E-Business

Global Enterprises Loss Over $315Bn to Organized Crime Annually

Published

12 years ago

March 18, 2014

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Enterprises worldwide are expected to spend nearly $500 billion in 2014 to deal with issues caused by malware deliberately loaded onto pirated software — $127 billion dealing with security issues.

Middle East and Africa will account for $8 billion of the costs and $364 billion dealing with data breaches, according to a new joint study conducted by IDC and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Global consumers, on the other hand, are expected to spend $25 billion, including Middle East and African consumers who will pay $2 billion, on security threats and costly computer fixes stemming from malware on pirated software.

This will also amount to 1.2 billion hours of wasted time in 2014.

The study, titled “The Link Between Pirated Software and Cybersecurity Breaches,” also revealed that 60 percent of consumers surveyed say their greatest fear from infected software is the loss of data, files or personal information, followed by unauthorized Internet transactions (51 percent) and hijacking of email, social networking and bank accounts (50 percent).

However, 43 percent of those same respondents do not install security updates, leaving their computers open to attack by cybercriminals.

“There is now a firm link between the detected malware on illicit software and criminal organizations, for which malware in pirated software can be a lucrative vector for cyberattacks. With many of these criminal organisations also behind the distribution of infected software, it means that an increase in software piracy translates to an increased vulnerability to cyberattacks,” said Daniel Kamau, anti-piracy lead for sub-Saharan Africa. “In the sub-Saharan region, the internet population is fast growing, meaning a large and unsuspecting base of targets to cybercriminals. Combine this with the lack of strong cybercrime laws and high piracy rate on the continent and its clear why we’re seeing more and more people fall victim to attacks.”

Government officials expressed concern about the potential impact of cybersecurity threats to their nations. According to the survey, governments are most worried about the loss of business trade secrets or competitive information (59 percent), unauthorized access to confidential government information (55 percent), and the impact of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure (55 percent).

It is estimated that governments could lose more than $50 billion to deal with the costs associated with malware on pirated software.

The African continent accounts for only 2 percent of global GDP, yet it accounts for 10 percent of global cybercrime incidents.

Across the continent, governments are increasingly partnering with local associations and vendors to combat the scourge of piracy and the associated risk of cybercrime.

In Nigeria, Microsoft has already partnered with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to combat piracy, which according to the 2011 BSA Global Software Piracy Study, currently sits at 83% across the East and Southern Africa region.

On this occasion of “The Microsoft Play it Safe Day”, The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) would like to remind all Nigerians that:

a) “Supplying pirated software material is a criminal offence under The Copyright Act, which can earn the supplier, a fine of up to a 1000 Naira for each offending item and or a custodial sentence of up to 5 years in prison. Furthermore, anyone who buys pirated software material may find themselves being charged as an accessory to a criminal offence.

“b) Apart from the criminal charge; supplying pirated software material, is also a civil infringement of the copyright owners’ rights; which apart from the criminal sentence, can also simultaneously attract heavy monetary damages against the offending supplier.

“c) Using pirated software, leaves the computer or other implicated system of such user exposed to malware, cybercrime/cyber insecurity, which can put sensitive personal and or business information at risk, “ Afam Ezekude, executive director, Nigerian Copyright Commission.

The Nigerian Copyright Commission, encourages all Nigerians to “Play It Safe”; stay out of prison; keep you from punitive civil liability; protect your computers and digital systems from malware and cybercrime, do not supply or patronize pirated software.

“Cybercriminals are profiting from any security lapse they can find, with financially devastating results for everyone,” said David Finn, executive director and associate general counsel, Microsoft Cybercrime Center.

“Motivated by money, they’ve found new ways to break into computer networks so they can grab whatever they want: your identity, your passwords and your money. That’s why at the Microsoft Cybercrime Center, we’re focused on putting an end to these malicious acts to keep personal and financial data safe and secure, while reducing the financial incentive for criminals.”

The study was released yesterday as part of Microsoft’s “Play It Safe” campaign, a global initiative to create greater awareness of the connection between malware and piracy.

Additional highlights from the survey include that nearly two-thirds of enterprise losses ($315 billion) will be at the hands of organized criminals.

Also nearly 20 percent of the pirated software in enterprises is installed by employees.

