E-Business
CSCS Advocates Collective Responsibility Towards Cybersecurity
Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure, advanced its advocacy for cybersecurity in a webinar organized by the company, as it drums up support for cyber vigilance across all stakeholders.
In this year’s annual conference themed: “Cyber Security: The Challenges We Face Today”, CSCS pooled leading industry professionals in Information Technology and Cybersecurity to discuss innovative ways of enhancing security architecture of firms, with emphasis on the role of different stakeholders, especially employees and customers in protecting the integrity of information technology networks and systems.
The conference which was attended by participants from various sectors of the economy was moderated by Mrs. Isioma Lawal, Acting Head, Enterprise Risk Management and Resilience Services at CSCS Plc, with six panelists: Mr. Harrison Nnaji, Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank Group; Ms. Funmilola Odumuboni, Senior Manager, Cyber Risk Services, Deloitte; Mr. Phil Menny, Regional Director, West and East Africa, Alliance Media Group; Mr. Tobe Nnadozie, Divisional Head, Business Technology and Digital Innovation, CSCS Plc and Mr. Walid Bou Abssi, Business Development Manager, Shelt Global Limited.
In his opening remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CSCS Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri said: “the conference, the third in the series, is timely given the increasing global incidence of cyber-attacks, especially as network compromise arising from remote connections associated with work-from-home presents new forms of cybersecurity exposures.
“The prolonged pandemic occasioned by COVID-19 has increased digitization and adoption of new technologies, albeit presenting new risks to cybersecurity”.
According to Mr. Jalo-Waziri: “As we surf the internet and connect to different applications either on our official networks or personal devices, we need to protect ourselves and our ecosystem from the rising vulnerabilities of cybercrimes.
At CSCS, we believe everyone’s awareness and conscious practice of best approaches in cybersecurity should be a key aspect of how people live and work in today’s environment, especially as everyone needs to take responsibility for protecting the integrity of networks and systems, not just for our personal interest but also in ensuring the integrity and safety of our ecosystem and broader market.
Cybersecurity is not the responsibility of the IT officers, rather it’s a collective responsibility of everyone connected to the system, including customers, who we must continuously educate on best practices to prevent them from being the weakest link in our systems”.
In answering a question, Mr. Harrison Nnaji said: “the lingering COVID-19 will lead to increased insider threat, data breaches, and series of home network or work-from-home attack this year.”
Mr. Nnaji went further to discuss his perspectives regarding cyber threats that are likely to happen in the near future and advocated that everyone should be vigilant to avoid being victims.
According to him, “Increased system infiltration, dangerous fileless and ransomware attack, increased attack on key cloud assets (crypto platforms, supply chain, blockchain, Internet of Things, Open API, and interconnected systems), enterprise software and remote communication platforms will be a key target of threat actors.”
While speaking at the conference, Ms. Funmilola Odumuboni said: “the major tenets of cybersecurity are confidentiality, integrity and availability.” Speaking to these tenets, Ms. Odumuboni said: “the information meant to be kept secure are indeed secure and kept out of public domain; the information at hand is correct and the systems are available to use when one wants to use them.”
She noted: “A cyber-attack occurs every 39 seconds and cybercrimes increased by nearly 300% following the COVID-19 outbreak. Also, human error is the primary cause of cybersecurity breaches, accounting for 95% of all data breaches; 86% of breaches were financially motivated and 10% were motivated by espionage and 36% of breaches involved phishing, 11% more than last year”.
Also, speaking from the financial markets and investor protection perspectives, the Head, Start-Up Operations at CSCS Plc, Mr. Folagbade Adeyemi said; “the Nigerian market has not been exempted, as fraudsters continue to attempt exploitation of probable vulnerabilities to cause significant investor loss.
According to him “In order to prevent fraudsters from exploiting systemic gaps by assuming an individual identity, investors should take ownership of their identity and increase the effort level for identity theft by carrying out account updates such as contact information, strengthen access controls and periodically reviewing their accounts to ensure safety”.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has kicked off a three-day training program for 388 personnel aimed at enhancing the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process across the country.
The training, tagged “Refresher Training of Trainers on NIN Integration to the National Social Register: Technical and hands-on devices and field operations and procedures”, is in collaboration with the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office.
The training is also to equip personnel with the necessary skills to efficiently handle the complexities of enrolment processes
In her address at the event held in Port Harcourt on Monday, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director-general and chief executive officer, NIMC, noted that the initiative aligns with the commission’s overarching goal of achieving secured and great success for the Renewed Hope social initiatives.
Represented by Adedapo Adedoyin, her technical advisor on ICT, the NIMC DG said the event is a pivotal initiative that marks a significant step forward in our mission to enhance and modernize the National Identification Number enrolment process across Nigeria.
She stated, “Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of a comprehensive training program aimed at refreshing the technical and operational skills of the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office State Operations Coordinating Unit and NIMC staff.
“This initiative focuses on practical and field-based exercises, ensuring that our teams are well-equipped to handle the complexities of enrolment processes with precision and efficiency.
