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Nigeria to become “Christmas tree” in Bandwidth- Kruyt

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David Kruyt, managing director, Dimension Data West Africa has over 20 years experience in the ICT industry.
Kruyt joined Dimension Data in 2003 as customer advocate: sales, operating in South Africa’s Western Cape Province but in his current position, he is responsible for the management of the entire Western African region, from Cameroon to Liberia.
Over the past four years, Kruyt, has been instrumental in establishing Dimension Data’s Nigeria office.

Cisco Telepresence
I have taken customers to Cisco to sell them the option of Telepresence. Our biggest challenge in Nigeria is bandwidth, and Telepresence is largely dependent on bandwidth. Companies want to communicate internationally or locally – then Telepresence could be an option. Provided it is international, the bandwidth required to deploy it becomes very expensive. International connectivity here is going to stifle any growth in the Telepresence market. Telepresence is a fantastic product but the problem is bandwidth. If there is enough bandwidth – no problem. The issue is that you have a supply and demand situation here, so as long as the demand exceeds the supply, we are going to have issues. If the bandwidth is good and you can afford to pay for it, fantastic!
Environmental Monitoring Solutions and Businesses
Environmental monitoring can be related to a situation whereby you have a bank which is running multiple branches throughout the country, and they have requirements to keep their operations running at 99.99 percent. For power generation, environmental monitoring helps in monitoring the fuel level or charging the batteries. That and a number of others are the kinds of environmental monitoring solutions we put in place. It could be remote access control – for someone accessing a cell site of a GSM company without the right permission, we can have monitoring on that, whereby we send SMS or e-mail to the company, if it is connected. To ensure that technicians are not deployed to field for no reason, this kind of solution connects you pin-point to business-critical areas and issues are brought to your attention. You can understand sometimes if an ATM at The Palms or some remote village goes down, the priority is to get the one at The Palms up before that at the village. Those kinds of solutions would give you detailed information to make decisions around business.
Fibre Backbone
Dimension Data is an infrastructure company but it has a subsidiary called Internet Solution (IS), which is an ISP. IS leverages the likes of MTN using multiple options. Dimension Data does not provide their own infrastructure, but takes existing infrastructure, carry along on top of that and then maximize it for customers.
Putting in Place Customer Interaction Solutions
It all depends on the business needs. You have different applications around business requirements. If you look at the GSM world, their customers need to get information around their billings and issues concerning the network. In their interactions with their customers, the first touch point is the call centre. Now the call centre is not just about the telephone; it is a multiple channel to get hold of call centre agents whether by voice, e-mail, fax, SMS or whatever. So, the complexity of the solution that the service providers put in place to communicate with their customers, determines the kind of service we can offer such service provider. A call centre that cannot be reached either by e-mail, SMS or phone call has a big problem. As it is, 90 per cent of the call centres are over subscribed – you can never get through and you end up getting an automated message. I think there is a lot to be desired around the management of a call centre. The technology is the easy part; it is only about 10 per cent. Actually, the staffing, training and understanding of customers’ requirements are very crucial in the field. In the banking sub-sector, Internet banking, telephone banking, require a mature call centre agent to understand the needs of the customer and also have a history of what the customer has done. If I have an issue about a money transfer that was meant to have been deposited the day before and my feedback is that it is not in yet and I should call later; if I call the agent later on, he/she would be required to have a history of how many times I have called. The trend worldwide was to reduce the number of bank branches and go to call centres, but I think generally people like to have human contact. You see that in Nigeria now, and that is why you find numerous bank branches scattered all over. There are challenges around call centres per se, but you cannot do without them.
Idea of Good Network Security Solution
Security is not just network security, there is internal security, wider area network security – there is a bunch of stuffs which goes around security. So, I would say that security is something that needs to be monitored all the time, and you have to have a security provider who would actually proactively update from inside the business through the edge of the business, to the external business. Our biggest challenge today is data integrity and people stealing data. There are lots of good solutions coming up to address that issue. Dimension Data has a security business which uses the best of breeds from various vendors, and we put them together to give customers a holistic solution. 
What are the implications of using products that have reached end-of-life?
Manufacturers provide support which lasts for a period of time – say 3 or 5 years. Once it gets to end of life, the support either ceases or becomes very expensive. There are certain devices that can run forever and you would never have an issue. The problem is, if you are running mission critical applications say banking, oil & gas applications or payroll, can you afford to run on equipment that are of end of life with no support? I would say no! If you are an enterprise business, you need to be able to provide services to your customers, it is imperative that you ensure you stay ahead of the game because if you do not, your competitors are going to provide a better service with innovations. That is what it is all about. People develop equipment that cannot last forever. Things change, we change; we want more out of our lives while doing it with less.
Strengths of IT as a Service
IT as a service is becoming a real part of our business now. An enterprise with a massive IT department could call on a company like Dimension Data that has a pool of resources in all levels that can be deployed on time required basis. IT as a service is difficult for customers to understand, but we are getting to a stage where we have the outsource and the in-source model – we would be providing manpower to do the job and the customer makes some service level agreements. If the system goes down or if the manpower is not available, we have to provide an alternative. Dimension Data is not a company where we provide services and not meet our service level agreements. We provide 100 per cent service level agreements, and are priority driven. That is a great opportunity for customers to leverage their kind of solutions. So I believe IT as a service is going to grow tremendously in the next 18 months to 3 years as the demand for it increases.
Dimension Data’s Global Services Operating Architecture in Nigeria
GSOA literally is a global services operation which cuts across the entire world. If a call is logged today in Nigeria, that call can be tracked to Europe, America and Asia. If we have an engineer who is based in London, he should able to offer support without stress. So we have become a global support centre. Having said that, Dimension Data does not manufacture anything. We provide 1st, 2nd and 3rd level and sometimes 4th level support. With the right agreement with the OEMs, we pass on the 4th level support to them to sort out. We are in global partnership with Cisco, Microsoft, IBM and a score of others.
Collocating for Best Results?
I am baffled how six operators can lay their own fibre throughout the country while in elsewhere, there are two or three national providers who provide infrastructure and everybody leverages on them. The infrastructure on ground in Nigeria now is non-functional. It could have provided a platform for every GSM and fixed line operator to carry their traffic on. Now with a situation whereby each operator puts his own fibre in the ground, I think there would come a time when all the operators realize that they need to work together, and would cooperate and provide interconnect not just on the GSM platform but in infrastructure, in order to make the best use of it. When two or three more offshore Internet cables come into this country, Nigeria would become like a “Christmas tree” in terms of bandwidth. When offshore cables arrive here, I think we would see a lot of interactions among all the operators – using one another’s fibre to get Internet and voice traffic to the end of Nigeria. So, maybe it is not a bad thing that these cables are laid now, but it is at a cost to the end users of ICT services. Mark my words, when reliable offshore cables come into this country, you are going to see business, education, healthcare and government grow to a higher level. Moreover, the more offshore cables, the better because those would drive down the cost of bandwidth in the country.

