E-Business
Delegate Responsibility not Accountability- Keele
Allen Keele is a certified fraud examiner, information security manager, information systems auditor and information systems security professional, among 20 other professional and technical accreditations. He shares over 17 years of experience in information security and risk management, including nine years of conducting professional advanced business lectures and seminars across the globe. Keele spoke to hilary okeke on a range of issues.
Training on Fraud Detection and Management
In information security, one of the most important things we have is not always having information security itself but having the internal control to be sure that we have information security. I wrote the text that most people use to prepare for Certified Information Systems Auditors (CISA) exams around the world. In that context, a lot of the controls that the internal auditors monitor have to do with controlling internal breaches and abuse. So, it would make logical sense to extend my auditors knowledge and expertise and interest into internal fraud detection and management. I was shocked to find in my younger days that 90 percent of frauds can be detected through the books. So many organizations tell you that they have no fraud problem but when you take a careful look, you find that there actually is a problem. People device all kinds of means to get money out their organizations without doing anything on the book. That was very concerning to me as an auditor. Fraud in itself is a disaster for an organization. It could lead to loss of market share if made public. Organizations need to be prepared for that kind of disaster just the same way they prepare for fire. So that is why we extended our training to business continuity, disaster recovery, as well as a new perspective on fraud. There are lots of folks out there who offer training on business continuity and disaster recovery, but what we are doing that is unique in the market is that we are not trying to project our best practices; we are teaching according to the new British standard – BS 25999. It is a new international standard designed to keep your business going during the most challenging and unexpected circumstances. It provides a basis for understanding, developing, implementing and managing business continuity within your organization and gives you confidence when dealing with stakeholders both within and outside your organization. BS 25999 has been developed by a group of experts representing a cross-section of industry sectors and governmental organizations which is reflected in its applicability. The standard is suitable for any organization, large or small, from any sector. It is particularly relevant for those that operate in a high risk environment such as the finance, telecommunications, transport, utilities and public sectors, where there is need for continuity. I have had a lot of organizations tell me they went for training a couple of years ago – the British standard may have existed a couple of years ago for training, but it just got ratified recently. There was no standard prior to BS 25999. So, this is a whole new world in terms of getting the certification to prove that your organization has the ability to manage fraud and disaster. Often times, organizations do things because regulators make them. Now more than ever, you have financial regulators requiring you to prove that you have strong control against fraud but you do not even have a fraud policy.
Best Security Strategy for an Organization
The best security strategy is first, to have one. Whether it is fraud, business continuity or information security; organizations have this odd tendency to casually appoint people within the organization to handle those areas. They point to the IT or compliance person – somebody who does not understand that area, and that person has to go and figure out what controls to put in place to get things working. So the problem is that currently, there is no strategy. Nobody has stopped to think “we need to be at 95 percent for fraud capacity at all times, no matter what.” They leave it up to the discretion of people who are not actually accountable for the business. That is wrong! Maybe you have an inexpensive web server that manages your brand new e-commerce that supports 90 percent of your business but because it was not expensive, your IT manager complains that it goes down all the time and that he is going to have it replaced in two weeks. Two weeks for e-commerce? That is why we said that the most important strategy is to have one. It is not just my idea, it is ISO 27001 standard for information security, which instructs that you get a strategy in place. I have always recommended that organizations should first have the right people that are actually accountable for that decision and have them make the decisions for a change. You can delegate responsibility but you cannot delegate accountability.
Networking and Telecommunication in Auditing, Internal Control
ICT has a very important role to play in internal control because auditors control access to information which IT does too. Auditors also control how information is used and how transactions are processed. Over the years, automated control organizes business functions and that has reduced loss of money. So, IT is able to put controls in place but then again, depending on how well it is managed, there might also be some vulnerability. In detecting and managing fraud, you need asset combination. I have often asked people in my classes if their organizations are committed to preventing, detecting and minimizing fraud. And they say yes, absolutely! I ask them to show me a policy that says: “Our organization does not want fraud, and this is what we are going to do to stop it.” They have no fraud policy! Shockingly, a policy is nothing more than a statement of management that states the way things are done within an organization. If you say that controlling fraud is a good objective, where is the policy that not only says it is wrong but also says here is who should be looking for it; here is who should be investigating it and here is what we do if we find it. A fraud policy is where senior managers say “not only am I going to accept responsibility, but I will accept accountability for something going wrong.”
Legal and Ethical Issues Facing IT Auditors
The legal and ethical issues are similar for IT auditors as they are for financial auditors. As an IT auditor, it is possible that you would be dealing with irregular or illegal acts. Towards that end, you have to be careful whom you release information to – there is always tendency for you to be exposed to sensitive information about an organization that you have to protect. As you are investigating issues, you have to be sure that you do not breach privacy laws. For instance, there are laws now that protect account information for people who have bank accounts. Imagine if during the course of an IT audit, the auditor compromised your account, and your account number and access code was made public. That auditor could be in for a lot of legal hassle.
