E-Business
Microsoft Wants More SMEs Move to Cloud, Unveils Programme

At the recently concluded Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft announced expansion in the services that the Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) partners offer to small-and-medium business customers.
This gives customers access to a range of cloud-based tools bundled into one simple bill from a single vendor, who becomes their hands-on partner in cloud computing. The new offerings now include Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, in addition to Office 365, Windows Intune and Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS).
According to a Deloitte survey, small to medium businesses who use cloud technology experienced a 26 percent faster growth rate and 21 percent higher profit than companies that don’t utilise the cloud. And two-thirds of all SMBs surveyed believe that the cloud allows them to beat their competitors.
But despite knowing the advantages, many SMBs have not yet moved to the cloud.
“In the age of cloud and mobile, many small to medium businesses find themselves in a catch-22 situation. They know they have to leverage these technologies, but with so many options, how do they know which exact solutions are best for their business?” said Oluwamuyemi Orimolade.
Many SMBs know they’ll benefit from moving to the cloud – the ‘why’ is clear. To answer the ‘how’, finding the right partner is important.
“Cloud solution partners are vital in helping SMEs choose the right tools for specific business goals. First, SMEs need to define what their exact goals are – too often they jump into the cloud without a clear understanding of what it is they want cloud computing to help them achieve.” Orimolade added.
With a partner managing these tools, business owners can focus on tasks that really matter, like acquiring new customers and increasing profit margins.
Local partners understand local needs
He described Microsoft’s partners as experts at helping SMBs understand how to make sense of the best solutions for their business, as they have a solid understanding of the local environment.
Get clear guidance on how to support mobile workers
Supporting mobile workers is also a fast-growing priority for SMB’s in the Middle East and Africa region.
According to the IDC, SMBs that experience revenue growth are 54% more likely than average to have made supporting mobile workers a priority.
Mobile devices and mobile management services untether people from their desks, freeing them to work on the go — whether that’s en-route to a customer meeting, during a daily commute or even just from the balcony or a different room in the office.
SMBs may understand the concept, but need help with the practical steps to support this new way of working.
Being a small business is no longer a disadvantage. Middle Eastern and African SMB’s of all shapes and sizes have access to leading technology and best practices.
E-Business
Microsoft Servers Hacked by Chinese Groups

Chinese “threat actors” have hacked Microsoft’s SharePoint document software servers and targeted the data of the businesses using it, the firm has said.
China state-backed Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon as well as China-based Storm-2603 were said to have “exploited vulnerabilities” in on-premises SharePoint servers, the kind used by firms, but not in its cloud-based service.
The US tech giant has released security updates in response and has advised all on-premises SharePoint server customers to install them.
“Investigations into other actors also using these exploits are still ongoing,” Microsoft said in a statement.
The firm said it had “high confidence” the hackers would continue to target systems which have not installed its security updates.
It added that it would update its website blog with more information as its investigation continues.
Microsoft said it had observed attacks in which hackers had sent a request to a SharePoint server “enabling the theft of the key material by threat actors”.
Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Mandiant Consulting firm, a division of Google Cloud, told reporter, it was “aware of several victims in several different sectors across a number of global geographies”.
Carmakal said it appeared that governments and businesses that use SharePoint on their sites were the primary target.
A number of adversaries who stole material encoded by cryptography were then able to regain ongoing access to the victims’ SharePoint data, he said.
“This was exploited in a very broad way, very opportunistically before a patch was made available. That’s why this is significant,” Carmakal said.
Carmakal said the “China-nexus actor” was deploying techniques similar to previous campaigns associated with Beijing.
Microsoft said Linen Typhoon had “focused on stealing intellectual property, primarily targeting organizations related to government, defence, strategic planning, and human rights” for 13 years.
It added that Violet Typhoon had been “dedicated to espionage”, primarily targeting former government and military staff, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, higher education, the media, the financial sector and the health sector in the US, Europe, and East Asia.
Meanwhile, Storm-2603 was “assessed with medium confidence to be a China-based threat actor”.
E-Business
NIMC Warns Nigerians of Fake NIN Website

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a public warning that it is not associated with NINcard.com.
According to the commission, the website has been circulating online to offer services for Nigerians seeking National Identification Number (NIN) services.
NIMC, in a post on its official X account on Wednesday, said, “NINcard.com is not in anyway affiliated to NIMC. Stay vigilant!”
The warning was accompanied by screenshots of fake payment receipts and OTP request pages from the website, both of which were boldly stamped “FAKE” by NIMC to alert the public.
E-Business
NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content

National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API), has convened a one-day workshop in Abuja to advance dialogue on the draft Online Harm Protection (OHP) Bill to confront harmful online content.
The bill, a rights-based, locally rooted, and multi-stakeholder initiative, is aimed at addressing the challenges of the digital age.
The event, which held yesterday, brought together government officials, civil society, academics, digital platforms, and legal experts to shape a policy framework designed to combat online ills such as cyberbullying, disinformation, hate speech, digital exploitation, and gender-based violence, while safeguarding democratic freedoms and digital inclusion.
In his keynote remarks, Kashifu Inuwa, director general, NITDA urged a paradigm shift in the way society engages with digital technologies.
“For almost two decades, we have viewed digital technology through a consumer lens. But these technologies are not just products and services. They are transforming how we live, work, and interact. They shape our politics, our society, and our democracy,” he said.
Warning against unaccountable digital power in the hands of private corporations, the DG likened the digital journey to the tale of Alice in Wonderland, where initial fascination with innovation has given way to deeper concerns about privacy, autonomy, and manipulation by big tech platforms.
“We thought we were using Google, but now we realise Google is using us. Social media, once a tool of expression, has become a tool of surveillance and influence,” Inuwa noted.
He, therefore, emphasised the urgency of developing a democratic and accountable framework. He explained that following the 2021 Twitter ban, NITDA facilitated dialogue between the government and platform operators, leading to a Code of Practice that stressed Nigeria’s sovereignty and legal standards.
According to him, the same process birthed the multi-stakeholder steering committee and the OHP White Paper in December 2024, laying the foundation for the current legislative push.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Victoria Manya, co-founder, API, observed the moral and civic necessity of the bill.
Her words: “The internet did not break society, it merely revealed its unfiltered version. Every day, Nigerians are exposed to harassment, disinformation, exploitation, and even algorithmic violence. The OHP Bill is not a war on the Internet. It is a peace offering to its users, a social contract for a digital future that is safe, inclusive, and democratic.
“We cannot answer the question of algorithmic power with unchecked state control. We must answer it with shared, rights-based governance. This bill must not be written for the people, but with them.”
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