovery for Compromised Electronic Storage Devices
There is nothing like 100% recovery because during the course of a crash, some sectors housing critical data files may have become bad and inaccessible such that you may even need to carry out a transplant for the crashed disk in order to access it.  It feels so good when a system is up and running. When the machine breaks down, by the time a successful recovery is done, you will only be concerned with the on-the-spot critically needed files; you may even have forgotten where the files were saved. You see, disks do not fail suddenly just as the human heart does not fail suddenly. It is a gradual thing. Cholesterol begins to build up in the walls of the arteries, this causes hardening of the arteries over time so that they become narrow and totally block blood and oxygen from flowing to the heart.  A disk that is about to crash gives signs, but users are always in a hurry and too busy to take notice. Just the same way people do not remember to religiously service their cars or generators until they breakdown.
With our skills and tools, our lowest success rate is 72.07% and we have done 99.9% before.  It is a lot of feat to achieve our records, remember we use proprietary licensed tools.
Implications of DRSL’s Alliance with Myung Information Technologies
The relationship is that of a mother and child because the Nigerian office actually represents its operations and services in West African nations, not only for data loss recovery but for all services and products being sold by the technology giant.
Myung has invested in West Africa, starting in Nigeria by transferring technology, skills, business models, and procedures to us. We operate as a branch office not as a business partner, and this has enabled us to handle more jobs.  We will soon appoint sub-business operators (SBOs) that will act as collection centres at some strategic locations in Nigeria and Ecowas nations. That is the model we have been given to increase our market share, irrespective of where the job is coming from, the customer will enjoy the same quality service delivery as practiced in Korea.
Annually, we must go for six weeks technology training at the head office in Korea, likewise all the branch offices to update the personnel there of the latest development in data loss recovery and forensic services. At the global office, there is a building filled with research and development specialists who ensure we keep pace with every crash situation.
Unless we cannot find a spare part for a job, we do not ship disks abroad again. In fact, if we have a very complex situation on our hands, specialists in Korea can remotely support in order to save time and cost.


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IHS Nigeria, Osun State partner to transform technical education

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IHS Nigeria has partnered with the Osun State Government on Osun Teacher-Shift 2025, a programme aimed at transforming technical and vocational school teachers into digital-ready educators capable of driving innovation in classrooms.

The IHS Nigeria sponsored initiative, implemented by Focus Teens Foundation in collaboration with the Osun State Board of Technical and Vocational Education, targets about 200 teachers across the State’s nine technical colleges. The training will run in batches over a two-day period, with participants expected to acquire modern skills, and innovative teaching techniques.

Speaking at the opening ceremony which held in Osogbo yesterday, Titilope Oguntuga, Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, explained that the project was developed to prepare teachers for the opportunities and challenges of a fast-evolving world.

She said, “Today is not just the launch of a programme — it is the beginning of a movement. This is more than training, it is a mindset shift. It is about rethinking how we prepare teachers, students, and our communities for the opportunities and challenges of a fast-evolving world.”

Oguntuga emphasised that teachers remain at the centre of national development but face increasing demands to inspire creativity, nurture innovation, and equip young people with practical and technology-driven skills.

She noted that the initiative also reflects IHS Nigeria’s four sustainability pillars — ethics and governance, environment and climate change, people and communities, and education and economic growth.

The IHS official said, “education remains the strongest catalyst for national development. But we cannot achieve this without empowering the people who will empower the next generation. With this programme, teachers and beneficiaries from the nine technical colleges will begin to think more innovatively and incorporate new systems that support STEM for the advancement of our nation.”

Oguntuga added that each school would be given routers with one year subscription.

Adedapo Ademola-Adesina, Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical and Vocational Education, noted that the State Government believes in private sector collaboration to achieve its goals for technical and vocational education, leading to the partnership with IHS Nigeria.

“We must begin by changing the mindset of our teachers. They are the ones who shape future leaders. That is why we tagged the program “Osun Teacher-Shift 2025” — shifting from the old ways to new digital teaching”, he said.

Also speaking, Sunday Eluwole, the Osun State Commissioner for Education, acknowledged that the training was both timely and necessary, saying; “this is the 21st century, and Nigeria cannot be left behind. Our schools, teachers, and classrooms must be digitalised. Teachers must first be trained in digital methods before they can pass the knowledge on to students.”

Eluwole added that Osun State, which has the highest number of technical colleges in the Country, is committed to making its schools models of digital and vocational learning.

Earlier, Muritala Jimoh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, said that Osun State teachers are ready to shift. Jimoh noted that Governor Ademola Adeleke is prioritising teachers’ welfare in the state, hence their readiness to embrace the shift.

