General News
Technology is Major Challenge for Cybercrime Investigators – Akindeinde
Oluseyi Akindeinde, chief technical officer, Digital Encode and manager, Centre for Information Security Intelligence, is well grounded in IT security and Connectivity space of Information Technology.
Akindeinde plays a leading role in assisting some banks to acquire PCI DSS certification as required by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and is offering training to Banks on securing their networks against hackers.
He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on issues around cybersecurity.
Threat of Cybercrime to the Country
Cyberspace is a place of innovation and opportunity, and full of good people. But it is also a place of risk and danger, where bad actors take advantage of security weaknesses to cause harm. Cyberspace is vulnerable to an ever-evolving range of threats, from criminals to nation-state actors, ranging in purpose from identity and data theft to espionage and disruption of critical functions.
As our nation’s reliance on cyber networks has grown, incidents which impact the safety and confidence with which we operate online have become increasingly commonplace
Cybercrime is on the increase. The number of incidents of cybercrime has been increasing in recent years even though there have been a number of concerted efforts by industry stakeholders to raise awareness of the problem.
We need to understand that cybercrime is very lucrative and is a relatively easy way for criminals to make money.
The tools, techniques and services to perpetrate crimes can easily be found or purchased through the Internet, while mobile technology and the trend towards outsourcing and sharing data potentially heightens exposure
Nigeria’s Effort in Tackling Cybercrime
At the moment, a lot more needs to be done to curb the menace of cybercrime in Nigeria. The legal system is neither adequate nor sufficient to prosecute offenders in the areas of electronic communications and transaction in Nigeria.
Whilst the Evidence Act appears to support the admissibility of computer-generated evidence in court, enforcement still remains a major problem because of the various conditions attached.
Another challenge facing cybercrime investigators is that the evolution of technology is dynamic and at the introduction of new technologies, the fraudsters devote time and resources to detecting the inherent vulnerabilities. The cyber criminals are well organized and vast in the use of technology. They are well ahead of the crime investigation agencies in Nigeria.
Impact of Cyber Security Law When Signed
The Cybersecurity Act proposes to create a set of government-imposed, top-down regulations to combat cybersecurity threats. It further recognizes that it is a major offense. When someone steals physical cash the person gets prosecuted.
It should be the same for anything electronic because most transactions these days are electronic.
Secondly, it impacts the principal tension in cybersecurity – which involves computers, networks and data and is between the need to protect citizens, property and infrastructure and the need to respect legal, civil and property rights.
Level of Preparedness of Banks to Put hackers in Check
There are different types of cybersecurity threats, each of which target different parts of a financial institution’s information technology infrastructure and each with its own goal. Broadly, they can be divided into three categories:
◾Theft/fraud, where the motive is profit.
◾Espionage/exposure, where the motive is to acquire private or protected information.
◾Disruption/destruction, where the motive is to cause harm or loss through an attack designed to slow, disable or destroy critical systems and operations.
Each of the categories represents different objectives and motivations for attack, and most banks have put in place solutions that can appropriately address the threat and therefore combat it effectively. In it’s efforts to promote compliance, the CBN has mandated the banks and all financial institutions to comply with all international information security standards from the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to the ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS)
Challenges in Fighting Hackers
One major challenge is capacity building. The cyber security landscape is an ever changing one and defenders need to be well informed to combat sophisticated cybercrimes.
To reduce the rate of cybercrime in Nigeria, therefore, adequate training of those who run and manage the investigation incident response departments of the various financial institutions is a must.
In the move to a cash-less economy, regulatory agencies and lawmakers should equally as a matter of urgency, collaborate to pass a Cybercrime law in order to protect consumers in the cash-less scheme.
All financial institutions should, as a matter of urgency, build and equip digital forensics and incident response units.
Computer Emergence Response Team (Cert) in the Fight Against Cybercrimes
A CERT is very important to a nation like ours. CERTs, law enforcement, users, and security organisations all play a role in fighting cybercrime.
Whilst law enforcement is pretty much involved in prevention and prosecution of crime, A CERT is responsible for coordinating services in the event of a security breach and to help affected organizations recover from a breach.
Organizations often go to their CERT first in the event of a breach for fear of the legal ramifications and public embarrassment of a breach.
If law enforcement isn’t being informed about security breaches and impacts, they don’t get any intelligence on what’s going on, and that intelligence could be used to prosecute.
About Digital Encode
Digital Encode is a leading consulting and integration firm founded in 2003 that specializes in the design, management, and security of business-critical networks, telecommunications environments and other Information Technology (IT) infrastructures, recognized in the industry for its vendor independent perspective, the firm’s expertise lies in solving multifaceted, complex enterprise network security, and audit problems.
Protecting Networks against Hacker
It isn’t so much about what to or what not to put in place. There needs to be a top-down approach to cyber security.
Processes and procedures need to be instituted to complement the various technologies that are already in place.
To this end organisations should consider and adopt the ISO 27001 ISMS as a framework to safeguard customer data.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has issued an interim Mareva injunction freezing copyright levy funds due to the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN).
The order prevents the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and at least 20 commercial banks from disbursing these funds until further court proceedings.
The injunction stems from Suit No. FHC/L/CS/207/2026, following an ex parte application filed on February 5, 2026, by the Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative on behalf of 11 major record labels and music companies.
