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Intel Lauds Aso Villa Demo Day Initiative as 3 Winners Emerge

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(L-r): Demola Aladekomo, former GMD/CEO, Charms Plc; Acting Director-General of NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji; Country manager of Intel, Ekundare Olubunmi, and Michael Olajide, MD, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, at Aso Villa Demo Day 2016 ground final held at Aso Rock Banquet House, Abuja on Friday, September 2, 2016.
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Intel Corporation has described Federal Government’s Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD2016) Initiative as a critical computer and internet enabled approach to promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, job creation and

Grand finale of the Initiative that leverages new and emerging technologies held at Aso Villa State House Admin Banquet Hall, Abuja, on Friday, produced three winners- Tracology, RecyclePoints and Shuttlers NG and 27 other finalists.

The event which celebrated the tech startups’ innovation and creativity also featured inspiring talks from thought leaders and experts from different economic sectors in Nigeria.

Delivery closing speech President Muhammadu Buhari, represented Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, re-echoed that, “computer plays big role in our everyday lives, and even our extraordinary moments. Computer has become so powerful that youths today cannot say they want to be part of the government; they are already part of it and playing key roles”.

The President’s speech reaffirms Intel’s “With a Computer, You are Powerful” campaign launched last month and geared towards unlocking ability of young people to get online any time, read, research and explore different concepts that spur creative ideas for their business and/or lifestyle; “just a snippet of the kind of power a computer offers you.”

The Vice President said, “Most of the people who organised Aso Demo Day are working for the government in one capacity or the other with helping hands from the private sector. So, #AVDD2016 is the first titration in series of events mapped by the present administration to address employment and other economic issues in our country”.

VP Osibanjo who spoke reverently of Mark Zuckerberg, Founder/CEO of Facebook who was present at the event, also urged the Nigerian Youths not to relent on their pursuit of excellence in different endeavours.

He said, “We are happy to have Mark Zuckerberg in our midst as he has become source of inspiration to many youths. We are also working on different areas we are going to partner. Aso Villa Demo Day 2016 is the first titration; we look forward to more expanded programme by next year to give more youths the opportunity to express themselves”.

Nodding in agreement, Ekundare Olubunmi, Country manager of Intel, stated that the Aso Villa Demo pitch ties in appropriately to Intel’s core objectives of empowering Nigerians with technology.

He said” Technology is the backbone of the future economy. The rate of change brought about by technology and especially computers is exponential, hence, the reason Intel will continue to invest in technology and to support start -ups who have empowered themselves and Nigerians in general through the use of computer technology”

Three Winners Emerge
Shuttlers NG
Damilola Olokesusi and Oluwabusola Majekodunmi are co-founders of Shuttlers NG, a mass transit application that enables professionals to access comfortable and efficient transportation to and from work using seat matching technology.

Speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek Majekodunmi, said the application will redefine mass transit system in the country, particularly, traffic congested cities like in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja, among other.

“Shuttle professionals can book and track whatever journey they embark on to and fro. We have are working on the app, however, currently, professionals book on our site. When we refer to professionals, we mean, anyone that commutes to work or activities daily; we know how stressful it has been for people to drive to traffic without prior notice. We are entrenching safe, quality transport system that is affordable. We want to help the government maintain standard transportation system too.

“Through the application people can locate the jetties, bus stops and train stations. Someone can get to the jetty and prefer to continue his/her ride in a bus. So, currently, we run a subscription based model, but we are working towards enabling people book for, probably, cab via the system”.

Tracology
Tracology deploys Barcodes/QRcodes to residences serviced by registered utility/waste management companies.
 
These Barcodes/QRcodes are scanned on waste pickup day thereby verifying customers that have paid using electronic payment. The customers, in turn, pay online and on the delivery day.

Also speaking to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Emmanuel Okena, founder/CEO of Tracology said that the patented smart payment system will boost governments’ and utility companies’ revenue generation drive while engendering customer service satisfaction.

