E-Business
Safer Internet Day 2024: Proactive Steps for Personal Data Protection

Safer Internet Day 2024 comes amid data fears about limited access imposed on various popular apps, causing users to circumvent the new rules by downloading replacements.

In an era where vast amounts of data is constantly being collected and analysed, the risks of data breaches, identity theft, and invasions of privacy are more pronounced than ever.
So, on February 6 – the day recognised annually as a vital reminder of the importance of safeguarding personal information in our digitised world – Kaspersky’s experts are emphasising the critical need for users to be proactive about their data security.
In 2023, debates were sparked in several countries regarding the restriction of certain popular apps in Brazil, Ireland and Japan. In the USA deliberations on restricting access to TikTok resulted in limitations of the Chinese app on government-issued devices in more than half of the states.
But customers are not always willing to give up their favourite apps when it comes to popular services. Facing prohibitions, users resorted to alternative means of accessing content, such as installing replacement apps or bootlegged copies.
The imitation downloads used by those trying to evade the restrictions are often poorly developed, with nebulous privacy policies or they violate users’ rights altogether.
Additionally, many of these applications tend to disappear after a while for various reasons such as insufficient numbers of users, which means sensitive data might end up in the hands of third parties.
To avoid such unpleasant scenarios, Kaspersky experts shared several tips:
- There is no need to rush when it comes to installing anything on your devices.
Discussions regarding any limitations on an app do not necessarily lead to its prohibition. Rushing to find an alternative may mean you are putting your information at risk, as these types of apps or pirated copies of services may not care enough about the safety of users’ personal data. Before installing anything unverified on any devices, it’s always worthwhile to weigh out the pros and cons. Official app stores always remain the best and safest option.
- It’s always a good idea to learn about your privacy rights.
A good place to start is to learn more about your country’s legislation governing customer rights and the processing of personal data.
Then, when reading the privacy policy of the app, it’s important to check if they are respecting users’ rights and whether they are collecting only the data that they are entitled to. Also make sure it’s possible to contact customer services and ask them to delete personal information.
- Data oversharing is not a safe option.
It’s always better to minimise the amount of data an app collects about you as there’s a risk of inadvertent disclosure or misuse of personal data due to insufficient data security measures. Moreover, once personal data is shared, it’s often difficult to control its distribution and use, potentially leading to long-term privacy issues.
To prevent such issues, consider limiting the access to the photo feed, contacts, and location to the apps that can function without it. This also applies to the microphone: limited access will ensure applications don’t collect personal data while overhearing what you say.
- Modern security solutions can keep personal data safe online.
Modern security solutions can block apps from accessing personal information, alert users if their phone numbers and other data have been leaked and warn them if a malicious file has been downloaded. There are also services that help to improve the security of personal data by following simple instructions.
“Restricting popular apps has become a more frequent practice than it used to be. Users looking for a replacement do not always get a quality app with a transparent privacy policy. Knowing users’ rights and paying attention to who and how the app collects data can help prevent personal information from falling into the wrong hands,” comments Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

Galaxy Backbone (GBB) aligns with and celebrates the successful announcement by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the achievement of a Paperless Civil Service, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public sector reform and digital transformation agenda.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.
GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.
In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards—key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.
Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, Acting Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).
GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.
E-Business
Jumia CEO says Black Friday Signals Nigeria’s E-Commerce Maturity

At the close of 2025, Temidayo Ojo, the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, reflected on a year-end shopping season that points to the growing maturity of the country’s e-commerce market. “Black Friday is no longer a single, short-lived spike in activity,” he said.

“It has become a familiar, anticipated moment in the retail calendar, where consumers shop deliberately and with confidence.”
Preliminary KPIs for the two months ended November 30, 2025, show strong year-on-year growth in both orders and Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), with GMV growth outpacing order growth. This indicates that customers are placing fuller, more considered baskets rather than shopping in fragmented transactions. Nigeria ranked among Jumia Group’s better-performing markets, with engagement remaining steady throughout the Black Friday period rather than spiking briefly and tapering off.
A key factor behind this performance is the growing familiarity of consumers with online shopping. Customers are increasingly leveraging platform features such as saved carts, brand stores, and price comparison tools to plan purchases in advance. This trend suggests that digital commerce is becoming embedded in everyday habits rather than being viewed as a one-off event.
Ojo also highlighted the role of Jumia’s JForce network in connecting digital commerce to local communities. “Our agents are critical to ensuring that customers across Nigeria, including secondary cities and smaller communities, have access to variety, consistent pricing, and reliable delivery,” he said. “During peak periods like Black Friday, JForce agents can respond faster, serve more customers efficiently, and build stronger local relationships. This isn’t just a distribution channel—it’s a pathway to sustainable income and inclusion.”
Reflecting on the overall performance, the CEO concluded: “What we’re seeing this year-end is steady engagement across categories, stronger consumer confidence, and partners like our JForce agents benefiting from increased activity.
“It confirms that Nigeria’s e-commerce ecosystem is maturing, growing in a more structured and resilient way. As the December Holiday Sale continues, we expect these patterns of familiarity, trust, and participation to sustain momentum and drive both commerce and community impact across the country.”
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking

Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has been ranked first overall in the 2025 Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard.

This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s digital economy.
The ranking, conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), is the definitive benchmark for digital excellence and transparency across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, received the award during a ceremony in Abuja.
He described the feat as a validation of the agency’s“Nigeria First”data sovereignty strategy and its relentless pursuit of service excellence.
This recognition comes as the Federal Government intensifies its push to achieve a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025.
GBB has been the primary architect of this transition through its 1Gov Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, which now hosts the operations of almost all federal MDAs.
The award adds to a growing list of accolades for Galaxy Backbone in 2025, following its recent win of the “International Standard Excellence Award for Best IT Service Provider.”
As the central hub for government shared services, GBB’s performance serves as a blueprint for other agencies currently undergoing digital transformation.
With its expanded fiber-optic backbone now covering over 13 states and its secure cloud solutions, Galaxy Backbone remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s vision to become a leading digital nation by the end of the decade.
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