Plaintiffs include industry heavyweights such as Mavin Records, Davido Music Worldwide, Chocolate City Music, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Africa, and Warner Music South Africa.
The plaintiffs, through their attorney, sought to restrain the CBN from releasing any copyright levy funds related to sound recordings earmarked for MCSN.
They also asked the court to bar MCSN and its agents from accessing, transferring, or using the funds, whether received directly from the CBN or routed through commercial banks.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the House of Representatives Spouses Association (HORSA), organized a specialized two‑day digital literacy and capacity‑building workshop for the spouses of members of the House of Representatives.
The initiative, themed “Empowering Women for a Digital Future: Leadership, Wellbeing, and Opportunity,” is designed to equip spouses of lawmakers with the tools needed to navigate the modern digital economy and the unique demands of public life.
Moving beyond basic computer literacy, the workshop offers a comprehensive suite of skills, including financial and digital literacy—focused on using digital tools for business growth and personal finance management; cybersecurity and digital wellbeing—promoting online safety, data protection, and mental health resilience; and economic empowerment—unlocking opportunities in remote work, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), and digital entrepreneurship.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, said the workshop underscores the crucial role spouses play in supporting public office holders. He described spouses as trusted advisers whose understanding of legislative responsibilities helps lawmakers perform more effectively.
He noted that the demanding nature of legislative work often places strain on family life, adding that empowering spouses with digital and leadership skills would strengthen their capacity to provide informed support and constructive feedback to their partners in public service. He urged participants to take full advantage of the training, stressing that continuous learning is essential in an increasingly digital world.
Kalu further observed that many spouses already lead humanitarian and development initiatives in their communities, and that the skills gained from the programme would enhance communication, strategic planning, and resource mobilisation, thereby deepening their contribution to community development and national growth.
In his welcome address, the NITDA Director‑General, Kashifu Inuwa, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to build a sustainable digital economy by ensuring that no group is excluded from digital opportunities due to skills gaps. He noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu places digitalisation and innovation at the heart of economic diversification and inclusive growth.
He added that NITDA is implementing a national digital literacy framework aimed at achieving 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, driven through three key focus areas: integrating digital skills into formal education, upskilling public servants, and expanding community‑level digital inclusion.
Inuwa described women as critical drivers of Nigeria’s digital transformation, noting that empowering spouses of lawmakers with digital skills would strengthen leadership at home and positively influence legislative processes at the National Assembly. He explained that NITDA is working with the Ministry of Education and global technology partners to train teachers nationwide, while over 54,000 public servants are currently enrolled in the Agency’s digital literacy programmes.
He also stated that through community champions deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, millions of Nigerians are being reached annually with basic digital skills training, stressing that national leaders must not be left behind in Nigeria’s digital transition. According to him, digitally literate spouses can play a vital role in encouraging technology‑driven governance, including ongoing efforts to digitise legislative processes.
In her goodwill message, the Leader of HORSA and wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, described the workshop as a historic milestone and the first comprehensive capacity‑building programme organised by the 10th Assembly for spouses of lawmakers. She noted that public life in a digital age now extends beyond physical spaces into online platforms, making digital and financial literacy, cyber protection, and digital wellbeing essential skills for spouses of national leaders.
Hajiya Abbas emphasised that the sessions on mental health, emotional resilience, entrepreneurship, and leadership were timely, as spouses of public office holders often shoulder invisible emotional responsibilities. According to her, empowering women economically strengthens families and communities, adding that the knowledge gained from the workshop would not only support lawmakers behind the scenes but also enable women to contribute more meaningfully to national development in the digital economy.
The event also featured goodwill messages and contributions from senior government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim; the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses’ Forum, Prof. (Mrs.) Olufolake Abdulrazaq; the Chairman of the House Committee on ICT, Hon. Stanley Olajide; the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara; and the Managing Director of the South-South Development Commission, Usoro Offiong Akpabio.
PalmPay is thrilled to announce the first set of winners of its highly anticipated Valentine-themed #LoveWithPalmPay campaign, following a week of receiving entries from users across the country, celebrating their real love stories shaped by simple money moments.
The #LoveWithPalmPay, a two-week campaign which started on the 9th of February until the 21st of February, has unveiled the first set of four (4) couples who shared their heartfelt stories of how PalmPay has positively impacted their relationships, from seamless transfers and bill payments to shared savings goals, dates, and everyday financial support.
The first batch of selected winners are:
- Abdulsalam Aishat Omowumi ( Facebook)
- Symply Omotoshan (Instagram)
- Unusual_aaron (Tiktok)
- MTN_DATA_VENDOR (X)
Speaking on the campaign, Olorunfemi Hanson, the Head of Marketing of PalmPay, stated, “We are using the campaign to appreciate our over 35 million users and the many ways they use the PalmPay app to make life seamless. The four (4) couples, each rewarded with ₦100,000, were chosen based on how effectively they highlighted PalmPay’s features and demonstrated how the platform helped their everyday payments be reliable and seamless.
PalmPay noted that with the campaign still ongoing, four (4) more couples will be announced in the coming days, encouraging more users to continue sharing their love stories using the hashtag #LoveWithPalmPay on PalmPay’s social media platforms.
The campaign reinforces PalmPay’s commitment to creating financial solutions that not only simplify transactions but also bring people closer through meaningful, everyday money moments.
PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
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