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Fight Against eFraud Demands ‘Hardened’ Technology Platforms- Isiavwe

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Onajite Regha, CEO of E-PPAN, left, and other speakers at the 7th Annual Payment Systems & Fraud Conference 2016 organised by E-PPAN in Lagos
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Technology platforms must be hardened with layered security; encryption and tokenization to ensure that the payments systems are safe, said David Isiavwe, President, Information Security Society of Africa Nigeria (ISSAN), adding that organizations must have adequate firewalls and end-point security to ensure enterprise wide protection.

 The global economy loses USD455Bn annually. Juniper research recently predicted that the rapid digitization of consumers’ lives and enterprise records will increase the cost of data breaches astronomically to $2.1 trillion globally by 2019, increasing to almost four times the estimated cost of breaches in 2015.

Isiavwe made the remark during his presentation titled: Addressing ePayment Fraud: Exploiting the Technology, at the 7th Annual Payment Systems & Fraud Conference 2016 organised by E-PPAN in Lagos on Tuesday, stressing that frauds are expected to increase – “as cyber criminals will follow the money in an integrated manner onto the ePayments space”.

He warned delegates at the conference that fraudsters constantly rehash old fraud schemes with a little variation in their modus operandi to carry out their attacks on unsuspecting users, with the results leading to surge in Card Skimming; Phishing Sites; DDoS attacks; Ransomeware; Third Party Payment Application Compromise; Rogue Mobile Applications and System Abuse by Rogue Merchants.

He listed current disturbing issues with regards efrauds in the ecosystem to include: “On Friday 21st October, a DDoS attack on Dyn Inc, an internet domain directory, took major sites like Amazon, Twitter, Netflix and Paypal offline. New World Hackers have claimed responsibility for the attack which they said was in the magnitude of 1.2 terabits per second,  which is  double the strength of the attack which took down kerbsonsecurity.com last month;

“In an essay titled ‘Someone Is Learning How to Take Down the Internet,’ security expert Bruce Schneier said last month that major internet infrastructure companies were seeing a series of worrying denial-of-service attacks. He said, ‘Someone is extensively testing the core defensive capabilities of the companies that provide critical internet services,’ and “in Q2 2016, attacks continued to become more frequent, persistent, and complex”’.

He said that hence mobile has become the primary means of internet access for the majority of Nigerians online as confirmed in a GSMA ‘The Mobile Economy Africa 2016 report, ‘the number of mobile internet subscribers tripled in the last five years to 300 million by the end of 2015, with an additional 250 million expected by 2020; the use of mobile applications, SMS, USSD and most recently, QR codes for transactions have become common place in the Nigerian epayment space, therefore, “securing the technology is imperative to ensure the continued growth of the use of mobile. The service providers have to ensure end to end encryption of data and more reliable and user friendly authentication”

The ISSAN President said, “With the increase in the use of mobile devices in the ePayment space, there has been an increase in the proliferation of malware targeting smart phones

According to Ars Technica Google Play was recently found to be hosting more than 400 apps that turned infected phones into listening posts that could siphon sensitive data out of the protected networks they connected to’. According to Fortune.com ‘For a ten week period, Bit9 + Carbon Black researchers analyzed over 1,400 malware samples that targeted the Apple operating system.

“They found that 948 of the samples appeared in 2015 compared to 180 samples that were traced back to 2010 through 2014.’ A recent report on iOS malware attacks by the security firm Bit9 + Carbon Black found that more malware affected iOS devices in 2015 than the previous five years combined. Bringing this all home, we need to develop capabilities to identity and if possible block the spread of identified malware. Encryption, Tokenization and Smart authentication need to be employed in the development and deployment of our offerings in the ePayment space”.

According to him, resilient systems have to be deployed for ePayment transaction processing to achieve 99.99% uptime, as these include call center technology as well as intelligent fraud detection and prevention systems to accurately analyze customer behavior and spending patterns with minimal false positives.

Referring to ‘Digital Payment Strategies: Online, Mobile & Contactless 2014-2019 Report’ by Juniper Research, he said that financial industry expects activities in the ePayments space to grow significantly in the next few years as new products are expected to be developed. Indeed, the annual transaction value of online and mobile payments is predicted to hit $4.7 trillion by 2019.

“Experts have also predicted that traditional banks (as we know them today) may not be alive in the next 20 years as the ePayments space would revolutionize banking and take over the financial services space”.

To this end, Isiavwe called for increased smart systems in place for continuous monitoring and incident prevention, detection as well as swift response mechanisms to provide round the clock protection.

“The key is to leverage on technology to ensure that the e-business platforms are safe, reliable and always available to the average consumer”.

