E-Business
Digital Encode: Pioneering Effective Cybersecurity Response to Attacks in Nigeria
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in its global cybersecurity index (GCI) 2020 ranks Nigeria 47th among countries tackling cybercrimes headlong.
The index disclosed that countries are working to improve their cyber safety despite the challenges of COVID-19 and the rapid shift of everyday activities into the digital sphere.
Despite notable improvements, gaps in cyber capacity persist, according to ITU. The GCI revealed that many countries and regions lag in key areas.
These include cybersecurity skills training, which must be tailored to the needs of citizens, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs); finance, healthcare, energy, and other key sectors, which require dedicated measures to close cybersecurity gaps; critical infrastructure protection, which requires enhancement to meet new and evolving cyber threats and Individual data protection, which requires continual reinforcement as online activity expands.
In Nigeria one company has distinguished itself in providing effective strategy in addressing issues in the key sectors that ITU report identified and that company is Digital Encode.
Digital Encode is a leading consulting and integration firm founded in 2003 that specializes in the design, management, and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environments and other Information Technology (IT) infrastructures.
Recognized in the industry for its vendor independent perspective, the firm’s expertise lies in solving multifaceted, complex enterprise network security and audit problems.
At Digital Encode, technology serves two purposes: to save money and solve a problem. Digital Encode also provides advisory services toward improvements in Information Security Management, Network Security, Vulnerability Management, Penetration Testing, Computer Forensics, Risk Management and Business Continuity Management.
Digital Encode’s unique methodology is rooted in the concept that a company should run its IT organization as a business. Throughout the well -defined process, Digital Encode translates strategic business objectives into sound, achievable technology solutions. This approach ensures that the technology never obscures the business goals.
Digital Encode has managed several projects for banks in the country among them included penetration testing and vulnerability assessments for PCIDSS certifications.
It has also assisted many organisations to deliver ISO 27001:13 certification which is a testament to their teamwork, focus, drive and will to succeed.
Recently, Digital Encode got licensed under the Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCO) by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
With the development, Digital Encode is recognised by NITDA to provide training, auditing, and consulting services throughout the country in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) principles.
Among the objectives behind the regulation were the protection of the privacy rights and freedoms of Nigerian citizens, on the one hand and the promotion of local and foreign investments in the digital economy by safeguarding the information systems infrastructure against breaches and implementing internationally compatible rules.
As a DPCO, Digital Encode is expected to verify self-audits prior to submission to NITDA. This is a means of decentralising compliance activities for more efficiency.
Dr. Peter Adewale Obadare, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Digital Encode, who is also the Director of Governance, Risk and Compliance at Digital Encode, said as a Pan-African cyber security, the company would continue to keep assisting individuals and businesses protect their information assets.
Dr. Seyi Akindeinde, Chief Technical Officer of Digital Encode, said the license would remain a testament to Digital Encode’s unique methodology rooted in the concept of professionalism.
Akindeinde added that while assisting companies to achieve the data protection goals through a well-defined secure process, Digital Encode would continue to translate strategic business objectives into sound, achievable technology solutions.
Digital Encode Cyber security Efforts in Nigeria
Dr. Wale Obadare and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, both founders of Digital encode have expressed worries over the implementation of none impactful cyber security solutions to organizations by vendors which has resulted in increased loss of money and data by organizations.
They cautioned organisations on over dependence on cyber security products for protection against cyber-attacks.
Obadare, further said that major challenge organizations face in the fight against cybercriminal and cyber warfare is lack of trained manpower.
“I have been in cyber security ecosystem for many years now and have identified lack of trained manpower in most organizations. Cyber security is not a certificate that speaks for you, but a continuous training to be ahead of the smart criminals. Most organizations find it difficult to continually update their IT security staff to be able to face cyber threats,” he said.
Akindeinde, emphasized on the need for a national cyber security framework against industry specifics frameworks.
“There are a number of frameworks aimed at assisting most organizations in preventing cyber attacks. A prime example is the ISO 27001 ISMS. A more specific one for the financial / payments sector is the PCI DSS. This is a regulatory framework. I think it’s a case of the level of maturity of cybersecurity in the banking sector. Other sectors have not got to that advanced stage of maturity which is why the banks seem to be at the forefront of preventing and addressing issues related to Cybersecurity,” he said.
