News
ITU Connect2Recover to Boost Africa’s Post-COVID Connectivity
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has launched the Connect2Recover Initiative, which will initially focus on Africa, helping the continent accelerate digital transformation post-COVID-19.
The ITU says Africa is the least connected continent, and is expected to be hit hardest by COVID-19 in socio-economic terms. It adds that Connect2Recover reinforces long-standing efforts to accelerate digital transformation on the continent and help achieve long-term development goals.
At the launch of the initiative last week, the world telecommunications body noted that out of the 25 least connected countries in the world, 21 are in Africa, with nearly 300 million Africans living more than 50km from a fibre or cable broadband connection.
“Access to high-speed Internet thus remains out of reach for many Africans, hindering their ability to fully harness the potential of digital transformation,” says the ITU.
It notes that Connect2Recover seeks to expand access to affordable and reliable connectivity, which is an essential aspect of countries’ COVID-19 recovery strategies.
ITU secretary-general Houlin Zhao explains: “The ITU, and the wider international community, is transitioning from aiding countries with their immediate response to COVID-19, to helping countries prepare for and adjust to a ‘new normal’.
“As the United Nations is calling on its member states to ‘build back better’, Connect2Recover represents the ITU’s contribution by facilitating socio-economic recovery through the use of digital infrastructure, services and applications, thanks to the generous support of the Japanese government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Connect2Recover is backed by the ministry of internal affairs and communications of Japan and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement, the ITU says COVID-19 has highlighted that digital infrastructure is not just a convenience but an essential requirement for fully-fledged participation in society and the economy.
“Broadband connectivity has proved vital in helping countries’ businesses and citizens adapt and respond to the pandemic, enabling them to access the latest health information and continue working, learning and socialising remotely.”
How it works
The Connect2Recover initiative will consist of three key elements.
First, the initiative will develop a methodology for identifying gaps and bottlenecks in the use of digital networks and technologies at country level; to respond to and mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as preparedness for any similar emergencies in the future; and to enable recovery and readiness for the ‘new normal’.
According to the ITU, on the basis of this methodology, Connect2Recover will also assist countries in assessing their needs, gaps and bottlenecks, and develop strategies to ensure the digital infrastructure and ecosystems adequately support recovery efforts and the ‘new normal’.
“These strategies will be designed in line with global best practices, as well as with other relevant policy tools developed by ITU and other relevant organisations.”
Lastly, the ITU says, Connect2Recover will conceptualise and implement pilot projects to test specific technological solutions in line with national country strategies and policies.
“The project will also undertake deep-dive studies in specific areas of digital policy as prioritised by the selected countries, such as digital finance, e-education, e-health, e-government, or teleworking.”
Minoru Terada, state minister for internal affairs and communications of Japan, comments on the initiative: “Digital technology is playing a vital role to respond to and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Under these circumstances, our project aims at improving the connectivity through the development of resilient broadband networks to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among African countries.”
“COVID-19 has demonstrated the vital importance of meaningful connectivity and it has also served as a wake-up call to the global community to renew efforts to connect the 3.6 billion people still offline,” says Doreen Bogdan-Martin, director of the ITU telecommunication development bureau.
“Connect2Recover represents a first step in our journey to recovery and preparedness. I applaud the commitment of Japan and Saudi Arabia, and I invite all stakeholders to join this initiative to help advance real and rapid progress for all.”
Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd, in a strategic move to modernise its operations and foster a results-oriented workforce, has officially adopted the Federal Government’s Performance Management System (PMS).
The initiative, aimed at driving efficiency and institutionalising accountability, was marked by an intensive staff training program designed to align the agency’s operations with national performance goals and the Presidency’s vision for a digital-first public sector.
According to a statement from Stephen Kwande, the Agency’s acting head of Corporate Affairs, “the transition to PMS is a departure from historical evaluation methods. The new system is designed to provide real-time performance tracking and instill a stronger work ethic across all directorates”.
Welcoming participants, Mrs. Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, managing director/CEO of NIGCOMSAT, represented by Abiodun Attah, executive diirector, Technical Services, described the adoption as “long overdue.”
She emphasised that the system is critical for ensuring that NIGCOMSAT contributes effectively to Nigeria’s broader digital economy targets.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Chinwe Udogu, general manager, Human Resources Management, expressed NIGCOMSAT’s enthusiasm for the program, urging staff to dedicate themselves fully to the three-day training.
She noted that the exercise was pivotal in repositioning the company to achieve its highest aspirations.
