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Transcorp Spots Leakages in Nitel, Plans Transformation

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Transnational Corporation has moved to end the monthly leakage of about N1.7bn from the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited where it has 51 per cent equity stake.

Mr. Tom Iseghohi, group managing director, Transcorp, made this disclosure in Abuja at an interactive session with top management of the company who pledge their loyalty to transformation of Nitel.

Sources of the leakages identified by the GMD and Nitel staff included uncollected bills and credit control. Iseghohi said Nitel even in its present state is capable of making N1bn a month.

Mr. Abdulkarim Momoh, general manager in charge of audit at Nitel, said there was the need to probe the company’s investment in continental submarine cable popularly known as SAT-3.

Momoh pointed out that even though SAT-3 has the capacity to generate funds to run Nitel, only a paltry part of the capacity was being utilized thereby leaving a lot that could have been tapped from the facility.

All participants from Transcorp and the top management of Nitel, who participated at the interactive session, agreed that there were huge potentials in the First National Operator that needed to be tapped to reposition the company in the Nigerian telecom industry.

Speaking on the interim transformation of the company before the sale of some equity to a new core investor, Iseghohi said the company has received commitments for the $100m required for the project.

According to him, the interim plan would not see the company completely out of the woods but is meant to reposition it to be able to attract the right kind of core investor envisaged by both Transcorp and the Federal Government.

One of the key areas that need a quick fix he identified is the backbone and transmission infrastructure. Iseghohi said the plan is expected to begin to yield result within a period of three to four months.

He also said the first priority in the plan is to boost staff morale, an area which most workers of Nitel at the meeting pleaded with him to take urgent steps to address.

"Transcorp has exercised its right to restructure the company. This move will return Nitel to rightly place in the Nigerian telecom industry," he said.

On why Transcorp had not fully moved into the company earlier and implement the transformation plan, the GMD said the company needed to move in gradually and carry every stakeholder along since it was not the only shareholder.

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Gbenga Olaleye, general manager, Human Resources, Nitel, reassured the GMD and his team that Nitel has a crop of dedicated and skillful staff that are committed to transformation that Transcorp had chosen to steer Nitel in the next four months.

More so, Mr. Kevin Uche, head of Finance and Admin at the company, said Nitel remained a goldmine that must be tapped by Transcorp and the workers.

"I appreciate the coming of Transcorp to take hold of Nitel at this point in time. Many have been asking why this action had not been taken since but I think it is better to plan before taking any action. This is a welcome development," he added.

 

Celtel Lands in Ghana, as Westel becomes Zain

Celtel Ghana holdings, part of the Zain Group, a leading telecommunications company in Africa and the Middle East, has marked its official entry into Ghana with announcement of its plan to roll out commercial services before the end of the year.

The company has also announced that the company will henceforth be called and addressed as Zain Communications Ghana, in line with the global strategy of the Zain Group, a hugely successful mobile company in Africa through the Celtel brand.

Philip Sowah has been appointed as the country manager of the Ghana operation, the new owners of cellco Western Telesystems Ghana (Westel), said last week in Ghana.

The company expressed its determination to make a significant contribution to the growth of the telecommunications sector in Ghana.

According to the company, Zain Group is considering plans to roll out EDGE and/or 3G services in the country

On 14 December 2007 the government of Ghana finally completed the agreement to allow Celtel International take control of Westel, which had received a licence to operate GSM-based mobile services in November 2006. The acquisition of Westel is very important to Celtel as it gave the mobile operator a "gateway to West Africa".

Westel is the second national operator in Ghana and is licensed to provide fixed and mobile (GSM) telecommunications services.

The acquisition of Westel cements Zain’s leading position in Africa mobile market through the Celtel brand, which currently has its footprint in 14 countries. With the addition of Ghana, Celtel is now present in 15 African countries, bringing the Zain Group’s total operations to 22 networks (countries).

Celtel now has a footprint in neighbouring Ecowas or West African countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Africa’s largest telecom market.

