Telecom
Cybersecurity Readiness and Resilience is a Journey not a Destination – Dr. Obadare Says
Dr. Peter Adewale Obadare, co-founder and chief Operating Officer of Digital Encode Limited, has said that no company is totally immune against cyber attacks.
The Information Technology expert noted that the high dependency on the internet and adoption of digital transformation has led to the increase in cybercriminal activities.
Addressing this issue, Dr. Obadare stressed that cyber security readiness and resilience is therefore a journey and not a destination.
The Digital Encode Boss stated this at the 2020 National Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) Virtual Innovative Tech Webinar held recently.
He quoted a research by Cybersecurity Ventures that stated that cybercrime damages are projected to cost the world over US6 trillion annually in 2021, up from US3 trillion in 2015.
Speaking on the biggest threat to enterprise organization, Dr. Obadare stated that the research further showed that at every 11 seconds, businesses will fall victim to a ransomware attack in 2021.
“More than 90% of successful hacks and data breaches steam from phising scams.
“Most frequent attack methods are social engineering, advanced persistent threats, unpatched ransomware
Dr. Obadare also stressed that cybersecurity/fraud is a discussion topic for the board and not for the data center alone.
Backing up his claim, he explained that 60% of small businesses that suffer cyberattack are out of business within 6 months.
He also highlighted that 53% security personnel believed that their enterprise will experience a cyberattack in the next 12 months.
While urging vigilance, he said the survey revealed 87% believe that the rapid shift to work from home will increase the risk of data privacy and protection issues.
Also, 54% believe will take advantage of the pandemic to disrupt organisation. However, 51% (only half) are highly confident in their security team to detect and respond to cyber threats during the pandemic.
Although much is at stake, the Digital Encode Boss lamented that the confidence level is low.
Speaking further, he urged and advised organizations to invest in people and process and not only in technology, in an effort to collectively combat the looming threat.
Dr. Obadare recommended that for safety in the cyberspace, organizations must address cybersecurity readiness and resilience on a number of dimensions so as to understand the big picture while integrating and coordinating all operational risk management activities.
In addition, he said it is important that the executive team develop a risk intelligence quotient and also build an Intelligent Security Operations Center (SOC) based on AI & Machine Learning.
Telecom
Celebrating African Creativity: Made by Africa, Loved by the World’ Returns for Its Fifth Year
The “Made by Africa, Loved by the World” campaign is back for its fifth year, celebrating African creativity and global influence. This year’s theme, “Where Culture Meets Connection,” highlights how social media fosters conversations around cultural moments worldwide.
The campaign features three cinematic films premiering on the Meta Africa page, showcasing the groundbreaking work and personal stories of six dynamic African creatives.
These artists, from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, represent diverse disciplines, including rap, animation, dance, photography, fashion, and videography.
Here are some of the featured talents:
- Ladipoe (Nigeria) – A BET-nominated rapper known for blending global hip-hop with African rhythms.
- Fatboy Animations (Kenya) – An animation studio founded by Michael Muthiga, recognized by Forbes for its original African storytelling.
- Lisa Quama (Ghana) – A dancer who gained fame after appearing in Beyoncé’s “Already” music video.
- Gilbert Asante (Ghana) – A photographer and creative director featured in GQ and Glam Africa.
- David Tlale (South Africa) – A fashion designer whose bold designs have been showcased at major fashion events, including the Met Gala.
- Ofentse Mwase (South Africa) – A filmmaker with over 24 international awards for his unique visual storytelling.
Kezia Anim-Addo, Communications Director for Africa, Middle East & Turkey, emphasized that the campaign not only celebrates individual success stories but also showcases how culture and social media drive meaningful connections and inspiration.
Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), has raised the alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Mr Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.
“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.
He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.
According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services, including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.
ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.
The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.
ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.
In 2023, Nigerians spent a total of about ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, which includes calls, data, SMS, and other telecom services, according to the Leadership.
Specifically for voice calls, Nigerians made approximately 408.5 billion minutes of local calls, generating around ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, totaling about ₦6.51 trillion in call-related revenue according to projections based on 2023 call volumes and tariff data.
However, the ₦5.3 trillion figure represents the overall telecom sector revenue, with voice calls being a major component but also including data and other services.
For individual spending, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 monthly on voice calls in 2023, showing a 14.4% increase from 2022, while Airtel customers spent about ₦1,694 monthly on voice calls.
Total telecom spending (calls, data, SMS, etc.): ₦5.3 trillion in 2023
Estimated revenue from voice calls alone: around ₦6.5 trillion based on call minutes and tariffs
Average monthly spending on calls per subscriber: ₦1,694 to ₦2,508 depending on the network
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