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Leadway Assurance Champions Cybersecurity Awareness Amidst Increasing Digital Risk
Leadway Assurance Company Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost insurer, has advocated for cybersecurity awareness among businesses in order to curb the rising cyber-risks in local and international businesses, as well as the various ways to mitigate the threats and attacks.
The company stated this when it hosted global industry thought leaders and subject matter experts to an online discourse to x-ray the rising cyber-risks in local and international businesses.
The webinar, moderated by Liz Booth, Editor, Commercial Risk Africa, featured Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); John Anyanwu, Partner, Technology Advisory Services, KPMG Nigeria,; Tariq Fadai, IT-Security expert, Africa and the Middle East, Munich Re,; Gilbert Flepp, Head, Cyber Risks and Technical lines, Chubb Eurasia and Africa, Adetola Adegbayi, Executive Director, General Insurance, Leadway Assurance Company Limited.
John Anyawu, speaking during the session, said: “Since the start of the pandemic, there have been increased dependency on the internet and mobile apps, and more reliance on digital channels.
“This has brought about a noticeable increase in cyber-attacks globally, and it has posed potential risks to businesses.”
He added that every organization needed to implement prevention, detection, and responsive measures against the risks of cyber-driven attacks and fraud, noting that if organisations implemented the right cybersecurity measures, they would function with confidence regardless of the times.
Tariq Fadai gave insight into how cyber attackers operated, recommending defense mechanisms organizations could adopt.
He further opined that organizations with “poor security hygiene need to change”.
Tariq also noted that, with the pandemic forcing corporates to deploy remote-work conditions and routines, systems have moved to cloud services with an increasing reliance on third party services.
“There is a risk of unavailability of services due to overcrowding, and several organisations might experience data loss as well.
“Every business owner should understand and make good use of important cyber-attack controls”, he added.
Corroborating Fadai, Gilbert Flepp, emphasized the urgent need for organisations to institute maintenance of cyber-security protocol, endpoint detection and response tactics like implementing robust anti-Malware control and learning how to administer a disaster recovery plan.
In the same vein, Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, expressed concerns over the recent increase in daring cyber-attacks on businesses and individuals.
“Never before has cyber threats been the way it is today. As the world is recovering, cyber-criminals are taking advantage of the pandemic to mask their activities.
“It is important that we learn how to keep information safe, how to back up, how to secure email getaway regularly and to make sure everyone is vigilant, web-responsible and aware of emerging threats and use technology to prevent them from causing havoc,” he noted.
In her remarks, Adetola Adegbayi urged organisations to prioritise cyber-risk insurance as part of risk mitigation system against a cyber-attack, especially when business operations are delicately hinged on remote accesses.
“The shrewdness of the company’s management over the years has informed several innovations that would soothe any impending crisis in businesses and individual lives.
“Cyber-risk insurance policies have been robustly re-engineered for organizations and individuals in the face of rising cyber-attacks and fraud on businesses,” she said.
Adegbayi revealed that the Leadway cyber-risks insurance policy is now optimised to provide first-party coverage and third-party liability risk covers on cyber-perils for organisations, while the individual policy coverage is on the verge of introduction into the market once approved by the National Insurance Commission.
Leadway Assurance is one of Nigeria’s foremost insurance service companies with a reputation for service efficiency and customer reliability. The organisation is committed to providing innovative ways to ensure that every individual and their businesses are protected.
Airtel Africa Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Airtel Africa plc, yesterday unveiled its plans to directly improve the lives of 10 million people across the continent by 2030. The strategy will be delivered through targeted initiatives under four core pillars namely Financial Empowerment, Education, Environmental Protection and Digital Inclusion (FEED).
Outlining the ambitious target, Dr. Segun Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation, stated, “Our 2030 vision is a transformed Africa where over 10 million lives are directly improved through our interventions. We are not just donating resources, we are building a pipeline of talent and fostering innovation to ensure the global digital revolution leaves no African behind. This is a strategic, measurable commitment to unlocking the continent’s demographic dividend.”
The Foundation’s mission will be executed by creating a cycle of empowerment through targeted programmes. These include ‘Connecting Schools’, which provides free connectivity and devices, and the ‘Airtel Africa Fellowship’, offering full undergraduate scholarships in tech and STEM fields, complemented by mentorship and internships.
