Telecom
Experts at IIM Africa Information literacy week harp on proper data management
Information and data management experts have called on government at all levels to initiate policies and measures to ensure proper management of information and data in the country.
The experts gave the advice at an event organised by the Institute of Information Management (IIM Africa) to mark the Information Management and Literacy Week 2019 in Lagos.
The theme of the event was: “A reformed and renewed society through information Literacy”.
The Information Management and Literacy Week were convened to provide several opportunities in finding out about a wide range of services that information management offers.
The 2019 edition highlighted and identified various information gaps, information management needs, and also proffered required framework for effective data/information governance in regulatory agencies across the Country.
IIM Africa members on walk-out exercise
The literacy week also set the parameters for data/information management, usage, creating processes for resolving data/information issues aimed at enabling regulatory bodies and other stakeholders make decisions based on high-quality data and well-managed information assets.
Several speakers and activities lined up for the week-long programe also pin-pointed the vital role which information management services play for research and education.
Speaking at the event, Dr Oyedokun Oyewole, President, Institute of Information Management (IIM), Africa, said that government had a role to play in ensuring the existence of enabling laws, and providing adequate enlightenment to citizens on the need for proper data and information management.
Oyewole said that government could educate citizens by organising workshops, seminars and radio shows in form of jingles that would enlighten citizens on dangers involved when data and information are not properly managed.
”In other climes like America, dissemination of information by journalist is handled ethically and responsibly considering the sensitivity of such information to national security and its importance.
Simply because there are known and established principles, standards, procedures, systems and policies in place to effectively handle such. Such principles, guidelines and policies should also be encouraged and promoted in the African society for balanced reporting by journalists,” Dr. Oyewole said.
He urged government regulatory agencies and private organisations to implement/imbibe policies, laws, systems and best practices that would enhance proper management of data and information.
Launch of IUIM and RIMA founder’s Day award
Emphasising on Information governance (IG) being the overall management of the availability, usability, integrity and security of information used in an organisation.
And the need for regulatory authorities in Nigeria to ensure sound information governance program within their individual agencies with good governing body, charged with defining the set of procedures and plans to execute those procedures.
As Information Governance is required to ensure that organization’s information assets are formally, properly, proactively and efficiently managed throughout the enterprise to secure its trust & accountability, for the ultimate improvement in productivity and efficiency of an organization in meeting regulatory, legal, risk and operational requirements.
The president also commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for recent introduction of data privacy regulations to protect Nigerians and also sensitize them on the need to protect their personal data and information.
In a presentation titled, ‘Best Practices and the Role of the Press in Disseminating Sensitive Information to the Public’,John Montana, a renowned Information Management Expert, said that press occupy a conspicuous position to influence proper information dissemination.
“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and cannot be limited without being lost”, he quoted former US President Thomas Jefferson.
He further quoted Hugo Black who said, “The Government’s power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government.
“The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of the government and inform the people.
“Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose the deceptions in government”.
Montana added that the role of the press is to keep the government in power in check, but must be done in accurate and objective manner.
He further cautioned against ‘careless’ reportage of sensitive information such as personal information – financial data, health data, etc; embarrassing information about a crime victim – for example rape; information that may be valuable to criminals, terrorists and other bad actors.
On his part, the Executive Director, Numeric Technologies, Mr Alexander Anago, said that there was need for the government to put in place information protection life cycle strategy to effectively protect, detect, respond and monitor hackers.
“The government needs to provide national gateway for information processing transmission to improve intelligence.
“The government should also implement cross border information security policies, cyber law and information processing policies for proper management of data.
“To effectively manage the data of citizens and the country as a whole the government needs to find a lasting solution to Advanced Persistent Threats.
Cross Section of attendees at IIm Africa Information Literacy workshop
“Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) is a network attack in which unauthorised persons gain access to a network and stay there undetected for a long period of time.
“The intention of an APT attack is to steal data; so, the government needs to adopt sophisticated techniques for early detection of such attacks before it happens,”Anago said.