“This initiative aligns with our overarching goal of achieving secured and great success for the Renewed Hope social initiatives. Through verified digital identification, we aim to improve the lives of Nigerians by providing them with access to essential services and opportunities that require a reliable and secure identity verification system”.
Coker-Odusote explained that the training program will be conducted in two batches, encompassing four states: Kwara, Nasarawa, Kano, and Rivers. A total of 388 attendees will participate in this initiative, including 225 NASSCO State Operations Coordinating Unit representatives, 35 NIMC facilitators, and 128 State support staff.
She added, “The sessions are meticulously designed to foster knowledge sharing and hands-on experience with NIMC’s enrolment device and software, ensuring that our personnel are adept at using these tools to their full potential.
“By empowering our teams with enhanced skills and practical experience, we are setting the stage for more efficient and accurate NIN enrolment processes across the nation”.
Coker-Odusote further said the training program “is a crucial step toward achieving the World Bank’s Identification for Development Initiative target of enrolling 180 million Nigerians with secure digital IDs.
“By bolstering our technical and operational capabilities, we are ensuring that NIMC is well-positioned to meet and exceed this target, thereby contributing to the global vision of inclusive and accessible digital identification for all”.
The NIMC boss8 called for collaboration between all stakeholders saying, “As we embark on this journey, I urge all participants to embrace this opportunity for growth and development.
“Together, we can build a robust and efficient National Identification System that will serve as the cornerstone for Nigeria’s social and economic progress.”
Kaspersky experts have uncovered a new phishing scam targeting businesses that promote their pages on Facebook. Scammers send emails allegedly on behalf of Meta for Business – Facebook’s platform for businesses – claiming the recipient’s page contains prohibited content.
The email suggests users provide explanations in order for their account and page to be unblocked. The goal of the attackers is likely to get access to users’ business accounts.
Kaspersky’s anonymised data shows that such emails started reaching users on 14 December 2024, with complaints coming from organisations all over the world, including the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa.
By examining the “From” field in the email it can be seen that the domain does not belong to Facebook. According to Kaspersky data the emails that this campaign used were sent from different domains.
The link in the email redirects users to Facebook Messenger. On Messenger, the account posing as Facebook’s support team appears legitimate, creating a false sense of trust.
There is an indication that this is a fan page, but it is easy to miss in a situation of high stress after being accused of spreading illegitimate content.
This scheme stands out for its sophistication. Unlike earlier scams that accused users of copyright violations and directed them to respond via email, this approach simulates internal communication on the Facebook platform itself.
“In 2025, we anticipate a rise in attacks leveraging social engineering and user trust in major platforms. Scams like this are becoming more sophisticated as attackers strive to mimic official services closely.
“Users must remain vigilant, verify the authenticity of messages, and avoid clicking on suspicious links. We strongly advise users not to engage with suspicious accounts and to activate additional security measures, such as two-factor authentication.
“If you receive such an email, report the incident to Facebook’s support team and update your passwords immediately if any information has been compromised,” comments Andrey Kovtun, Email Threats Protection Group Manager at Kaspersky.
Lagos State government and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) are joining forces to revolutionise e-commerce logistics in Nigeria’s economic capital.
The collaboration aims to enhance last-mile delivery and optimise connectivity within Lagos and beyond.
During a courtesy visit to governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ms. Tola Odeyemi, postmaster-general and CEO of NIPOST, highlighted the strategic importance of Lagos in driving innovation in the e-commerce sector.
“As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, Lagos leads the charge in this growth. Through enhanced postal and logistics services, we seek to empower small businesses and individuals engaging in this expanding sector,” Odeyemi said.
She underscored her commitment to fostering partnerships that would align NIPOST with the demands of a modern economy, identifying Lagos as a pivotal partner.
Lagos is central to achieving our vision of efficient and future-ready postal services, she added.
Odeyemi applauded Lagos state for its vibrant programmes that drew global attention during the December festivities, stating that such initiatives could drive further economic growth and diaspora engagement.
She pledged enhanced postal and logistics support to drive e-commerce growth and empower small businesses in Nigeria., highlighting NIPOST’s readiness to collaborate with Lagos State to enhance last-mile delivery, foster innovation, and improve public service delivery.
Lagos, as Nigeria’s economic hub, is a critical partner in our vision to make NIPOST’s services more efficient and relevant in today’s world, Odeyemi stated.
She commended Lagos State for its strides in infrastructure and governance, underscoring the importance of strategic partnerships to optimize connectivity within Lagos and nationwide.
Governor Sanwo-Olu challenged NIPOST to rethink its approach and embrace technology as a transformative tool for business facilitation.
“For NIPOST to remain relevant, you must challenge the status quo, revamp your services, and adopt innovative strategies that address today’s needs and anticipate future demands,” the governor advised.
He also pledged Lagos state’s support in upgrading NIPOST’s infrastructure to improve service delivery and create an enabling environment for seamless e-commerce operations.
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