Earlier, Onajite Regha, CEO of E-PPAN, said that the risk of e-payments fraud are real and multiplying daily in the country as consumers’ preference continue to shift toward e-payment options for daily transactions activities.

She added that the annual payment systems and fraud conference is designed to be a veritable rallying ground, for all stakeholders in the e-payment value chain to deliberate on payment systems and fraud knowledge.

The annual event is attended by senior level executives across industries such as banking & finance, telecommunication, judiciary, government agencies, healthcare, retail, SMEs and others, who network and brainstorm on the latest trends in technology innovations in electronic payment and learn winning strategies to manage risks and prevent fraud.


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E-Financial

CBN to Simplify Bank Alerts over Rising Customer Complaints

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks are reviewing the large number of transaction alerts sent to customers and the complaints about bank charges.

CBN to Simplify Bank Alerts over Rising Customer Complaints

So called bank alert refers to real-time SMS or email notifications from your financial institution about transactions, balances, or security updates.

Olayemi Cardoso, governor, CBN, said this in Abuja after the 305th Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

He explained that many bank customers are confused because they receive too many debit alerts for a single transaction.

To address this, the CBN has created a quarterly meeting system involving its consumer protection team, commercial banks, and the top 10 microfinance banks. The goal is to resolve customer complaints faster and improve banking services.

Cardoso said one major issue being studied is how banks send multiple notifications for one transaction.African Politics Analysis

He said this often confuses customers and suggested that alerts should be simplified and combined so people can clearly understand what each debit is for.

He added that the issue is still being worked on and solutions will be proposed soon.

On the N50 stamp duty charge, the CBN governor explained that it is not a bank charge.

He said the charge comes from tax authorities, while banks only collect it and send it to the government.

He advised customers who notice wrong charges to first complain to their bank. If the issue is not resolved, they can escalate it to the CBN’s consumer protection department.

Cardoso also said the CBN has strengthened its monitoring system to ensure banks handle complaints properly, compensate customers when needed, and improve customer service.

The CBN is also reviewing how banks apply rules on charges and customer complaints, with the aim of improving transparency and reducing repeated issues in the banking system.

 


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Griffin Capital Group Launches Integrated Financial Services Group Positioned to Strengthen Capital Formation in Nigeria, Africa

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Griffin Capital Group Limited has announced its official market entry as a fully integrated financial services group, bringing together investment banking, asset management, trusteeship, lending, and insurance capabilities under a unified institutional platform.

The launch reflects a deliberate response to the evolving demands of Nigeria’s financial ecosystem, where the need for disciplined capital deployment, stronger Corporate Governance frameworks, and deeper market liquidity continues to shape the next phase of growth.

Structured as a multi-business financial services group, Griffin Capital is designed to operate across the full spectrum of capital formation, from origination through innovatively structuring complex financial transactions in a simplified manner; to execution, distribution, and investment management. This enables us to both advise on and actively participate in transactions.

The Group enters the market with a leadership team whose experience spans investment banking, Insurance brokerage, capital markets, corporate finance, development finance, and investment management across Africa and global financial centers.

Griffin Capital’s operating model reflects a clear emphasis on institutional discipline, combining advisory expertise with balance sheet strength to support more efficient capital allocation and improved transaction quality.

As Nigeria’s economic reforms continue to unlock new opportunities across infrastructure and project finance, financial advisory, and private capital markets; the Group is positioned to support both issuers and investors through a structure designed for scale, transparency, and execution.

Commenting on the launch, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Babatunde Obaniyi said: “The opportunity in Nigeria’s financial markets is significant, but unlocking it requires more than capital. It requires structure, governance, and the ability to deploy capital with discipline. Griffin Capital Group has been built to address these fundamentals. Our model allows us to operate across the full lifecycle of transactions from advisory to execution, while maintaining a strong focus on risk management and long-term value creation.

“We are entering the market with a clear sense of responsibility, particularly in how capital is structured, deployed, and preserved. Our ambition is to build an institution that contributes meaningfully to market development while maintaining the highest standards of governance and execution.”

The Chairman of the Group, Musa Bello added: “Financial institutions play a critical role in shaping economic outcomes, particularly in emerging markets where capital must be deployed with both precision and purpose. Griffin Capital Group represents a long-term commitment to building an institution that combines local market understanding with global standards of governance and execution.

“As Nigeria continues to deepen its capital markets and expand private sector participation, institutions with the capacity to structure, mobilize, and manage capital effectively will be essential. Our focus is not only on participating in this evolution, but on contributing to it in a meaningful and sustainable way.”

With a medium-to-long-term strategy focused on growth in assets under management and expanded participation across key sectors, Griffin Capital Group intends to play an active role in facilitating capital flows within Nigeria and across the African continent.

