Telecom
ITSSP Amplifies its Voice on Critical Cyber Security Issues Mitigating smooth ICT Development
The Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) is set to address critical cyber security issues mitigating smooth development of information security in Nigeria.
Professor Adesina Sodiya, President, Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) disclosed this on tuesday during a press conference meant to address critical cyber security issues mitigating smooth development of information security in Nigeria.
Sodiya, bemoans business owners for their unwilling to invest in basic security management and control systems, and assumes that the IT department will take care of any security issues that may arise.
He emphasized that it is important for the organisations to understand the nature of threats against their businesses and the impact of a breach on production, finances, intellectual property and reputation.
He said, “Organizations must continuously monitor their networks and have the ability to detect and mitigate intrusions as quickly as possible.
“Every organisation must develop information security policies, procedures and plans; and these need to be updated regularly and enforced to help keep pace with the constantly evolving threat landscape. Human beings are often the weakest link”.
According to Prof. Sodiya, an extremely high proportion of attacks involve social engineering approach.
“Many Nigerians, and even people all over the world, are still increasingly fallen victims of socially engineered attacks.
“In 2016, there are records that financial institutions in Nigeria faced Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS).
“This confirms that online activities are not completely secured.
“Security awareness and training are therefore indispensable.
“Attackers may be using customized attacks, but operating methods typically remain the same.
“Looking ahead at the future, security will probably be established by balancing controls and risks to produce scalable and flexible strategies.
“More persistent internal monitoring and sharing of security intelligence are necessary for a more effective security approach.
“For a security strategy to be workable for the present and the long terms, it is important to look ahead.
“Organizations tend to focus on reacting to security threats rather than being proactive.
“Functioning in this way provides no future growth in the adoption of the security framework.
“It is essential that organizations remain flexible and adaptable to achieve the long term security benefits.
“The organizations current security state, relative to the risk they are willing to take and effective security alignment will determine the achievable desired security posture for the future”.
Vice President of ITSSP, Liberty Echewodoh, highlighted the need to understand that information security in not only about firewalls, antivirus software and passwords.
“Information security is a continuous process that requires modern approaches and persistent management.
Collaborative strategy and efficient practices are required in protecting valuable assets of organisation to achieve major security goals of confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA)”, he said.
Meanwhile, Professor Sodiya, added that in the light of the above, it will then require inter-professional expertise and collaboration from IT Security Experts, Investigation officers, Prosecuting officers, Lawyers, Judges and Courts with enough experience to adjudicate in any judicial resolution that involves e-driven activities.
“It is therefore an enormous task to focus on capacity building and sustainability in an environment that is embracing multi-facet e-services like ours without equal amount of energy geared towards developing necessary structures.
He listed the challenges as:
In financial sector, the enormity of fraudulent activities going on daily as being reported periodically by the Fraud Forum Unit of CBN is alarming.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, the Courts, and Federal Bureau of Statistics cannot provide sufficient data that can mitigate such activities adequately.
Some banks also experienced distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack in the last two years.
More and more individuals and organisations continue to experience different levels and types of cyber-attacks in Nigeria.
It has been forecasted that the next world war will be fought in the cyberspace. How prepared are we?
There is now cold cyber war all over the world.
“Do we have well experience information security experts in various organization?
|What is the level of cyber readiness in various organization?
“Where is IT Security Policy for National, State, Agencies, Higher Institutions of learning, as well as coordinating strategies; Media houses both Print and Electronics are not left out because they currently depend on e-platforms to function effective nowadays”.
In view of the above, ITSSP calls for full Implementation of the Cybercrime Act 2018; “Professional bodies should be included in the Council”, the President said.
“ITSSP calls for efficient and coordinated Computer Emergency Response (CERT).
“The Cyber Security Act that domicile in National Security Adviser’s office should create a civil arm of Cyber Security in executing its mandate like (Computer Emergency Response Team ‘CERT Nigeria’) with the professional agencies such as NITDA, CPN, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), NBA where civilian population can easily relate, because the NSA is currently being viewed as arm forces affairs only.
“Strong Collaboration with relevant government agencies. In order to effectively curb the menace of cyber criminals in Nigeria, we seek strong collaboration with relevant stakeholders like CBN, NIRA, NCC, NPF, ICPC, EFCC, NITDA, NBA and banking institutions in Nigeria.
“Relevant government security agencies like Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“There is need for adequate and accurate cybercrime data and statistics in the country.
“The system for realising this should be developed and maintained by ITSSP. ITSSP will develop an intelligent incident handling system.
“Support for capacity building in all areas of Information Security.
“NITDA and other stakeholders should support the development of high level skill in Information Technology.
“Of greatest importance is capacity building in this area, the Cyber Crime Art of 2015 in trying to address this established a fund for such development to be managed by its board.
“As it is now, this fund account is yet to be opened not to talk of collecting fund into it despite the fact that the Board had been in existence for over a year; just like NITDA also set up Information Security Department saddle with responsibility of Cyber Security.
“Civil arm of Cyber security coordination to complement what was done by NSA.
Mr. Rogba Adeoye, ITSSP National Secretary, In his contribution, said that all stakeholders must join and cooperate in fighting the cyber security warfare.
“We need to be proactive and not only reactive. We need to rapidly promote and develop information security in Nigeria”, he said.
Information Technology Systems and Security Professionals (ITSSP) is an information security group of the Nigeria Computer Society, with the major goal of promoting and developing Information Security in Nigeria.
Telecommunications subscribers in the country could soon be paying 5 percent more for data and voice services if President Bola Tinubu signs Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 into law.
Passed in the Senate on May 8, 2025, the bill reintroduces a controversial 5 percent excise tax on telecom services, a move telecom operators, subscribers and consumer rights groups have strongly opposed.