Recognitions
Digital Encode has been conferred with several awards in recognition its efforts in pioneering effective cybersecurity strategy in Nigeria and Africa as well as its quality-driven operations and global best practice standards in Information Security Management and Compliance Advisory ecosystem among them included; the ‘Africa’s Most Innovative Quality Cyber-Security Consulting Company’ by African Quality Institute.
At the 11th edition of Beacon of ICT awards 2020, Digital Encode was inducted in the Beacon of ICT Hall of Fame as the Cybersecurity Company of the Year of the Decade as well as Compliancy Advisory Company of the Year of the Decade.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, organisers of the award said that Digital Encode is the only Nigerian Cybersecurity company to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
More so, the company’s founders Dr. Wale Obadare and Dr. Seyi Akindeinde, at the same edition of the award in addition to emerging as Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Man of the Year 2020 were also inducted into the individual category of the Beacon of ICT Hall of Fame as Cybersecurity Personalities of the Decade.
The organisers described Digital Encode efforts in the country’s Cyber-Security ecosystem’s and emergence in its award categories as “Digital Encode’s consistency in placing high premium on quality in all areas of its operations.”
Microsoft is planning to unveil its new Maia 300 AI chip this fall, potentially as soon as next month, The Information reported on Monday, citing people with direct knowledge of the plans.
The company introduced its Maia AI chip in November 2023 but has lagged rivals such as Alphabet and Amazon in scaling up its in-house chip efforts as it seeks to reduce its reliance on Nvidia’s costly processors.
Google began recognizing revenue from direct sales of its custom AI chips, called Tensor Processing Units, in the quarter ended June, while Amazon has also seen growing adoption of its processors, including its Trainium chips.
Microsoft has been in talks with chipmaker TSMC to secure manufacturing capacity for more than 300,000 units of the chip for delivery in 2027, according to the report. It is also looking to significantly ramp up production and persuade major cloud customers such as Anthropic to adopt the chip.
Microsoft ultimately aims to secure capacity for more than 1 million Maia 300 chips, though component supplies and ongoing capacity negotiations with TSMC could constrain its plans, according to the report.
It unveiled its second-generation Maia 200 in January, built by TSMC using 3-nanometer technology.
Microsoft packed the chip with a significant amount of SRAM, a type of memory that can provide speed advantages for AI systems handling large numbers of user requests.
X has announced plans to discontinue its Revenue Sharing programme and introduce a new Original Content Rewards programme to reward creators for producing original content on the platform.
The social media company announced the changes at the weekend in a post on its X Creators handle, saying the new programme would reward creators who contribute original content.
“Today, we’re introducing the Original Content Rewards Program, a new way to reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X,” the company said.
X said it would stop accepting new enrolments into the Revenue Sharing programme from Friday, while existing participants would continue earning until September 7, 2026.
“Starting today, we’re no longer accepting new enrollments into Revenue Sharing,” it said.
According to the company, existing Revenue Sharing participants will receive three final payouts, with two scheduled for August 14 and August 28, while the final payment for earnings accrued through September 7 is expected around September 11.
X said existing Revenue Sharing participants would begin getting access to apply for the new programme from September 8, subject to meeting its eligibility requirements.
The first payout under the Original Content Rewards programme will be made on August 28, 2026, while existing Revenue Sharing creators who enrol in the new programme from September 8 will receive their first payment on September 25.
Under the new programme, eligible creators will earn from qualified impressions generated by their original content, with payments made every two weeks.
X defined qualified impressions as unique impressions from Premium users on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50 per cent of a post is visible.
On the other hand, “The following are excluded from qualified impressions: impressions from the same account counted more than once per post; paid, promoted, or artificially generated impressions; and fraudulent impressions,” it said.
To qualify, creators must be at least 18 years old, live in a country where the programme is available, maintain an account in good standing and have either a personal or vusiness account.
They must also subscribe to X Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business, have at least 500 verified followers and record at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users within the previous 90 days.
