E-Business
Encomiums CWG Launches Tier-3 Center in Lagos, Charts Future with CWG2.0

Computer Warehouse Group (CWG Plc), leading pan African information and communication technology conglomerate, has launched a Tier 3 Ultra-Modern Data Center, in line with improving Africa’s economy with Information Technology.
The state-of -the art Data Center, situated at Lekki phase 1, Lagos is specifically built to provide a platform for CWG’s cloud computing business as well as offer excess capacity to enterprise, especially banks for use as a Disaster Recovery Data centre on a co-location basis.
It is also expected that budding online companies such as Jumia and Konga with immense technology requirements shall also avail themselves of the facility.
CWG’s Data Center is equipped with state of the art N+1 power and environmental management infrastructure, which provides a combined generating capacity of 0.7MVA.
To ensure incoming mains power is conditioned and available at all times, there are redundant and Modular 250KVA Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems.
The UPS also function as bull-mark against power surges and blowout.
Addressing the guests, Mr. Austin Okere, chief executive officer, CWG Plc unveiled the future direction of the company, tagged CWG 2.0.
According to Okere “having majorly completed the pillars for our IT as a Service (ITaaS) strategy, namely creating a platform for rapid Pan African growth and repositioning our service model to cater to the new cloud computing mind-set, we are on target to achieve our objective of being the the number 1 IT Utility enabler in Africa by launching three cloud services in Nigeria; the MTN SaaS for Microfinance banks in conjunction with MTN Nigeria, the Diamond Yello Account bringing Financial inclusion to the 55 million MTN Mobile subscribers in partnership with MTN and Diamond Bank, and the CWG SMERP (a vertically modular Enterprise Resource Planning application for Micro, Small and Medium scale enterprises (MSME), which can be used on a subscription basis by hotels, hospitals, spare-parts dealers Farmers etc.”
“We consider the refocusing of our business into a subscription based model as a dual advantage play. In addition to being a more sustaining strategy, it maximizes our social impact investing on the economy of Africa, and helps to create jobs by empowering entrepreneurs. This in essence defines the new CWG PLC, which we have christened CWG 2.0” he continued.
“MSMEs are regarded as the engine of economic growth. Statistics show that there are 17m+ MSMEs in Nigeria. This compares overwhelmingly with the 260 listed companies on the stock exchange. Without accurate business records, they are unable to generate the accounting reports that banks and financial organizations can depend on to provide financing. Without credit, they are unable to grow their business aggressively.
CWG SMERP can provide these organizations with a strong foundation for growth and sustainability and also provide these firms the opportunity to exploit the internet to access a bigger market. The substantial cost of utilizing ICT is a big barrier for these firms to take advantage of ICT to grow their business” Okere remarked.
Describing the explosive impact that MSME’s can have on the economy if properly supported, Okere remarked rhetorically ‘do you know that by just employing only one additional staff each, the 17m MSME would have created 17million jobs?’
On payments, he explained “We require payment only on a subscription basis which completely removes the CAPEX requirements of ICT usage.
For effective nationwide coverage, we will use a franchise model to enable smaller IT firms and consultancies to assist the MSMEs as business support organizations, and by so doing spur a secondary growth in IT MSMEs which will create thousands of additional jobs”, he concluded.
Speaking at the Data Center Launching, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) stated that CWG’s Ultra-modern Data Centre in Lagos is timely, and a leap frog that will aid customers, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
He also stated that CWG is known for integrity and consistency, and over the years has maintained a strong leadership position in the IT industry which has culminated in several awards by industry watchers.
The recent listing on the Nigerian stock exchange is a testimony of the maturity of the company and shall be a beacon for other companies to follow.
He reminisced coming to launch the CWG VSAT hub in early 2000, before the celebrated boom in the telecoms industry. He remarked that CWG has remained relevant as a result of her innovativeness and subscription to global best practices.
“They have demonstrated the capabilities of leadership through their various achievements in the recent times, especially with their listing on the NSE and now the commissioning of this ultra-modern Data Center facility.” He said.
He further stated that; Data Centre is relevant in the today’s IT world and CWG’s state of art Data Center will benefit, not just the current customers, but the SMEs for whom CWG has developed a special package to support their businesses with ICT.
“These are heartwarming developments. CWG should look beyond Nigeria and Africa; they can go places, especially now that connectivity binds us together,” Ndukwe said.
Engineer Lanre Ajayi, president of Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that, CWG has proven its competence as an indigenous company in Nigeria, adding that it has become a pace-setter in the industry.