Okena said, “With Tracology we help government and utility companies whether it is waste, water or land use charge, we help them affix barcodes on the residence so that through the barcode it will be easier to identify their clients. It offers real time authentication of payment for services.

“We have seen with our technology is that it will enable us have cleaner cities, increased revenue generation, which leads to more civil serviced activities like building of roads, income generation, better return on investments for companies on our platform. It is a win-win situation for everybody that is involved.

“We like to thank Microsoft for giving us seed funding to position the company for early growth. Apart from the seed funding of N3.5million, they opened up the Microsoft Azure which we are using to post our software; supportive with mentorship and it has been a wonderful experience with Microsoft. “The next stage is for us to drive adoption across the country which will benefit all that will be part of it.

On his part, Alison Ukonu, CEO/founder, Recycle reiterated that RecyclePoints as a waste recycling and social benefit venture operates an incentive-based scheme which collects recyclable materials from post consumers and in turn rewards them with ‘points.’

These points, when accumulated, Ukonu said, could be used to redeem/shop for household items offered through its iRecycle store.

He told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that at RecyclePoints they encourage post-consumers to neatly separate and bag waste items for collection. Such items are: plastic waste; used beverage sachets; sachet water wastes; old newspapers; glass bottles, whether clear, amber or green and brown corrugated cartoons.

“So, registered subscribers are expected to call/sms us for recyclable wastes pickups. We operate a door-to-door collection or recyclable waste, through the services of RecyclablePoints registered wastebusters who are uniquely designed electric cargo tricycles to pickup and record quantities of waste collected from registered recyclers”.

He said that they have also mapped our designated drop-off centres called iRecycle Kiosks where post-consumers can on their own access to drop their recyclable waste materials.

 

 

 

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Study Reveals Majority of IT Professionals Show Openness to Cyber Immunity

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The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly, with organisations seeking more robust ways to protect their digital assets. A recent global study conducted by Kaspersky reveals a growing shift toward proactive security strategies, particularly the adoption of Secure by Design development and Cyber Immunity – an innovative approach that embeds resilience directly into system architecture.

The study highlights that 90% of cybersecurity professionals surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region are familiar with Secure by Design development. This methodology integrates security into the very fabric of a system from its inception, rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Such an approach is already employed in high-stakes industries like aerospace, where security cannot be bolted on later – it must be intrinsic. Despite its advantages, however, adoption has been slow due to challenges related to standardisation and cost.

Cyber Immunity is the next frontier in cybersecurity

Building on Secure by Design principles, Cyber Immunity takes cybersecurity a step further by creating systems that inherently resist attacks without the need for constant patching or additional security layers. The study reveals that most experts are familiar with Cyber Immunity but interpret it differently.

When asked what they associate with the term, 64% of respondents in the META region linked it to Secure by Design systems that remain resilient under attack, while 56% viewed it as a combination of technology and policy measures that block cybercriminal access. Another 48% connected it to highly skilled cybersecurity teams, indicating that while awareness is high, a unified understanding is still developing.

The growing demand for proactive security

One of the most striking findings is the optimism surrounding inherently secure systems. Over half of respondents in the META region (63%) believe it is already possible or definitely achievable to design systems capable of withstanding cyberattacks without relying on additional security solutions.

Another 32% think it might be possible, reflecting openness to this idea despite some uncertainty. This shift in mindset aligns with a broader industry trend: traditional reactive security measures are no longer sufficient.

With AI-powered threats and increasingly sophisticated attacks, organisations need solutions that do more than just detect breaches—they must prevent them by design.

Integrating Cyber Immunity into security strategies

The study emphasises that resilience, expertise, and flexibility will define the next generation of cybersecurity. While Secure by Design provides the methodology, Cyber Immunity represents the ultimate goal—systems so robust that they minimise reliance on external defences.