 


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Haleon Introduces New Corporate Identity in Nigeria

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Haleon, a global consumer health company with a purpose to deliver better everyday health, is introducing its corporate identity across Nigeria in a phased transition. Trusted brands such as Panadol, Sensodyne, Macleans, Otrivin, Voltaren, Cac 1000 and Andrews Liver Salts remain unchanged in formulation, quality, and effectiveness.

Following the formal demerger from GSK, Haleon was launched on July 18, 2022, as an independent company 100% focused on consumer health. Haleon is the new home for brands like Sensodyne, Panadol, Centrum and others, trusted by millions worldwide for their proven effectiveness in improving everyday health.

From relieving tooth sensitivity or pain to providing essential vitamins and nutrients, our products are designed to fulfil Haleon’s purpose: to deliver better everyday health with humanity.

This revised corporate identity is a branding change only and does not affect the safety, quality, or efficacy of the products. Haleon is sharing this update as part of its commitment to transparency and consumer confidence, helping consumers continue to choose the brands they know and trust.

Haleon’s collaboration with Fidson Healthcare forms part of this approach, reinforcing the value of local production in supporting trusted everyday health brands in Nigeria.

Panadol Extra 100s and Panadol Pain & Fever 100s are currently being produced and supplied to the market under the Haleon identity. Sensodyne Rapid Action will bear the Haleon corporate identity from mid-June, followed by Andrews Liver Salts later this year.

In due course, additional brands—including Otrivin, Voltaren, Cac 1000, Macleans, and the wider Sensodyne portfolio—will also transition to the Haleon identity.

Haleon remains committed to ensuring consumers can continue to access the same high-quality brands at pharmacies, supermarkets and other retail outlets across Nigeria.

“As Haleon introduces its identity in Nigeria, we want consumers to feel informed and reassured. The trusted products they rely on remain the same in quality, formulation and effectiveness.

“At the same time, our local production approach in partnership with Fidson Healthcare supports reliable access to high-quality everyday health products in Nigeria,” said Himanshu Raj, Haleon General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.

 


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Elon Musk Makes History as the World’s First Trillionaire

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Tech entrepreneur and SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, has become the world’s first trillionaire after the successful public listing of SpaceX pushed his net worth beyond the $1 trillion mark.

Elon Musk Makes History as the World’s First Trillionaire

Elon Musk

According to multiple financial reports, Musk’s fortune surged to approximately $1.1 trillion following SpaceX’s historic stock market debut on June 12, making him the first individual in history to achieve the milestone.

The sharp increase in wealth was driven primarily by SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO), which valued the company at more than $1.7 trillion at listing before rising above $2 trillion during its first day of trading. Musk’s holdings in SpaceX, combined with his stakes in Tesla and other ventures, significantly boosted his net worth.

Musk, 54, is also the founder or co-founder of companies including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and The Boring Company. He acquired social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in a $44 billion deal and has remained one of the most influential figures in technology and business.