Uche Chigbo, coordinating director of Operations, National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), has said the newly enacted NIMC Act strengthens data protection and privacy, expands identity coverage to include everyone in Nigeria and Nigerians in the diaspora, and provides the legal framework for a secure and trusted digital identity ecosystem.
She said the new law replaces the 2007 NIMC Act, which had become outdated due to rapid technological advancements, evolving cybersecurity threats, the growth of the digital economy, and the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
According to her, the updated legislation better positions the Commission to deliver Nigeria’s digital identity agenda and improve access to government and private sector services.
“The Act itself has taken in a whole lot of things to make sure that NIMC is well-positioned to be able to deliver on the identity agenda and program of Nigeria. The area of universal coverage was expanded within the Act so that NIMC can enroll everybody that is within the soil of Nigeria—male, female, children, whether they are IDPs or orphans or whatever it is, and even Nigerians in diaspora.
“There is quite a lot within the Act that over the few days and weeks, even with my Director-General’s courtesy visit, we are trying to sensitize and educate the general public, and also bring awareness to this new Act so that people will know what are the rights that exist within it, what are the obligations, what are the stronger enforcement and penalties that has also been expanded within the Act, and then what are also the regulatory autonomy that has been given to NIMC to make sure that they drive the digital identity ecosystem in Nigeria,” she explained.
“There’s a lot of provisions and changes with the new Act. Um, the NIMC 2007 Act has been operating for close to 19 years now. So, we can see that, um, you can actually say it’s almost obsolete. And then with a lot of technological advancements in the world now, with the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, and then with also a lot of evolving security challenges, cybersecurity challenges, as well as the ever-growing digital economy, it became very necessary that a comprehensive review of the NIMC Act should be done.
So, that 2007 Act has been repealed and a new NIMC 2026 Act is in place,” she explained.
Chigbo clarified that the National Identification Number (NIN) is Nigeria’s unique identifier and the only valid means of identification for accessing government services.
She added that it enables secure identity verification and improves access to services.
“NIN has been designated as the unique identifier in Nigeria and then by the government of Nigeria establishing it as the only valid means of identification for assessing government services. So, NIN, it’s positioned to be a valuable tool for empowering citizens and legal residents to facilitate access to service delivery in Nigeria. And it’s also a tool for people to be able to prove their identity as they go about their daily businesses,” she said.
Speaking on identity harmonisation across government agencies, Chigbo said NIMC is integrating identity databases to enable Nigerians to access services seamlessly using the National Identification Number (NIN), while other agencies continue to issue functional identities for specific purposes.
“There’s a distinction between a foundational identity and a functional identity. NIMC provides the foundational identity, which answers the question, ‘Who are you?’ Are you a Nigerian or a legal resident? Who are you? That’s what NIMC is providing. All these other agencies that you have mentioned, they provide functional ID, which is an ID that relies on the foundational ID, where they have established who you are and then they are now trying to answer the question, ‘Are you now eligible to have these services? Are you now eligible to benefit from this transaction or scheme?’ So, those are two different distinctions.”
However, Chigbo said NIMC’s mandate is to harmonise and integrate identity systems across government, with the amended Act designating the Commission as the sole repository for biometric data.
“However, NIMC mandate is to make sure that we harmonize and integrate with all these agencies so that you’re one and the same person in any of the databases or registries that you have. The Act that has been expanded and amended also positions NIMC as the only repository for biometric data capture so that we can have effective identity management and coordination in Nigeria.
“So, that harmonization is already happening, the integration is already happening,” she stated.
She also disclosed that NIMC has introduced an online modification portal that allows Nigerians to begin the process of correcting or updating their personal information from the comfort of their homes or offices.
“But also, NIMC we have a modification portal that enables you to sit in the comfort of your home or office to be able to start the process of correction or updates of your data. We already have a self-service modification portal that allows you to make corrections,” she disclosed.
On the cost of obtaining a NIN, Chigbo clarified that enrolment and issuance of the National Identification Number are free.
She, however, noted that some other identity-related services attract approved fees, which are published on the NIMC website and paid electronically through the government Remita platform.
“Enrollment for the issuance of the National Identification Number, NIN, is free. There are other services, identity services that NIMC provide. Those ones have their charges, and those fees and charges are publicized on the NIMC website so that people can see what those charges are. And NIMC does not collect cash. Our transactions and the charges are paid electronically through the government Remita platform,” she said.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained Nigeria’s economic growth forecast at 4.1 per cent for 2026, while warning that rising prices of essential goods could worsen poverty and food insecurity in the country.
IMF
The IMF made the projection in its July 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update, released on Wednesday.
According to the report, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2026 and improve to 4.3 per cent in 2027, with both forecasts unchanged from the Fund’s April outlook.
The IMF also maintained its growth projections for sub-Saharan Africa at 4.3 per cent in 2026 and 4.5 per cent in 2027.
The Fund said Nigeria’s economic outlook continued to benefit from improved macroeconomic stability and favourable terms of trade but cautioned that the rising cost of essential commodities remained a major concern.