And twenty-eight percent of enterprise respondents reported security breaches causing network, computer or website outages occurring every few months or more; 65 percent of those outages involved malware on end-user computers.

“Using pirated software is like walking through a field of landmines: You don’t know when you’ll come upon something nasty, but if you do it can be very destructive,” said John Gantz, chief researcher at IDC. “The financial hazards are considerable, and the potential losses could leave once-profitable businesses on shaky ground. Buying legitimate software is less expensive in the long run — at least you know that you won’t get anything ‘extra’ in the form of malware.”

The NUS forensics analysis of 203 new PCs loaded with pirated software found that a staggering 61 percent of the PCs were pre-infected with unsafe malware, including Trojans, worms, viruses, hacktools, rootkits and adware.

These PCs, purchased through resellers and PC shops in 11 markets, included more than 100 discrete threats.

“It is hugely concerning that brand new PCs are coming pre-infected with dangerous malware due to pirated software, making the users and companies readily vulnerable to security breaches,” said Professor Biplab Sikdar, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore.

“The university’s forensic tests clearly indicate how cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging the unsecure supply chain of piracy to spread malware and compromise PC security in a serious way. We would only recommend usage of genuine software for online safety and cybersecurity.”

The global study surveyed 1,700 consumers, IT workers, chief information officers, and government officials in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and analyzed 203 computers acquired in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

This year’s research is an extension of IDC’s 2013 study, “The Dangerous World of Counterfeit and Pirated Software,” differentiated by the attitude of government officials as well as the analysis of new markets, making the economic connection to cybercrime.

Whether an individual user, a small business, enterprise or even a government institution, all are encouraged to buy new computers from reputable sources to ensure they receive genuine software.

Microsoft said it is committed to protecting its unsuspecting consumers from downloading or purchasing no genuine software that exposes victims to malware that can lead to identity theft, loss of data and system failures.

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E-Business

FG Bans Use of Gmail, Other Personal Emails for Civil Service Operations

Published

2 days ago

June 20, 2026

Ebere Melum-Nwogbo

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Federal government has banned the use of personal email accounts, such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Hotmail, for official public-sector transactions, mandating that civil servants transition to a secure, institutional digital platform.

FG Bans Use of Gmail, Other Personal Emails for Civil Service Operations

This ban requires all government officials to use secure institutional platforms with the approved .gov.ng domain to safeguard sensitive data.

The announcement was made in Abuja by Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head, the Civil Service of the Federation, during a digital transformation summit held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.

According to Walson-Jack, the government has activated more than 115,000 official GovMail accounts to ensure that communication within the federal civil service remains secure, professional, and easy to track.

She said government activities should no longer rely on personal email services or informal channels that make record-keeping difficult.

The Head of service explained that official information must remain within government systems even when an officer leaves a position.

This, she said, will help preserve important records and prevent the loss of government information tied to individual workers.

The Head of Service also disclosed that the Federal Government achieved a major target by completing the digitalisation of work processes across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments before the end of December 2025.

She described the development as proof that reforms can succeed when there is clear leadership and commitment from government institutions.

According to her, the achievement shows that the civil service is capable of adapting to modern methods of operation.

Walson-Jack recalled that in the past, government files could easily be delayed, misplaced, or trapped in lengthy approval processes.

She said the shift to digital systems now makes it easier to monitor documents, improve accountability, and measure progress in government operations.

Walson-Jack added that the paperless civil service initiative is aimed at making government work more efficient by cutting delays, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, improving transparency, and allowing records to be retrieved and processed faster.

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E-Business

Payaza Launches AI-powered Storefront Platform to Drive Cross-border Commerce

Published

2 days ago

June 20, 2026

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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Payaza Africa Limited has launched Shopaza, an artificial intelligence-powered e-commerce platform designed to help African businesses and merchants sell products and receive payments more efficiently across multiple markets.

The platform, unveiled in Lagos, is aimed at simplifying cross-border commerce by providing merchants with integrated payment infrastructure, AI-enabled business tools and access to international markets through a single platform.

According to the company, Shopaza is available across 23 countries in Africa, North America and Europe, where Payaza currently operates, offering businesses a scalable platform to manage online sales and payments.