He called on teachers to reciprocate government’s efforts by making their minds flexible to change.


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Passengers Must Switch Off Phones during Flights — NCAA

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Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed all airlines operating in the country to ensure that passengers completely switch off their mobile phones during aircraft take-off and landing.

Passengers Must Switch Off Phones during Flights — NCAA

Michael Achimugu, director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCCA, disclosed the directive in a post on X on Tuesday.

He said the measure was part of a harmonisation of existing rules on the use of electronic devices onboard.

“Henceforth, the regulation per phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has been unified: ALL PHONES MUST BE SWITCHED OFF DURING THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF TAKE-OFF AND LANDING,” Achimugu wrote.

“All airlines must amend their security programmes to reflect this if different in their current programmes. No more airplane mode until regulations are reviewed to reflect evolving technological situations.”

The directive means that all airlines will have to adjust their operational manuals and cabin crew instructions to enforce the policy.

Reactions to the announcement have been mixed on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the relevance of the rule in light of advances in aircraft technology and onboard connectivity.

 

 

 


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TETFUND Tasks Tertiary Institutions on Use of ICT for Teaching

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Sonny Echono, executive secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has called on Nigerian tertiary institutions to urgently embrace technology in teaching, research, and administration, warning that billions of naira already invested in ICT infrastructure risk being wasted due to underutilization.

TETFUND Tasks Tertiary Institutions on Use of ICT for Teaching

Echono made the call in Abuja, Nigeria while delivering remarks at a 2-Day Workshop on Blackboard/TERAS Adoption and Usage in Beneficiary Institutions, organized by TETFund for Registrars, Bursars, Directors of Academic Planning and ICT and Thesis Project Repository Managers of beneficiary institutions.

He lamented that despite TETFund’s early investment in digital learning platforms such as the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services, TERAS, many universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education were still lagging behind in ICT adoption.

According to him, Nigeria’s rapidly growing population and limited availability of classrooms make technology the only viable pathway to expanding access to quality education.

“We are no longer confined to the four walls of classrooms. With just an android phone or a device, students should be able to access content, participate in learning, and acquire skills. There is no alternative to technology if we must prepare our youths for the opportunities ahead,” Echono said.

He decried the slow pace of transition to digital platforms in many institutions, some of which still send hardcopy requests to TETFund despite clear directives for e-submissions.

The TETFund boss stressed that robust and regularly updated institutional websites should be a minimum requirement in the digital age, describing many schools’ online presence as “embarrassingly outdated.”

Echono also cited the successes recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown when TETFund partnered states, the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, and radio stations to broadcast WAEC syllabus-based lessons.

According to him, that year produced one of Nigeria’s best WAEC results, indicating the potential of technology to revolutionise learning.

He expressed concern that Nigeria now ranks 189th globally and 25th in Africa in education competitiveness, behind smaller countries like Rwanda and Mauritius that have leveraged ICT to transform their systems.

“Government has done its part by providing the infrastructure. But when equipment is procured and platforms created and they are not being used, that is the very definition of waste,” he warned.

The TETFund boss urged heads of institutions to champion the use of digital platforms like TERAS by lecturers and students, stressing that over time, more than half of TETFund’s education investments would have to go into ICT rather than physical infrastructure.

Echono also linked Nigeria’s underdevelopment to its failure to leverage technology in sectors such as oil, agriculture, and manufacturing, contrasting the country’s struggles with China’s rapid transformation through deliberate investment in knowledge and innovation.

“We can do the same if we decide to do the right thing. The right thing starts with our education system. The building block of every nation is knowledge,” he said.

He appealed to tertiary institutions to seize the opportunity, populate their websites with relevant data, and ensure students and staff are fully onboarded onto TERAS platform.

Earlier, Mr. Joseph Odo, director of ICT, TETFund, said interactive sessions at the workshop were designed to deepen understanding of the Fund’s digital platforms and improve collaboration among beneficiary institutions.

“This is part of our engagements with key stakeholders, registrars, librarians, ICT directors, repository managers, and academic planners, to ensure that everyone understands the interventions we are providing. The world is moving fast technology-wise, and we cannot afford to be left behind,” Odo said.

He explained that the sessions, which will hold across all six geopolitical zones, are focused on strengthening the use of TETFund-funded learning platforms, which aggregate data for planning and improve teaching, research, and learning outcomes.

Odo added that TERAS is evolving into “an educational lifestyle” that caters to students, lecturers, administrators, and even government planners.

 


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