“Due to their pragmatic efforts, CWG has motivated many other local firms. The launching of this data center is a big step in the right direction. Connectivity is the life wire of any such Data Center. Therefore, CWG should incorporate other stakeholders like NiRA that hosts the .ng to ensure that the expected customers make use of this important infrastructure,” he said.
Ajayi added that with such Data Centers coming up in the country, the rate of capital flight, connectivity, routing and other issues that have bedeviled the industry are been minimized.
E-Business
ChatGPT-mimicking Cyberthreats Surge 115% in Early 2025, SMBs Increasingly Targeted

In 2025, nearly 8,500 users from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) globally faced cyberattacks where malicious or unwanted software was disguised as popular online productivity tools, Kaspersky reports.
Based on the unique malicious and unwanted files observed, the most common lures included Zoom and Microsoft Office, with newer AI-based services like ChatGPT and DeepSeek being increasingly exploited by attackers. Kaspersky has released threat analysis and mitigation strategies to help SMBs respond.
Kaspersky analysts explored how frequently malicious and unwanted software are disguised as legitimate applications commonly used by SMBs, using a sample of 12 online productivity apps. In total, Kaspersky observed more than 4,000 unique malicious and unwanted files disguised as popular apps in 2025. With the growing popularity of AI services, cybercriminals are increasingly disguising malware as AI tools.
The number of cyberthreats mimicking ChatGPT increased by 115% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, reaching 177 unique malicious and unwanted files. Another popular AI tool, DeepSeek, accounted for 83 files. This large language model launched in 2025 immediately appeared on the list of impersonated tools.
“Interestingly, threat actors are rather picky in choosing an AI tool as bait. For example, no malicious files mimicking Perplexity were observed. The likelihood that an attacker will use a tool as a disguise for malware or other types of unwanted software directly depends on the service’s popularity and hype around it. The more publicity and conversation there is around a tool, the more likely a user will come across a fake package on the Internet.
To be on the safe side, SMB employees – as well as regular users – should exercise caution when looking for software on the Internet or coming across too-good-to-be-true subscription deals. Always check the correct spelling of the website and links in suspicious emails. In many cases these links may turn out to be phishing or a link that downloads malicious or potentially unwanted software,” says Vasily Kolesnikov, security expert at Kaspersky.
Another cybercriminal tactic to look for in 2025 is the growing use of collaboration platform brands to trick users into downloading or launching malware. The number of malicious and unwanted software files disguised as Zoom increased by nearly 13% in 2025, reaching 1,652, while such names as “Microsoft Teams” and “Google Drive” saw increases of 100% and 12%, respectively, with 206 and 132 cases.
This pattern likely reflects the normalisation of remote work and geographically distributed teams, which has made these platforms integral to business operations across industries.
Among the analysed sample, the highest number of files mimicked Zoom, accounting for nearly 41% of all unique files detected. Microsoft Office applications remained frequent targets for impersonation: Outlook and PowerPoint each accounted for 16%, Excel for nearly 12%, while Word and Teams made up 9% and 5%, respectively.
The top threats targeting small and medium businesses in 2025 included downloaders, trojans and adware.
Phishing and spam
Apart from malware threats, Kaspersky continues to observe a wide range of phishing and scam schemes targeting SMBs. Attackers aim to steal login credentials for various services — from delivery platforms to banking systems — or manipulate victims into sending them money through deceptive tactics. One example is a phishing attempt targeting Google Accounts.
Attackers promise potential victims to increase sales by advertising their company on X, with the ultimate goal being to steal their credentials.
Beyond phishing, SMBs are flooded with spam emails. Not surprisingly, AI has also made its way into the spam folder — for example, with offers for automating various business processes.
In general, Kaspersky observes phishing and spam offers crafted to reflect the typical needs of small businesses, promising attractive deals on email marketing or loans, offering services such as reputation management, content creation, or lead generation, and more.
E-Business
NFIU Credits AML/CFT Reforms behind Nigeria’s Nears Exit from FATF Greylist

Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has credited a series of strategic reforms under the national Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Financing of Terrorism, and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework, behind Nigeria’s significant strides toward exiting the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist, marking a critical milestone in the country’s fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and financial crimes.
In a statement, Chief Executive Officer of NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, praised the collective efforts of government agencies and stakeholders. “Congratulations and a job well done as Nigeria comes closer to exiting the FATF grey list. The results achieved as part of the strategic reforms must be applauded,” she said.