Speaking at the launch, Seyi Ebenezer, Chief Executive Officer of Payaza Africa, described Shopaza as a major step toward unlocking Africa’s commerce potential.

“Africa’s commerce potential has always been there. What was missing was the infrastructure to unlock it.

“At Payaza, we have spent years building the payments backbone that businesses across this continent rely on. Shopaza is the natural next step, taking everything we have built and putting it directly in the hands of merchants who deserve better tools, better access, and better opportunities.

“Today, we are not just launching a product. We are making a statement that African businesses can compete and win on a global scale. Shopaza is live in 23 countries. The infrastructure is ready, the vision is clear, and we are just getting started,” he said.

Also speaking, Sola Ashiru, Group Head of Marketing and Communications at Payaza Africa, said the platform was developed after a comprehensive assessment of the African e-commerce landscape.

“We studied the African e-commerce ecosystem carefully and identified three critical gaps holding merchants back: limited access to AI-powered tools, weak payments infrastructure, and a broken settlement process. Shopaza was built specifically to close those gaps.

“This is not a rushed product; it is a well-thought-out solution to the most persistent pain points in African commerce today. While we are launching in Nigeria, our operational footprint already spans Africa, North America, and Europe.

“We have also established partnerships with local entities across key markets to drive grassroots adoption. Ultimately, we have solved an African problem, and Africans need to know about it,” he said.

Ashiru further explained that Shopaza offers an all-in-one solution designed to simplify selling and accelerate business growth for merchants.

“The platform features AI-powered onboarding and smart selling tools that enable users to set up quickly, manage storefronts with ease, and optimise pricing and product listings for improved performance.

“Shopaza also provides free, integrated marketing tools to boost visibility and help merchants attract and retain customers without additional costs,” Ashiru noted.

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E-Business

NIPOST Plans Digital Postcodes for Every Building in Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

June 18, 2026

Ebere Melum-Nwogbo

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Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing a National Digital Postcode System to assign a unique digital address to every addressable building across the country.

NIPOST Plans Digital Postcodes for Every Building in Nigeria

Speaking at the unveiling of the Post Code Delineation Model Validation 2026 in Abuja, Tola Odeyemi, postmaster general and chief executive officer, NIPOST, said the initiative would establish a machine-readable standard location-address framework for buildings nationwide.

“Postcode is basically a framework used to have a machine-readable standard location address for every addressable building in Nigeria,” Odeyemi said.

She explained that the project would place Nigeria among the first countries in Africa to develop a postcode system down to the unit level, ensuring that each standing building is assigned a unique code.

According to her, the digital postcode system is expected to enhance service delivery, logistics operations, emergency response, and national planning by improving the identification of locations across the country.

Odeyemi noted that the diversity of Nigeria’s geography necessitated different approaches to address mapping and postcode allocation.

“Nigeria is a large country. We have all the way from the top of Nigeria, which is almost like the Sahel, to the Savannah, to the Middle Belt, to the tropical South and even to the riverine areas.

“The logic that will work for Jigawa is not the same logic that will work for Bayelsa because they have completely different geographical expressions, density of buildings, population distribution, and topography,” she said.

She said the postcode delineation process was designed to ensure that postcode boundaries align with existing administrative structures and do not overlap local government boundaries.

“Delineation has to make sure the postcode does not pass administrative boundaries, and it must not go across two local government areas,” Odeyemi stated.

The NIPOST boss further explained that the validation exercise involves testing aerially mapped polygons against actual settlement patterns and geographical realities in different parts of the country.

“To test the polygons we have drawn aerially, we must ensure they accurately reflect realities on the ground. For example, the density of buildings in Lagos, particularly in Mushin, is very different from the density of buildings in Abuja. We are making sure that density maps and topographical features are properly captured for each state in Nigeria,” she said.

She described the Post Code Delineation Model Validation exercise as a critical stage in the agency’s broader digital addressing initiative, which seeks to create a comprehensive and standardised postcode framework for the country.

Nigeria has long grappled with an inefficient addressing system, making it difficult to accurately identify locations for postal services, logistics, emergency response, and public planning.

NIPOST’s National Digital Postcode System is part of efforts to create a standardised and technology-driven addressing framework that assigns a unique code to every addressable building in the country.

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