A key early success underscoring the Foundation’s impact is its ongoing partnership with UNICEF. This collaboration has already connected more than 1,800 schools, benefitted over one million students, and trained more than 17,000 teachers in digital education across the Foundation’s 14 markets of operation.
In addition, the Foundation will leverage its dedicated Employee Volunteer Programme, channelling the skills and passion of its people directly into community initiatives. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Foundation has set specific expansion targets, with programmes now active across all its operating countries, from Nigeria to Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Commenting on the company’s support for the Foundation, Airtel Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, said, “We cannot thrive in a place that is not thriving. This understanding is the very reason the Airtel Africa Foundation was born. It is our vehicle to catalyse transformation, by systematically investing in the pillars that underpin a resilient and dynamic society.
“We have remained dedicated to transforming lives both as a business imperative as well as our overarching philosophy. For us, helping to connect the unconnected, banking the unbanked and enabling businesses and economies to thrive are the three most significant objectives of our business.”
FXTM, a leading global online trading firm, has launched FXTM Edge, a mobile-first trading platform designed to make forex and commodity trading more accessible to Nigerian traders.
The platform, unveiled at a media roundtable in Lagos, aims to simplify trading by addressing common barriers such as high entry costs, technical complexity and lack of structured learning support.
Adaeze Uzochukwu, Specialist, Education and Media at FXTM, said FXTM Edge was developed with the Nigerian market in mind, combining affordability, accessibility and education in one package.
“Many Nigerians are interested in trading but are held back by complexity, high costs or lack of experience,” she said. “FXTM Edge was built to remove those barriers and give everyone a chance to participate in global markets confidently.”
With a minimum deposit requirement of $50, compared to the previous $200, the platform lowers the entry threshold for Nigerians looking to trade. It also allows micro-lot trading, enabling users to start small and manage risk effectively
Uzochukwu said the platform offers a user-friendly interface, built-in educational resources and trade inspiration to help beginners build confidence step by step.
For experienced traders, FXTM Edge delivers competitive spreads starting from 1.2, a reward system that covers both lots and units traded, and the option to test strategies at lower cost.
She added that the mobile-first design reflects the growing reliance on smartphones for financial activities in Nigeria, offering speed, convenience and flexibility to traders on the move.
“Trading should not be intimidating. With Edge, beginners can start small, learn with the right support and gradually grow at their own pace,” she said.
Backed by FXTM’s global reputation for reliability and expertise, the new platform is expected to encourage broader participation of Nigerians in global financial markets
Airtel Africa has extended its $100 million share buyback programme, first launched in December 2024, in partnership with Barclays Capital Securities Limited. The scheme, aimed at improving shareholder returns, has so far returned $34.7 million through the repurchase of 14.2 million shares, with $20.3 million still to be acquired.
The initiative, now running until March 2026, follows the completion of an initial $50 million phase in April 2025 and currently includes a $55 million tranche.
The telecommunications group, listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), is operating within regulations that restrict share buybacks to 15 percent of issued shares over two years. All repurchased shares will be cancelled, reducing the company’s share capital and potentially increasing earnings per share (EPS).
The buyback follows a strong performance in the first quarter of 2025, when Airtel Africa reported a 16-fold increase in EPS to 3.4 cents, supported by higher operating profits and lower foreign exchange losses. The company also raised capital expenditure by 27 percent, investing $737 million in 2024 to expand infrastructure and secure spectrum across its markets.
The extension of the scheme, according to Airtel Africa, also reflects its intention to provide consistent shareholder value while maintaining investment in its network. The partnership with Barclays ensures compliance with regulations during closed trading periods and seeks to limit market disruption.
Airtel Africa has in recent years considered a separate listing of its mobile money business but postponed the initial public offering in 2025, choosing instead to direct capital into shareholder-focused measures such as the buyback.
Industry observers point out that buybacks may improve financial ratios by reducing outstanding shares, but they can also indicate fewer reinvestment options. Airtel Africa has argued that its programme complements long-term growth priorities, pointing to a 29.5 percent increase in mobile money revenue and a 24 percent rise in its customer base.
The company continues to weigh shareholder rewards alongside reinvestment, citing foreign exchange volatility and other economic pressures in its largest market, Nigeria.
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