The Group’s integrated platform is expected to support a broad range of clients, including retail, corporates, institutional investors, development finance institutions, government institutions, and high-net-worth individuals, through tailored financial solutions and disciplined execution.


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Court Orders Globus Bank to Pay Firm N256m for Breach of Contract

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A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, presided by Justice Christopher Oba, has ordered Globus Bank Ltd to pay a total of N256 million to an Abuja-based company, Haril Global Solutions Ltd, for breaching a contractual agreement.

Court Orders Globus Bank to Pay Firm N256m for Breach of Contract

In the suit marked; FCT/HC/CV/1456/2026, Haril Global Solution Ltd, Chinedu Mba, Idris Olayiwola and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), were listed as Defendants to the counterclaim filed by the bank.

The Claimant filed the suit by way of Writ of Summons, wherein it complained of breach of contractual agreement and wrongful deductions running into millions of naira by the bank.

Delivering judgement on the matter, Justice Oba declared that there was a valid and subsisting contract between the Claimant and the Defendant, pursuant to the letter of offer of facility dated July 4, 2023, signed by both the Claimant and the Defendant and the Overdraft Facility Agreement executed between the Claimant and the Defendant dated July 4, 2023.

Subsequently, the Court made a declaration that the Claimant is entitled to the return of the Debt Service Reserve Fee Sum of One Hundred and Nine Million Naira (N109M) wrongfully withdrawn by the Defendant from the Claimant’s Debt Service Reserve Account with account number 4000006572 and transferred to the Claimant’s Overdraft with account number 1000085336 on December 29, 2023, contrary to the Overdraft facility Agreement executed between the Claimant and the Defendant dated July 4, 2023 and the letter of offer of facility dated July 4, 2023.

The Court also mandated the Defendant to return the sum of Twenty-Six Million, Seventy-Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight Naira Thirty-Two, kobo (N26,076,388.32) wrongfully withdrawn on January 31, 2024, from the account of the Claimant with account number 1000085336 as interest despite the fact that a Post-No-Debit has been placed on the Claimant’s account as a result of which the Claimant could not carry out his business.

In addition, the Judge ordered Globus Bank to return the sum of Fifteen Million Naira (N15,000,000.00) wrongfully withdrawn from the account of the Claimant on February 6, 2024, with account number 1000085336, with interest despite the fact that a Post-No-debit has been placed on the Claimant as a result of which the Claimant could not carry out its business.

The Court equally ordered the Defendant to pay the Claimant Five Million Naira (N5M) as general damages for breach of contract, as well as pay the Claimant the sum of One Million Naira (N1m) as the cost of this suit.

According to the Court, the Defendant breached the accepted Letter of offer of facility dated July 4, 2023, overdraft facility agreement executed between the Claimant and the Defendant dated July 4, 2023.

“A declaration of this honourable court is hereby made that the contract between the Claimant and the Defendant pursuant to the Letter of offer of facility dated the 4th July, 2023, and the Overdraft Facility Agreement executed between the Claimant and the Defendant dated 4th day of July 2023, is discharged by the breach occasioned by the Defendant.

“A declaration of this Honourable Court is hereby made that the defendant is liable to the Claimant for breach of contract thus liable to pay the Claimant general damages for breach of contract.

However, the court dismissed the counterclaim by Globus Bank on the ground that it failed to adduce credible evidence to establish its claims for fraud or unlawful interference with the contract terms by Haril Global Solutions Ltd.

The Counter-Claimant had alleged that the Claimant manipulated the system by debiting other merchants to credit its own account.

“However, no evidence was led to show which specific merchants were debited or to provide testimony from such third parties, the court stated.

Regarding the Police investigation report (Ex Q1-2), the court stated that the report did not indict the Claimant for the alleged fraud, noting that the report mentioned a figure of N900 million, which was vastly different from the N2.5 billion sought in the Counter-Claim.

The Judge held that the Police Investigation Report was a mere report and not a judicial pronouncement that the court can use to determine the allegation of fraud against the Claimant.

“Consequently, the Counter-Claimant has failed to provide cogent, credible, and compelling evidence to establish its claims for fraud or unlawful interference with trade.

“The reliefs sought in the Counter-Claim are declaratory and monetary in nature, and such reliefs cannot be granted on the basis of unsupported allegations or documents that have been expunged by the Court.

“In the circumstances, I find that the Counter-Claimant has failed to discharge both the legal and evidential burden of proof required by law.

“I hereby dismiss the counter-claim in its entirety for lack of merit. On the whole, the case of the Claimant succeeds” Justice Oba said.


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