The training consultant, Mrs. Njoku Chioma, said the program is expected to drive culture change, automate work processes, and strengthen institutional performance.
The three-day training, jointly organised by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and NIGCOMSAT Management, covers key themes including:
• Overview of the FCSSI25 as an institutional performance-driven Federal Civil/Public Service
• Service culture and workplace attitude in the Nigerian public sector
• Implementation of the Performance Management System in NIGCOMSAT
• Application of Artificial Intelligence tools to enhance performance in the Nigerian public sector
The move comes at a time when NIGCOMSAT is expanding its footprint, with recent initiatives like the 2026 SpaceTech Accelerator Programme and partnerships for grassroots digital skills training.
By strengthening its internal management framework, the agency aims to ensure that its technical advancements in satellite technology are matched by an equally efficient administrative engine.
Most companies choose to outsource at least part of their Security Operations Center (SOC), with a significant number adopting SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS), according to global research by Kaspersky.
This strategic move enables organisations to benefit from round-the-clock protection, ensure compliance with regulatory standards and leverage advanced cybersecurity solutions and qualified expertise that are often beyond their internal capabilities.
As cyberthreats become increasingly sophisticated, organisations are rethinking how they build and operate their Security Operations Centers. With this in mind, Kaspersky carried out a comprehensive global survey to identify the main motivations, strategic goals, and potential challenges associated with its planning and implementation¹.
The findings of this research revealed that 64% of companies plan to outsource part of their SOC, combining internal capabilities with external expertise.
Meanwhile, over a quarter of respondents (26%) are ready to fully implement an SOC-as-a-Service (SOCaaS) model. By contrast, only 9% plan to build their SOC entirely in-house, highlighting the growing challenges of maintaining round-the-clock monitoring and attracting qualified specialists.
SOC outsourcing enables organisations to delegate selected SOC functions or even the entire operational cycle to a trusted external provider. This approach can include a variety of services:
Design and architecture of the SOC.
Deployment and maintenance of SOC technologies.
Monitoring and analysis by external security analysts.
Consulting and training services.
Full SOCaaS delivery, where the provider handles detection, investigation and response around the clock.
Most companies prefer maintaining strategic tasks internally, whilst leveraging external teams and advanced technologies for operational and highly technical workloads. Among organisations planning to outsource SOC functions, the most commonly delegated tasks to third-party providers included solution installation and deployment (55%), solution development and provisioning (53%), and SOC design (47%).
When engaging external SOC specialists, companies also showed a clear preference for augmenting specific roles, with first-line analysts (61%) and second-line analysts (52%) being the most in-demand among external specialists. These figures illustrate that companies focus more on frontline and intermediate security tasks, such as monitoring and responding to threats.
Why do organisations choose SOC outsourcing?
The leading motivator for SOC outsourcing is the need for 24/7 protection (55%) – an operational requirement many internal teams cannot sustain alone. Another highly cited benefit is reducing workload on internal IT security specialists (47%), enabling teams to focus on strategic tasks.
Additionally, access to advanced solutions and technologies (42%) and external support to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and standards (41%) further drive the decision to outsource, highlighting the value of specialised expertise and cutting-edge tools such as XDR, MDR, MXDR and others.
Budget optimisation is important for only 37% of companies – indicating that the primary value of outsourcing lies in improved protection, not just cost savings.
“The trend towards outsourcing SOC functions, whether fully or partially, is primarily driven by the necessity for enhanced operational focus and strategic agility. By shifting routine and technical tasks externally, organisations are able to concentrate on high-value activities such as strategic decision-making and orchestrating responses to sophisticated threats.
“Moreover, this approach often results in considerable cost efficiencies, allowing for optimised resource allocation. Ultimately, this model transforms the SOC into a critical strategic capability, directly contributing to business continuity,” comments Sergey Soldatov, Head of Security Operations Center at Kaspersky.
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full names of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over alleged serious misconduct, including an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
The officers suspected to be involved in the coup plot include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, a lieutenant, a lieutenant commander and a Squandron Leader.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of Defence Information, disclosed this on Monday, stating that the panel had concluded its investigation and established that the affected officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the indicted officers will face a military Court Martial in line with established procedures and existing regulations.
Major Gen. Uba said the probe examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the officers and identified actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He stressed that the exercise was purely disciplinary and aimed at preserving internal discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness, adding that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and Nigeria’s democratic order.
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
- Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
- Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
- Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
- Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
- Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
- Captain A. A. Yusuf
- Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
- Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
- Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
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