E-Business
IT Maturity Increasing Among MEA Manufacturers-IDC

With Middle East and Africa (MEA) manufacturers showing considerable enthusiasm for IT and comfortably outspending their counterparts in Central and Eastern Europe, the sector is well set for a significant boost in productivity and increase in competitiveness, according to the latest findings released today by IDC Manufacturing Insights.
A recent end-user survey conducted across MEA by IDC Manufacturing Insights shows that manufacturers in the Middle East, in particular, now view IT as an area that can help accelerate their manufacturing maturity.
To this end, more comprehensive and competitive IT strategies are being put in place in core MEA countries, and more mature decisions regarding IT environments are being made, with customer-oriented initiatives and integration across the enterprise resonating particularly strongly.
IT solutions that can be developed around the core enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite are also being viewed as powerful tools for fulfilling key strategic objectives.
“MEA manufacturers are becoming more mature in their use of IT,” said Martin Kuban, IDC Manufacturing Insights’ lead research analyst for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMA)
“Ongoing industrialization and market optimism have translated into increased IT spending, which has helped to accelerate this process. IDC forecasts that 2014 will be a very dynamic year in terms of IT deployments in the MEA manufacturing vertical.”
Focusing in closer detail on the so-called ‘3rd Platform’ technologies of mobile computing, cloud, social media, and Big Data, IDC Manufacturing Insights’ survey findings confirm that these are still niche segments in MEA.
Nevertheless, IT budgets for the deployment of these progressive technologies are constantly rising across the region, particularly in relation to cloud.
Mobility and Big Data analytics are currently regarded as the new technologies that bring the most value to the MEA manufacturing industry.
Social business remains small, while cloud computing is a pervasive IT force currently influencing all new IT purchases across the region; smaller and more agile manufacturing companies, in particular, are increasingly setting up their IT environments based on the IaaS and SaaS delivery models.
IDC Manufacturing Insights’ survey findings revealed the following key insights into manufacturing value chains:
Asset-oriented manufacturers are generally less dynamic with their IT investments and less flexible in terms of undergoing internal change; however, they are showing signs of transformation, driven primarily by the changing external environment and stronger competition.
Brand-oriented manufacturers are most visibly strengthening their customer orientation by enforcing supply-chain collaboration and business intelligence in an effort to succeed in the more competitive and demanding consumer markets.
Engineering-oriented manufacturers continue to pursue quality and manufacturing excellence, with cost featuring at the top of mind for most of their IT decisions.
Technology-oriented manufacturers form the most dynamic manufacturing value chain; they easily recognize the value of utilizing IT within the manufacturing process, and consequently show the most enthusiasm for adopting 3rd Platform technologies.
E-Business
Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

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
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.
E-Business
Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

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.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

Galaxy Backbone (GBB) aligns with and celebrates the successful announcement by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the achievement of a Paperless Civil Service, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public sector reform and digital transformation agenda.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.
GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.
In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards—key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.
Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, Acting Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).
GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.
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