X said creators must also regularly post original content to remain eligible.
“We want to recognize creators who break news, share expertise, tell stories, create entertainment, and contribute meaningful perspectives to the conversation,” the company said.
The platform said original content could include threads, videos, memes, graphics, illustrations, reporting, analysis, commentary and reactions that add meaningful value to existing conversations.
It said creators who use content produced by others would need to add meaningful commentary, context, analysis, humour or creative transformation for such posts to qualify.
“Building on existing conversations is a core part of X, but simply reposting someone else’s content is not enough,” it said.
X said minor edits such as cropping, filters, borders, watermarks, speed adjustments or simple text overlays would generally not qualify as meaningful transformation on their own.
It also warned that content copied or substantially reproduced from another creator, content downloaded and re-uploaded from X or another platform without being the original author’s, automated content, disinformation and misleading content would be ineligible.
The company said accounts that violate the programme’s requirements could be temporarily or permanently removed from it, depending on the severity of the violation.
It added that creators would be responsible for ensuring they had the necessary rights, permissions or licences to use content created by others.
“Original content is content you personally create that reflects your own voice, perspective, expertise, or creativity,” X said.
The company said the new programme was intended to reward creators who make the platform more valuable by bringing original ideas and perspectives to its conversations.
“The Original Content Rewards Program is designed to reward the creators who start them, shape them, and move them forward,” it said.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has introduced so-called Nigeria’s Certified Cloud Register, regulatory framework developed under the agency’s National Sovereign Cloud Initiative to determine which cloud providers are authorized to handle sensitive data, such as banking records.
In effect, from October, NITDA requires banks, fintech companies and other regulated organisations to source cloud infrastructure providers from a national register of certified firms approved to host sensitive financial and government data.
The Certified Cloud Register, is expected to strengthen data sovereignty, improve regulatory oversight and support the implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) data localisation policy, which takes effect on January 1, 2027.
Under the framework, banks, fintechs, government institutions and other regulated entities will be able to verify whether cloud service providers, data centre operators, managed service providers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure companies have met NITDA’s certification requirements before entrusting them with critical digital workloads.
The initiative is expected to provide regulated institutions with a standardised process for selecting cloud infrastructure providers that satisfy Nigeria’s technical, security and regulatory requirements.
According to NITDA, the framework establishes “a common national standard, an independent assessment process and a public register of approved providers that banks, fintechs and government institutions can rely on when selecting cloud infrastructure partners.”
The register is expected to become a key compliance tool ahead of the CBN’s directive, which requires all payment transaction data generated within Nigeria to be stored and processed locally, effective from January 1, 2027.
The policy applies to deposit money banks, microfinance banks, mobile money operators, payment service providers, switching companies and other financial institutions.
The certification regime is also expected to reshape Nigeria’s cloud computing ecosystem, making regulatory approval a major requirement for cloud providers seeking to handle sensitive data for regulated industries.
Figures cited by NITDA showed that Nigeria’s 10 largest banks spent about N177.91 billion on information technology in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 31 per cent increase over the corresponding period last year.
A sizeable portion of the investment currently supports cloud infrastructure hosted outside Nigeria, a trend the new certification framework is expected to address by encouraging greater utilisation of compliant local infrastructure.
NITDA said the certification programme will apply the same technical and regulatory standards to indigenous cloud providers and international hyperscale operators, creating a level playing field for all companies seeking to provide cloud services to regulated sectors.
The agency also disclosed that more than 85 per cent of Nigerian businesses currently rely on cloud services, with the majority using infrastructure hosted outside the country.
It said the new framework is aimed at improving confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure while promoting local capacity and enhancing oversight of critical national data.
Speaking on the objective of the initiative, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director-general of NITDA, said the programme is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy rather than exclude foreign technology companies.
According to him, the initiative is intended “to redefine the terms under which Nigeria participates in the global digital economy rather than isolate the country from international technology providers.”
The Certified Cloud Register forms part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to deepen digital trust, strengthen cybersecurity and ensure that critical financial and public sector data are managed in line with Nigeria’s evolving data governance and sovereignty objectives.
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