A recent Kaspersky survey highlights a considerable gap between consumers’ confidence in identifying online scams and their actual exposure to cyber threats.

According to the findings, more than one-third of respondents (36%) in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region reported encountering an online scam or attempted scam within the past 12 months, underscoring the persistent and evolving nature of digital risks.

Worryingly, these threats are far from hypothetical: 37% of surveyed users in the META region have fallen victim to online scams resulting in data compromise or financial loss.

Among those affected, nearly half (49%) experienced scams via social media platforms, while 48% reported investment or financial fraud attempts, 41% – scam associated with fake delivery or postal messages.

Phishing emails remain a significant threat as well, impacting 43% of respondents. These figures point to the increasingly diverse tactics used by cybercriminals to target individuals across multiple channels.

Despite this, confidence levels remain strikingly high: 80% of respondents in META believe they can recognise a scam, with 34% expressing strong certainty in their ability to avoid falling victim. This overconfidence may contribute to risky online behaviour and reduced vigilance.

When it comes to protective measures, respondents demonstrate mixed habits. While 57% report using strong and unique passwords, only 36% consistently check URLs before clicking, and 34% avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities.

Notably, fewer than half (40%) use a dedicated security solution, which means a significant amount of people can face negative effects from cyberthreats. Alarmingly, 6% admit they do not use any specific security measures at all.

Regular maintenance of digital security tools also appears inconsistent. Just 35% of respondents in the META region update passwords and review security settings on a regular basis – at least once a month or more often. Meanwhile, 41% do so only occasionally, 19% rarely, and 5% never take such actions.

“The survey findings highlight a critical need for increased awareness and stronger adoption of comprehensive cybersecurity practices. While individual habits such as password hygiene and cautious browsing are essential, they should be complemented by reliable security solutions and regular security updates to effectively mitigate modern cyber threats,” comments Seifallah Jedidi, Head of Consumer Channel in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa at Kaspersky.

Against a backdrop of public criticism regarding ongoing tax reform policies, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday charged the Nigeria Revenue Service to restore public confidence and ensure fairness in the implementation of the national tax system.

​Tinubu gave the charge while commissioning the 16-storey head office complex of the revenue service in Abuja.

​“No government can demand trust from its citizens when taxation is opaque, inefficient or unjust,” President Tinubu said.

​The president commended Nigerians for enduring the economic reforms introduced by his administration, stating that no serious nation can achieve lasting prosperity on a weak and fragmented revenue system.

​He stated that tax reform policies must be implemented to earn the confidence of Nigerians at home and abroad. He charged the revenue service to ensure that the policy embodies a new ethos.

“It must not only collect revenue, it must build trust, it must ensure fairness and it must demonstrate that government can be accountable, efficient and responsive,” Tinubu said. “It must become a model institution that earns confidence at home and respect abroad.”

​​The president thanked the Nigerian people for their resilience and perseverance. He recalled his inauguration day pledge to move Nigerians from the “darkness of uncertainty into the clear light of Renewed Hope”.

“I committed that we would confront structural weaknesses, restore fairness and build an economy anchored on discipline, equity and opportunity,” he said. “Today I stand before you to reaffirm that these words were not rhetoric.”

​He described his inauguration pledge as a “contract with the Nigerian people”, adding that the gathering was not merely to commission a building but to mark a milestone in a larger national journey.

​​Tinubu explained that the administration took the bold decision to embark on far-reaching tax and fiscal reforms to simplify the system, eliminate distortions and create a transparent, investment-friendly environment.

“Our direction is clear,” he said. “A revenue system that rewards enterprise, supports growth and ensures that every contribution to the national cause is matched by value for the people.”

​Tinubu described early results as “fantastic”, commending the revenue service for improved fiscal stability, stronger foreign reserves and increased investor confidence.

​​According to the president, these gains are the product of deliberate policy and a commitment to long-term prosperity. He noted that the new headquarters is a symbol of professionalism, transparency and efficiency.

“It reflects our resolve that institutions must rise to meet the demand of reforms and the expectations of the Nigerian people,” he said.

​President Tinubu called for a better future, urging those who follow to build on a history greater than the vision of their forebears.

​He noted that the completion of the building is a statement that Nigeria is no longer content with promises. “We are delivering progress,” he said. “History will not judge us by what we say, but by what we do.”

​Tinubu stated that the work of national renewal demands consistency, courage and collective resolve. He added that the nation’s future is determined by the choice of reform, discipline and prosperity.

​The president assured that his administration will remain focused until the promise to Nigerians is matched by the performance of its institutions and the prosperity of its people.

Meta Platforms, Inc., global technology company,  has filed an appeal against the judgment of the Lagos State High Court delivered in favour of  Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, setting the stage for a potentially significant legal battle over digital rights, platform liability, and the enforcement of fundamental rights in Nigeria.

Femi Falana

The appeal, dated April 10, 2026, follows the ruling in Suit No. LD/18843MFHR/2025: Falana v. Meta Platforms, Inc., in which Justice O. A. Oresanya ruled in favour of Falana and awarded damages of $25,000 over a video publication alleged to have violated his rights.

Meta’s legal team, led by Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo, SAN, filed a Notice of Appeal containing eight grounds challenging both the procedural and substantive basis of the High Court’s decision.

At the centre of the appeal is a jurisdictional dispute over whether the case should have been treated as a fundamental rights enforcement matter.

Meta argued that the trial court erred by entertaining the suit under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, maintaining that the claims were essentially based on alleged false publication and reputational damage.

According to the company, such claims properly fall within the scope of defamation law, rather than constitutional rights enforcement.

Meta contended that by allowing the case to proceed as a fundamental rights action, the trial court assumed jurisdiction it did not possess.

The company also challenged the court’s finding of liability based on the doctrine of undisclosed principal.

Meta argued that there was no evidence establishing a principal-agent relationship between the company and the publisher of the disputed video, identified as AfriCare Health Centre.

The technology firm maintained that the video was created and uploaded by an independent third party and not by Meta itself.

It further emphasised that as a digital intermediary platform, it neither originated nor exercised editorial control over the material.

In addition, the appeal questioned the trial court’s conclusion that Meta violated Section 24(1)(a) and (e) of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

Meta insisted that it was wrongly classified as a data controller in the case.

According to the company, there was no evidence showing that it determined the purpose or the means of processing the personal data involved in the disputed publication.

Meta also faulted the High Court’s decision to award $25,000 in damages to Falana.

The company described the award as unwarranted and urged the appellate court to set aside both the damages and the entire judgment delivered by the lower court.

Raising concerns about the conduct of the proceedings, Meta alleged that it was denied a fair hearing during the trial.

The company claimed that the trial court raised and decided certain issues suo motu without inviting submissions from the parties involved.

Meta further alleged that the court failed to properly consider key arguments presented in its defence before reaching its decision.