“Nigeria is supported by improved macroeconomic stability and favourable terms-of-trade effects, though higher prices for essentials are expected to further aggravate poverty and food insecurity,” the report stated.
The IMF noted that economic performance across sub-Saharan Africa would remain uneven, reflecting differences in policy implementation, reform progress and countries’ exposure to external shocks.
It added that oil-importing and non-resource-intensive economies would likely face increased pressure from rising food and energy prices, while some larger economies continued to benefit from earlier macroeconomic reforms.
Globally, the IMF revised its 2026 growth forecast downward to 3.0 per cent from the 3.1 per cent projected in April but raised its 2027 forecast to 3.4 per cent.
According to the Fund, the downgrade for 2026 reflects the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, although stronger demand driven by advances in artificial intelligence and technology adoption has helped cushion some of the adverse effects.
Despite the resilience of the global economy, the IMF warned that risks remained tilted to the downside.
It identified renewed trade tensions, geopolitical conflicts and tighter global financial conditions as key threats to economic growth.
The Fund urged governments to rebuild fiscal buffers through credible fiscal consolidation, improved revenue mobilisation, stronger tax administration, efficient public spending and increased investment in infrastructure, skills development and targeted social protection programmes.
It also advised commodity-exporting countries to avoid excessive public spending during periods of high commodity prices.
“Economies benefiting from commodity windfalls and the upturn in the global technology cycle should avoid procyclical spending and save or redeploy gains within a credible medium-term fiscal framework anchored in debt sustainability,” the report stated.
The IMF further called on policymakers to accelerate structural reforms aimed at boosting productivity, strengthening labour markets, expanding digital and physical infrastructure, promoting predictable trade policies and enhancing international cooperation to support sustainable economic growth.
Nigeria’s data protection industry has grown into a N16.3 billion ecosystem within three years of formal regulation, according to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Olufemi Ibitayo, head of Finance Management and Control, NDPC, announced the milestone at the Regional Data Governance Exchange in Nairobi, Kenya, where he represented Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, NDPC.
Presenting Nigeria’s progress, Ibitayo said the country’s strong regulatory framework and the establishment of an independent data protection authority have strengthened confidence in the digital economy and enhanced Nigeria’s reputation as a destination for foreign investment.
The Regional Data Governance Exchange, organised by the Data Governance in Africa Initiative and hosted by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Nairobi, brought together African data protection authorities to strengthen institutional capacity, deepen collaboration and promote peer learning on data governance. Photo: NDPC
He said the Commission’s “Compliance First, Not Punishment” approach encourages organisations to meet their obligations through dialogue and voluntary compliance, while ensuring effective regulatory oversight.
Ibitayo added that the NDPC is developing regulatory technology solutions, a regulatory sandbox and a data privacy innovation laboratory to further strengthen Nigeria’s data governance ecosystem and support future growth.
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
The ongoing UNCITRAL session has brought together delegates from Nigeria, Australia, China, Ghana, France, the United States and other member states to develop harmonised legal frameworks aimed at facilitating secure, trusted and efficient cross-border digital commerce. Photo: NDPC
Meanwhile, Olatunji reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to global data governance during a meeting with Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim.
He made the remark on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), where Nigeria is participating alongside delegates from several member states to advance harmonised legal frameworks for secure and trusted cross-border digital commerce.
The NDPC boss highlighted the Commission’s achievements since its establishment, noting that strategic institutional reforms have positioned Nigeria as a leading voice in the global data protection ecosystem.
He said the country’s data protection framework has continued to earn international recognition, adding that the Commission remains committed to promoting trusted data governance as a driver of digital transformation, economic growth, innovation and sustainable development in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
During the meeting, Ambassador Ibrahim commended the Commission’s progress since the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and called for the establishment of a comprehensive national data bank to support evidence-based policymaking, research and national development.
Court Adjourns Alleged Binance Tax Evasion Case over Settlement Talks
Fixed Wired Internet Market Lags as Mobile Gains Ground
Xenophobic Attacks: OYC Threatens to Picket MTN Nigeria Offices
New NIMC Act Strengthens Data Protection, Privacy – Director
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Mobile Internet Gender Gap Widest in Africa – GSMA
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
News3 days agoNRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
News3 days agoNSITF Partners South African Insurer on Digital Transformation
E-Financial3 days agoFCT-IRS Unveils New Digital Platform, Taxporta
General News3 days agoKPMG Urges Africa’s Most Innovative Tech Entrepreneurs to Enter the Global Tech Innovator 2026 Competition
E-Business3 days agoFG Suspends New Internet Regulations to Prevent Overlapping Rules
E-Business3 days agoNIN Enrollment Hits over 136m as New ID Law Takes Effect
E-Business3 days agoPlateau PCC Collects Nigerians’ Data without Privacy Policy – FIJ
Telecom2 days agoNCC Seeks Cost-Based Pricing Framework for Ducts