Mastercard has expanded its operations in West Africa by opening its first office in Ghana, in its capital Accra. According to the multinational payments network company, the expansion aims to bolster Ghana’s digital economy and support financial inclusion.

Mastercard says Ghana offers fertile ground for the company to enhance its geographical presence in West Africa, citing the country’s growth in key sectors like agriculture, mining and digital infrastructure.

In addition to the new office, Mastercard has partnered with several companies including Kalabash, KaiOS, Boost, Smile ID, Access Bank and Fidelity Bank to enhance cross-border payment solutions, empower local fintechs and enhance access to digital services for underserved communities.

“Our growth strategy for West Africa is ambitious, and establishing a formal presence here allows us to better serve the specific needs of our customers. We are eager to leverage our global expertise and innovative capabilities to introduce advanced payment technologies in this market,” commented Mark Elliott, division president for Africa at Mastercard.

For Folasade Femi-Lawal, country manager and area business head, West Africa, Mastercard, the expansion is about growing the local economy.

She says: “We are committed to attracting and nurturing top talent and fostering an ecosystem that aims to contribute positively to the local economy and technological advancement.”

As concerns about the use of AI in cyberattacks increase, companies worldwide are racing to bolster their cybersecurity strategies, according to a Kaspersky survey.

In a new study the cybersecurity company revealed that 92% of IT and Information Security professionals surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region expect the use of AI by malicious actors to escalate over the next two years.

This growing threat is prompting organisations to prioritise cyber defense expertise, with many turning to cybersecurity vendors for specialised support and training.

In its latest study titled “Cyber defense & AI: Are you ready to protect your organisation?” Kaspersky gathered insights from IT and Information Security professionals across SMEs and large enterprises. The findings underscore the urgent need to prepare for AI-driven cyberattacks.

To combat these evolving threats, companies place high value on cybersecurity expertise, with 94% of respondents in the META region highlighting the importance of growing internal expertise through training for in-house employees, and 93% underscoring the need for external expertise provided by cybersecurity vendors. This need spans sectors from retail to critical infrastructure, emphasising a universal demand for advanced threat protection.

To reinforce their cyber protection, organisations are actively integrating both internal and external expertise. Currently, 36% of companies surveyed in the META region are either implementing or planning to deploy external support to adapt to the evolving threat landscape, while 34% are doing the same through internal training initiatives. Additionally, 61% already use external cybersecurity expertise, and 62% have training programs in place, underscoring a dual approach in fortifying their protection.

Cybersecurity vendors’ expertise can come in various forms, from specialised professional services that help organisations deploy their protection solutions, to advanced expert centers that focus on specific security challenges.

One of these centers is the Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center. It brings together the company’s AI research and development efforts, to deepen the protective capabilities of cybersecurity solutions.

Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at the Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center, says: “Our latest survey shows that businesses are acutely aware of the rising threat from AI-driven cyberattacks and are looking to reinforce their protection through comprehensive solutions, including the use of vendors’ extensive cybersecurity expertise.

The Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center plays a pivotal role by helping us leverage AI advancements to enhance our threat protection strategies and explore innovative ways of using AI in cybersecurity. It also enables us to address security concerns specific to AI itself, ensuring that businesses are prepared for the latest AI-driven threats.”

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismantled a fake hotel review syndicate and arrested four Chinese nationals and 101 Nigerians for their roles in the elaborate internet fraud scheme.

Victims were allegedly first lured into rating hotels in exchange for small sums of money.

Eventually they would be encouraged to make bookings in any of the rated hotels for as much as $500.

They were told that the company would pay them back with chunky interest into a crypto wallet bearing their names.

However, the victims would in the end not be able to open the wallet.

EFCC announced that the suspects operated out of Naka Hall Plaza on Abutu Garba Street in Gudu, Abuja, where agents recovered 100 compact workstations.

Dele Oyewale, spokesman, EFCC, said the suspects used fake foreign identities to target unsuspecting victims, primarily U.K. residents.

Authorities said the criminal network was allegedly led by the Chinese nationals, who recruited and trained Nigerian youths with advanced technical skills to act as customer service representatives.

These representatives followed a predesigned script to deceive their victims online.

The operation follows a separate crackdown weeks earlier, in which 792 suspects — including 148 Chinese nationals — were arrested for involvement in cryptocurrency and romance scams.

The foreign nationals allegedly used corporate apartments disguised as business centers to train their Nigerian accomplices. These accomplices were reportedly taught to initiate romance and investment scams and use their own identities to carry out fraudulent activities.

The EFCC also highlighted a concerning trend of foreign nationals instructing Nigerians in internet-related crimes.