Westel is expected to benefit from both Group and Celtel synergies in branding, human resources, and best practices, and from the innovative Celtel’s "One Network".

Speaking about the award of the licence then, Dr. Saad Al Barrak, chief executive officer, Zain expressed happiness on their entry to Ghana, one of the most important markets in Africa. "We look forward to offering Ghanaians the quality telecommunications services which we provide in all the countries in which we operate. Based on our pan-African experience we are confident that the increased competition in telecommunications will benefit the people of Ghana and support the already robust national economy of the country," he said.

Dr Al-Barrak said Celtel will be investing millions of dollars in a state-of-the art telecommunications network and associated services to offer its unparalleled experience as a pan-African operator, bringing telecoms services to over 24 million customers in 14 countries across the continent (15 with the addition of Ghana).

According to him Celtel prides itself on offering attractive career opportunities in its countries of operation, not only with the company directly, but also via its network of distributors, suppliers and advisors. Westel’s current management and staff, who have worked under challenging circumstances to date, will play an important role in taking the company forward.

The company also looks forward to promoting Ghana as a gateway to West Africa through its One Network, the world’s first borderless network. This offers Celtel’s customers the opportunity to move freely across geographical borders using the same services they would access in their home country, and to make calls without roaming surcharges and without having to pay to receive incoming calls and messages.

 


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New CAMON Device Set to Redefine Mobile Content Creation

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TECNO is gearing up to launch the next CAMON series device, which promises to be the next evolution in mobile photography.

TECNO

The CAMON lineup has always been known for its innovation in capturing and sharing cherished moments. Now, TECNO is taking it to the next level with a groundbreaking camera innovation that aims to redefine what’s possible.

For years, the CAMON series has been the driving force behind countless memorable shots, empowering users to unleash their creativity and capture the world in stunning detail. With the upcoming device, TECNO promises to exceed your expectations and deliver an unparalleled photography experience that’s second to none.

The new CAMON device will feature cutting-edge technology and unparalleled performance, setting a new standard for mobile photography and content creation. Imagine being ten steps ahead of the curve, armed with a device that empowers you to capture the perfect shot every time.

Stay updated on the latest news and announcements regarding the upcoming TECNO CAMON device by following TECNO on FacebookInstagram, and X(Twitter). Join TECNO on this exciting journey towards the future of mobile photography!


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Data Protection: NIMC’s Licensees to Face More Scrutiny

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Following the reported incident of unauthorized NIN verification by expressverify.com, investigation reveals that a third-party who, among others, was originally authorized to provide verification services to citizens and genuine businesses might have allowed expressverify.com to use its NIN verification credentials to conduct verification. The circumstances surrounding this permission is still under investigation.

 

To remedy this incident, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in line with established remediation protocols, barred all forms of access to its database.

Though necessary, barring all forms of access affected all genuine and crucial verification requests. After a painstaking review, limited access has been granted to few establishments that are providing pivotal public services such as education and security.

Ongoing investigation – by relevant agencies – seeks to establish the medium through which expressverify.com obtained the credentials of bona fide third parties and to determine the liability of persons involved in line with extant laws.

At the moment, data processing by licensees generally are to be scrutinized and only those that are cleared based on credible evidence of regulatory compliance will be permitted to carry out NIN verification going forward.

Furthermore, series of intensive trainings will be conducted in order to ensure that personnel and licensees are abreast of the duty of care and the standard of care mandated by the Nigeria Data Protection Act, NIMC’s Privacy Policy and other relevant regulatory protocols.

In the meantime, NDPC calls on members of the public to see NIN as an essential data for sustainable development. While existing technical and organizational measures are being strengthened to ensure the protection of this data, it is important for citizens to ensure that they are not left unidentified in various frameworks for development. It is equally important to be vigilant when sharing personal information on various online platforms.


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5 Common Backup Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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Are you confident that your valuable data is protected from unexpected disasters or cyber threats? Consider this: 1 in 10 computers fall victim to viruses, and a staggering 113 phones are stolen every minute every day[1].