“For companies looking ahead, Cyber Immunity offers more than just protection — it brings clear business benefits. When systems are built to be secure from the ground up, there’s less need for constant updates, patches, and extra security tools. That means fewer costs, less strain on IT teams, and stronger, more reliable protection over time,” said Dmitry Lukiyan, Head of KasperskyOS Business Unit.

Most importantly in today’s threat landscape, Cyber Immunity offers robust protection against next-generation challenges — including AI-driven attacks capable of outmaneuvering traditional security measures.

When security becomes an intrinsic property of system architecture rather than an external addition, businesses gain more than just protection—they secure a competitive market advantage.

This proactive approach future-proofs critical infrastructure, enabling organisations to operate confidently even as threats evolve. It transforms cybersecurity from a defensive necessity into a strategic differentiator that accelerates digital transformation while mitigating risk.

As the cybersecurity environment becomes more complex, Cyber Immunity is emerging as a vital strategy. Organisations that adopt it now will not only enhance their protection but also position themselves ahead of the curve in an increasingly volatile digital world.

 


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Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

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Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform, has launched its inaugural 2026 shopping campaign, Konga Jara, offering 25 per cent discount on Starlink internet kits alongside free nationwide delivery.

Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

Konga

The campaign, drawing from the Nigerian concept of “jara” — the extra value traders add to purchases — aims to deliver exceptional deals across categories, helping shoppers turn new year aspirations into reality through affordable technology and value-driven shopping.

To qualify for the Starlink discount, customers must purchase kits on Konga.com, activate them at starlink.com/activate, and email activation details to [email protected] for verification against Starlink’s records. Discounts are subject to terms and conditions.

Konga said spotlighting Starlink underscores reliable internet’s role in Nigeria’s digital economy, supporting work, learning, entrepreneurship and communication for households and businesses.

Mr Onochie Melvin, Head of Commercial Planning at Konga, said: “We listened carefully to what Nigerians said they needed to truly kickstart 2026 on the right footing. Reliable internet connectivity emerged as the foundation upon which other aspirations depend.”

He added: “Students need it for online learning, entrepreneurs need it to scale digital businesses, and professionals rely on it for remote work. This Starlink offer is not just about selling products; it is about removing barriers that prevent Nigerians from fully participating in the digital economy.”

Beyond connectivity, Konga Jara provides genuine products from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with transparent pricing, warranties and authenticity guarantees.

As a composite e-commerce ecosystem, Konga integrates shopping, payments and logistics for seamless nationwide access, with exclusive deals shared via its social media channels throughout the campaign.

Shoppers can explore offers at www.konga.com and follow Konga’s official pages for updates across the Konga Group.


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Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

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The premiere of Avatar 3 has taken place in several countries and has been accompanied by a noticeable increase in online interest. Amid the heightened attention surrounding the release, Kaspersky experts identified an increase in cyber-scam campaigns that exploit the movie’s launch and users’ desire to watch it online. The fraudulent websites target users across multiple regions, indicating attempts by attackers to reach a global audience.

The scam operates as follows: cybercriminals create suspicious websites that offer online access to the Avatar 3 movie. Attackers place particular emphasis on localisation, publishing the sites in multiple languages to attract users from different countries. However, the translations are often poorly executed and contain grammatical errors and inconsistencies, which may serve as indicators of fraudulent activity.

When users attempt to start the video, they are presented with a fake media player and prompted to register in order to obtain “full” or “unlimited” access to the film. As part of the registration process, users are asked to provide personal information, including an email address and mobile phone number.

At later stages, scammers may request additional data, including payment details, under the guise of activating a “free trial.” This creates risks of credential compromise, particularly if users reuse passwords across multiple services, and may also lead to financial losses.

“Cybercriminals consistently exploit major movie premieres to capture users’ attention and increase the effectiveness of their schemes. We advise accessing films only through official platforms and exercising caution when encountering websites that request personal or payment information. It is also important to use reliable security solutions to protect all devices, including mobiles,” comments Olga Altukhova, Senior web content analyst at Kaspersky.

 


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