Financial analysts noted that Musk’s wealth now far exceeds that of any other billionaire.

Matt Durot, deputy editor at Forbes Wealth, said the gap between Musk and the world’s second-richest individual had widened significantly, with no other person currently close to the trillion-dollar threshold.

Despite the historic achievement, Musk’s vast wealth has reignited debates over global inequality and the responsibilities of ultra-wealthy individuals in addressing humanitarian challenges.

Advocacy groups have frequently pointed to issues such as hunger, disease eradication and access to education as areas where large-scale private philanthropy could make a significant impact.

In 2021, Musk publicly challenged the United Nations to provide a detailed plan showing how billions of dollars could help combat world hunger. Although a proposal was later presented, no donation followed.

Analysts note that much of Musk’s wealth remains tied to company shares rather than liquid cash, meaning his net worth can fluctuate significantly with market movements.

Nevertheless, the SpaceX IPO marks a historic moment in global finance, placing Musk in a wealth category previously considered unimaginable.

Commenting on Musk’s business achievements, Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase, described him as “the Edison of our time.”

Musk’s rise from co-founding internet startup Zip2 in the 1990s to becoming the world’s first trillionaire is regarded by many analysts as one of the most remarkable wealth creation stories in modern history.


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Kaspersky Warns of “Grey” Scam Websites Exploiting User Trust

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Recent research by Kaspersky has shown that the so-called “grey” websites repeatedly target all world regions, and this may be driving both financial loss and large-scale data harvesting.

Grey websites are deceptive online platforms that fall outside traditional phishing definitions but still manipulate users into voluntarily handing over money and personal data. Kaspersky’s new report provides detailed insights into the threats posed by the grey websites on global and regional levels.

Unlike classic phishing attacks, which aim to steal credentials outright, grey websites rely on persuasion, misleading interfaces, and hidden terms to exploit users. They often impersonate legitimate services such as e-commerce platforms, financial tools, AI services, or subscription-based content, making them significantly harder to detect.

Kaspersky analysis shows that the majority of suspicious resources globally fall into several recurring categories:

  • Fake browser extensions and “security tools” that actually harvest browsing data and track user activity.
  • Fraudulent financial platforms including crypto exchanges, trading tools, and investment schemes promising unrealistic returns.
  • Intermediary services (e.g., legal or real estate), charging for low-value or nonexistent services while harvesting sensitive personal data.
  • Subscription traps offering low-cost trials that convert into costly recurring payments hidden in fine print.
  • Fake online shops that either deliver counterfeit goods or nothing at all.

Example of a grey website.

A notable trend is the emergence of tools disguised as AI services or image-processing platforms, reflecting attackers’ ability to adapt to current digital trends and target younger audiences.

There are proven security solutions that help users to detect grey websites across different types of devices – those running on Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. The detection model is based on many factors, including domain name and age, IP reputation, stability of the infrastructure used, DNS configurations, HTTP security headers, digital identity and popularity of the web resource and other criteria.

Regional specifics

Regional variations in grey websites demonstrate how threat actors localise scams based on user behaviour and trending technologies.

In Europe, the threat landscape is dominated by links to suspicious browser extensions and fake “privacy-enhancing” tools.

These resources often present themselves as security solutions, promising safer browsing or anonymous search capabilities. In reality, they function as browser hijackers – intercepting traffic, collecting cookies, tracking user behaviour, and injecting advertisements.

The popularity of these threats reflects a high level of user concern around privacy and security, which attackers actively exploit. Additionally, these regions show a steady presence of phishing intermediaries and crypto-related scams, indicating a blend of technical and financially motivated attacks.

Across African markets, financial scams are the most prominent category of suspicious resources. Fraudulent trading platforms, fake brokers, and investment schemes frequently mimic legitimate financial services, often accompanied by fabricated licenses or endorsements.

These platforms typically prevent users from withdrawing funds, instead introducing additional “fees” or taxes to prolong the scam. The concentration of these threats highlights how attackers leverage growing interest in online investing while exploiting gaps in regulatory enforcement and financial literacy.

In the Middle East and North Africa region, suspicious resources frequently mimic communication (Internet telephony) tools, financial platforms, or betting services. Additionally, Ponzi-style investment schemes and crypto scams are widespread, often presented through polished interfaces that mimic legitimate platforms.

Web browser-based threats also play a significant role, with malicious extensions targeting user data and browsing activity. The regional threat profile reflects a convergence of financial fraud and technical compromise, where users risk both data exposure and monetary loss.

“Suspicious websites don’t look harmful at first glance. But they exploit trust, urgency, and familiarity, and a single click on what looks like a harmless AI image tool, a “secure” browser extension, or a heavily discounted online shop could be all it takes to lose money or expose sensitive data.

Instead of direct credential theft, attackers turn to behavioural manipulation – whether that’s subscribing, investing, or installing software,” comments Anna Larkina, Web Content and Privacy Analysis Expert at Kaspersky.

 


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