He said that besides the government, the citizens also needed to stop putting all their personal information, which includes signatures, pictures of their house, cars, children and other private data on social media platform.
Anago also advised people to desist from using public WiFi as it was the easiest way for hackers to gain access to their personal details.
Dr Isa Pantami, the Director-General of NITDA, who was represented by Mr Seyi Ogunseye, a consultant in the Strategic Operations Department, said that the Agency had been creating awareness on the need for proper management of information and data.
He said that Section 6 of NITDA Act 2007 mandates the agency to create a framework for planning, research, development, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of information technology practices and systems in Nigeria.
The Information Management Literacy Week also featured important programmes like Data and Governance Forum/Exhibition; Information Management Session for schools; Novelty Football Match; Founder’s Day/RIMA Awards and official presentation of International University of Information Management (IUIM), United States.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) has raised alarms over a new wave of advanced cyberattacks targeting Android mobile phones through a malware campaign dubbed Tria Stealer.
The malicious software is designed to infiltrate Android devices, hijack messaging accounts, intercept One-Time Passwords (OTPs), to steal sensitive personal and financial data.
According to ngCERT, Tria Stealer spreads primarily through deceptive tactics, such as fake event invitations distributed via popular messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Unsuspecting users are enticed to download an infected (APK) file, often disguised as a harmless system application, to evade detection.
Once installed, Tria Stealer requests extensive permissions, including access to SMS, call logs, and app notifications.
It immediately commences data harvesting activities, sending stolen information to a Command and Control (C2) server operated via Telegram bots.
This trojan spreads through fake links, usually disguised as wedding or event invites, and tricks users into downloading malicious APK files
“Account takeover of messaging platforms. Impersonation of victim for fraudulent money transfer requests. Compromise of banking and financial applications. Identity theft and credential harvesting.”
In plain terms, if your phone is compromised, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Your financial apps are vulnerable, your reputation could be ruined by impersonation and even simple personal messages could be twisted into tools for scams.
Here’s what users should be doing now:
Don’t download apps outside the official Play Store.
Be suspicious of random invites or links, even from people you know.
Turn on 2FA for everything—banking, emails, social platforms.
Get a reputable antivirus and keep it updated.
If you run an organisation, you should already be taking this seriously.
ngCERT’s guidance says you should raise awareness, monitor mobile devices, and not let your team click on unverified links.
“Deploy network monitoring for suspicious outbound connections to known C2 domains,” it said, meaning, keep an eye on every digital door in and out.
This isn’t one of those cases where you wait to see if it affects you. By the time you realise it, it may already be too late.
MTN Nigeria is set to host the National Schools Team Chess Championship, Nigeria’s largest inter-school chess competition, scheduled to take place from June 26th to 28th, 2025, at the Ecobank Pan African Center in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The championship, organised in partnership with Ecobank and the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), aims to promote intellectual development, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among young Nigerians, while also identifying and nurturing future chess champions.
The championship is open to primary, secondary, and tertiary level students, and this year’s edition will host an impressive 1,600 students from 400 schools across 36 states and the FCT.
The competition will feature team-based play, with each team comprising four players from the same school. A significant prize pool of over N40 million is at stake, with winning schools also having the invaluable opportunity to represent Nigeria internationally.
Onyinye Ikenna Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at MTN Nigeria, expressed the company’s commitment to the initiative, stating, “Our investment is driven by our commitment to fostering youth development, just as our shared value initiative.
“By supporting, we not only contribute to the growth but also engage with the younger demographic in a meaningful way, as we believe we are good together”.
MTN’s sponsorship of the National Schools Team Chess Championship is a natural extension of its long-standing dedication to empowering young people through various initiatives in sports, education, and skill development, including programs like MTN Champs and MTN Campus Invasion.
The company aims to establish itself as the leading driver of youth empowerment, education, and strategic thinking through chess in Nigeria.
The event will also feature the presence of Tunde Onakoya, a renowned chess master and inspiration, who will join the championship week to share his experiences and further inspire the young participants.
His involvement underscores the profound impact strategic thinking can have on transforming lives and building dreams.
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