With data loss being a sudden and potentially irretrievable nightmare, ensuring reliable backups is non-negotiable. March 31st, celebrated as World Backup Day, is a poignant reminder of this essential task. Let’s delve into the common backup mistakes people make and how to steer clear of those.

1. Skipping regular backups:

The most common mistake is forgetting to back up data regularly. Whether personal files or crucial business documents, not establishing a consistent backup routine leaves you vulnerable to data loss.

Unexpected system crashes or malware attacks can happen anytime, making your precious data inaccessible or permanently lost. But you can help avoid such a situation by setting up automatic backups.

SSD Backup Mistakes to avoid
2. Putting all faith in a single backup device:

A device can get damaged or stolen, putting your backups at risk, so depending entirely on one storage medium is playing a dangerous game with your data’s safety.

 Instead, diversify your backup storage solutions with a combination of external HDDs, NAS, and cloud storage.

Portable HDDs like those from WD like Western Digital’s My Passport offer up to 5TB for simple, cost-effective backups. For smartphones, 2-in-1 flash drives such as SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go USB Type-C and SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe are convenient options.

These drives, compatible with USB Type-C devices, automatically back up photos, videos, and more. Just plug and play for seamless data transfer across devices.

If you need a device to store huge amounts of data, then the desktop drive called My Book  from WD is just the product for you, with up to 22TB of storage capacity.

SSD Backup Mistakes to avoid
storage device

3. Forgetting version control:

Overlooking version control during backups is another blunder. Not keeping multiple versions of files increases the chance of saving corrupted or wrong data over previous versions.

Without a proper versioning system, fixing mistakes or retrieving older versions can become a challenge. To prevent forgetting version control, establish a system that tracks changes to your files over time.

This ensures that you can always revert to earlier versions if needed, helping protect against accidental data loss or corruption.

Regularly maintaining this system will help you stay organized and prepared for any unforeseen issues.

Additionally, it’s crucial to verify the version you’re backing up to ensure it’s the correct one.

This simple step can help prevent accidental overwriting of important data with potentially corrupted or incorrect versions.

Double-checking ensures that you’re safeguarding the most up-to-date and accurate information, minimizing the risk of errors during backups.

SSD Backup Mistakes to avoid
4. Ignoring off-site backup solutions:

Many people overlook off-site backup solutions, assuming local backups are foolproof. However, relying solely on local backups makes you vulnerable to site-specific disasters like fires or theft.

Using off-site backups means keeping copies of your data in different places so that if something bad happens in one area, your data stays safe.

As an alternative, you could use cloud storage. Cloud backup devices are popular for remote data storage accessible via the internet. Various online cloud services offer features like file synchronization, sharing, and encryption for secure data storage.

5. Underestimating encryption:

Not prioritizing encryption in backups can be a costly mistake. Storing unencrypted backups makes your sensitive data vulnerable to unauthorized access or breaches.

Implementing strong encryption ensures even if your backups fall into the wrong hands, the data remains protected.

However, it is equally important to remember not to opt for out-of-the-box encryption solutions, as they might make it difficult for you to retrieve the backed-up information later.

My Passport HDD and My Book from WD come equipped with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection that helps keep content secure.

Additionally, maintaining proper key management practices is essential to ensure smooth decryption and access to your data when needed.

SSD Backup Mistakes to avoid
Monitor and storage device

This World Backup Day, Western Digital urges you to back up your data safely, and at the same time, prepare for the unexpected by having a contingency plan in place for device mishaps like crashes, theft, or damage.

Worrying about losing data isn’t something you have to lose sleep over if you have an active data backup strategy.

A common rule of thumb for keeping important data from disappearing forever is the 3-2-1 Rule. It dictates that you should:

3. Have THREE copies of your data. One is a primary backup and two are copies.

   2. Save copies of your backups on TWO different types of media or devices.

   1. ONE backup copy should be kept offsite in case of disaster.

Determine where and how you’ll store backup files and identify support contacts for swift assistance.

These proactive measures ensure quick data recovery and safeguard your cherished memories for the long haul.


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