She said the NFIU, serving as the Secretariat of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on AML/CFT/CPF, spearheaded the development of a comprehensive roadmap to address deficiencies highlighted in Nigeria’s 2021 mutual evaluation report. She explained that the roadmap was recently reviewed and endorsed at the FATF Plenary in Strasbourg, France, where it was acknowledged that Nigeria has completed the implementation of its Action Plan within the agreed deadline—a rare achievement among listed jurisdictions.
Bakari emphasised the pivotal role of political leadership in this success: “The clear focus and leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, provided an enabling environment for the reform processes. His dynamic leadership, alongside the support of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, has been a critical success factor.”
She also highlighted the crucial contributions of the Judiciary, which has demonstrated the effectiveness of Nigeria’s legal framework in combating financial crimes. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and the Minister of Interior, who led the Inter-Ministerial Committee, were credited for providing strategic direction.
“The commitment of these key officials, along with support from the National Security Adviser and various ministers, has been instrumental in driving the reforms forward,” Bakari noted.
A broad coalition of agencies formed the backbone of the national effort, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, and many others. Their coordinated efforts have strengthened Nigeria’s defenses against illicit financial activities.
Despite the progress, Bakari cautioned that key steps remain before Nigeria can officially exit the greylist. “A critical upcoming milestone is the onsite assessment by the FATF in the next few weeks. This assessment is an opportunity to demonstrate Nigeria’s highest political commitment to sustaining the reform programme and to showcase the impressive results achieved by both public and private sectors in preventing, detecting, and disrupting serious crimes.”
She reaffirmed the NFIU’s dedication to the ongoing fight: “The NFIU remains committed to supporting and working with all stakeholders in strengthening our collective defenses against money laundering, terrorist financing, and other serious crimes.”
E-Business
AfCFTA Positions Africa to Tap into $712bn Digital Trade Market by 2035

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is strategically positioning Africa to tap into a $712 billion digital trade market by 2035, leveraging key partnerships and trade-enabling infrastructure to deepen continental integration and economic sovereignty.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, made this known on Wednesday at the 2025 Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2025) in Abuja.
According to him, the Protocol on Digital Trade is central to AfCFTA’s strategy for unlocking the potential of Africa’s growing digital economy.
“We intend to harness this significant market, which is estimated to be over $712 billion by the year 2035, presenting opportunities for young entrepreneurs, investment in data centres, the commercialisation and movement of data, and the development of digital public infrastructure,” Mene said.
He emphasised the critical role of Afreximbank in providing the financial architecture required to support the AfCFTA’s implementation, especially in reducing and eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers.
“Without the support of Afreximbank, the AfCFTA will not succeed. It requires trade finance tools, support for industrial development, green trade, and green industrialisation,” he added.
Among the tools introduced in collaboration with Afreximbank is the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which enables intra-African payments in local currencies, reducing dependence on the US dollar and lowering transaction costs. Mene stressed that trading in foreign currencies like US dollar between African countries is no longer sustainable.
“We must use our own currencies. We must ensure the economic sovereignty of our continent and guard ourselves against ever-shifting global geopolitical tensions that affect payment systems,” he said.
He also disclosed that $10 billion has been mobilised under the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund to support countries implementing the agreement, with an initial ZIP package of $1 billion. Furthermore, a $1 billion AfCFTA Automotive Fund has been established to support component manufacturers and vehicle assembly on the continent. The sector, if well-supported, could generate $46 billion by 2035.
Additional initiatives include the AfCFTA E-Tariff platform, the Rules of Origin Manual, and the soon-to-be-launched Transit Guarantee System, which are all geared towards simplifying trade procedures and boosting intra-African trade.
“We have moved beyond political aspirations to establishing a functional and legally binding multilateral African trading system. This includes protocols on investment, competition policy, and digital trade,” Mene said.
Despite these milestones, he warned that numerous challenges persist. These include inefficient customs systems, high trade costs that limit SME market entry, political instability, and persistent food insecurity which blocks smallholder farmers from accessing markets. He called for continued collaboration between political leaders and development finance institutions to address these obstacles.
“We should be proud of what we have achieved, but also mindful of the difficult journey ahead. Conflict and instability, particularly in rural regions, continue to prevent millions of farmers from accessing markets. We must tackle these issues with urgency if the full potential of AfCFTA is to be realised,” Mene said.
During a question and answer after the launch of African trade and economic outlook report, Yemi Kale, Group chief economist and managing director of Research and Trade Intelligence at the African Export Import Bank, said between May 2024 and 2025 transaction volume through Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) increased by over 1,000 percent, reflecting increased adoption of the payment system.
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