The bill revived the excise tax first introduced in the Finance Act of 2020 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had suspended the tax in July 2023, citing concerns that it could exacerbate inflation and hinder access to digital services, especially for low-income Nigerians.
The 2020 Finance Act had expanded the list of goods and services subject to excise duty, including telecom services.
However, the measure drew immediate and widespread criticism from telecom operators and consumer advocacy groups, who argued that the additional cost would burden citizens and increase the price of essential services in an already fragile economy.
Excise duty is a tax on certain goods produced or sold within a country and other activities as may be specified in the enabling law, including services.
As contained in the 2022 Finance Act, the tax is chargeable on all services regulated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (“NCC”) listed as postpaid and prepaid services at the rate of 5% for 2022, 2023 & 2024.
According to a report by PWC at the time, prior to the suspension of excise duty on certain goods in 2009, excise duty was applicable on recharge cards/vouchers.
The telecommunication companies are to pay the tax based on the excisable value of postpaid and prepaid services.
In July 2023, President Tinubu signed an Executive Order suspending the “5% Excise Tax on telecommunication services as well as the Excise Duties escalation on locally manufactured products.”
Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) has released its annual Travel Trends 2025 report, revealing the latest consumer spending insights and motivation when it comes to travel.
Cross-border movement is often influenced by the most pressing economic factors of the moment, such as exchange rates and geopolitical tensions. However, these are not the only factors driving consumers’ travel spending decisions, including those in Africa. Personal and purpose-driven factors remain powerful even when economic uncertainty looms.
Building on the resilience of the global travel sector seen last year, the 2025 report highlights how destinations across the African continent are increasingly appealing to tourists and, creating additional opportunities for local markets to develop tourism.
“Africa is emerging as a global leader in purpose-driven travel, where nature, wellness, and culinary experiences are redefining the continent’s tourism landscape. These trends present a powerful opportunity to drive inclusive growth, support local economies, and position Africa as a key player in the future of global tourism,” said Mark Elliot, division president, Africa, Mastercard.
Whether drawn by Namibia’s wellness retreats, South Africa’s wilderness experiences or Morocco’s vibrant culinary scene, travelers are expanding their horizons beyond traditional hotspots.
“Tourism is playing an important role in Africa’s growth story. Travelers are increasingly drawn to the continent’s natural beauty, culinary diversity, and wellness experiences. While economic and geopolitical factors matter, the pursuit of meaningful, purpose-driven travel remains strong. The Mastercard Economics Institute’s report sheds light on how countries are tapping into this trend to attract visitors and boost local economies,” said Khatija Haque, chief economist EEMEA, Mastercard Economics Institute.
By exploring a full range of travel motivations, the report identifies the main themes shaping travel today:
Africa trends:
- Nature-fueled adventures: South Africa and Zambia dominate cross-border spending around national park areas. Spending around South Africa’s major national parks far outpaced that of other countries, with nearly a quarter of the cross-border spending occurring within these zones. Zambia is also highly ranked as an outdoor adventure destination.
- Culinary crossroads: Marrakech ranks highly on the foodie list with its median restaurant hosting tourists from many different countries, often to enjoy meals of tagine and b’stilla. Cape Town is also on the list, with its bobotie dish proving popular with visitors.
- Wellness in the wild: Africa is establishing itself as a global leader in wellness-centered travel as consumers prioritize rejuvenation and self-care. Namibia, South Africa and Botswana are among the top destinations for travelers seeking spa-style and nature-based retreats and immersive eco lodges. Kenya is also ranked among the top 20 destinations for wellness In the Mastercard Wellness Index 2025.
Other global trends:
- Spa, summit and savor: Personal passions and goals motivate travel choices. Adventure-seekers are heading to the Nordics, where Finland’s national parks account for 7.1% of cross-border spending in the country.
- Summer destination draws: The Asia-Pacific region commands the list of trending summer destinations. Flight booking data reveals the top global destinations gaining most momentum for June-September travel, relative to last year. Tokyo is the number one trending spot for summer 2025, followed by Osaka and then Paris.
- Fuelled by fans: Fans travel internationally to see their favorite teams and athletes play. Case in point? During Shohei Ohtani’s World Series debut, spending by Japanese visitors in Los Angeles surged by 91%, six times the broader cross-border boost.
- Money matters: Despite geopolitical tensions and fluctuating prices, the factors that motivate consumers to travel are often more complex than just economic. But currency depreciation can make certain destinations, like Japan, more attractive due to their better value for money.
- Wheeling and dealing closer to home: In general, business travelers favor longer trips within their own regions, driven by hybrid work models and geopolitical uncertainty. However, there are exceptions, with UK businesses spending a growing share of their travel budgets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Mastercard is dedicated to helping the global tourism sector grow through market analysis and high-frequency, data-driven insights that enhance the travel experience. By empowering destinations and businesses to better understand evolving consumer trends, Mastercard is helping to shape a more connected and resilient future for travel across Africa.
You can view the full “Travel Trends 2025: Purpose-driven journeys” and other reports and insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute can be found here.
Nigeria is set to receive telecommunications equipment and fibre optic infrastructure worth $3 billion in June 2025, according to Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
Speaking during a panel session at the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) organised by the World Bank, Tijani revealed that the equipment valued at $1 billion was expected to arrive in the country by mid-2025.
He added that an additional $2 billion worth of fibre optic cables would soon be delivered to boost Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
According to him, the initiative aims to significantly enhance communication services across the country and bridge the connectivity gap.
Tijani also noted that a pilot phase targeting over 20 million Nigerians who currently lack access to any form of telecommunications would soon be launched.
The Nigeria Development Update (NDU) is a bi-annual World Bank report that assesses the country’s recent economic and social developments, policy directions, and provides recommendations to address emerging challenges.
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