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E-Business

WhatsApp Worst Hit by Internet Shutdowns

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WhatsApp was the most-blocked platform due to deliberate internet shutdowns last year, new research has revealed.

WhatsApp Worst Hit by Internet Shutdowns

The world’s most popular messaging app suffered 6,236 hours of disruption in 2019, according to the study by top10vpm, with countries like Sri Lanka and Sudan among the worst affected.

Samuel Woodhams, digital rights expert and co-author of the report, said WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption and vast user base makes it an ideal platform for evading authorities during periods of civil unrest.

“Shutting it down makes it near-impossible for people to communicate in these situations, making it easier for authorities to maintain their grip on power,” he told The Independent.

“It’s frighteningly easy for authoritarian governments to shutdown platforms like WhatsApp, or even internet access as a whole… They rely on government licenses and so are forced to comply with government demands in order to continue operating in that country.”

Other platforms to face significant disruption last year include Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The study estimated that the economic cost of internet shutdowns globally was more than $8 billion (£6bn), caused by 122 major shutdowns across 21 countries.

The most heavily-impacted nation was Iraq, followed by Sudan, India, Venezuela and Iran. Shutdowns generally came in response to protests or civil unrest, especially in the build-up to elections.

“We found that there were more internet shutdowns in 2019 than ever before,” the report stated. “We calculated over 18,000 hours of internet shutdowns around the world in 2019, [representing] a 235 per cent increase compared to 2015/16.”

Beyond the economic impact, the researchers said the shutdowns were especially worrying for human rights and democracy.

However, not all shutdowns were an attempt to stifle free speech.

In India last August, internet connections were blocked in an attempt to “prevent rumour-mongering” and the spread of misinformation that led to violent protests in some areas of the country.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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E-Business

NDPC Probes Suspected Data Breach in Examination Centres

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Data Breach
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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched an investigation into allegations that the confidentiality and integrity of candidates’ personal data may have been compromised by hackers.

NDPC Probes Suspected Data Breach in Examination Centres

The Commission initiated the inquiry following concerns over possible data breaches during examinations.

Preliminary findings indicate that several examination centres may not have implemented adequate technical and organizational measures to safeguard candidates’ personal information, as required under data protection regulations.

Although the incident reportedly affected 379, 997 candidates, the NDPC’s investigation is poised to cover a systemic audit of data processing and third parties.

It will be recalled that JAMB recently admitted that a technical error on its platform affected a total of 379,997 candidates in 157 examination centres across Lagos and the South-East.

Further investigation led to the arrest of at least 20 suspects who are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Police Force.

 

 

 


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Nigeria Among Hotspots as Kaspersky Warns of Rising Ransomware Threat in Africa

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Cyber security firm, Kaspersky, has once again warned that sophisticated cybercriminals increasingly target Africa as ransomware and advanced persistent threats (APTs) escalate across the region.

Speaking at the company’s annual Cyber Security Weekend for the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region, the cybersecurity firm’s Global Research and Analysis Team highlighted growing digital threats affecting African nations.

Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa emerged as hotspots, with Kenya recording one of the highest web threat incident rates at 20.1% in first quarter 2025.

“While ransomware is less prevalent in Africa due to lower levels of digitisation and economic constraints, countries like South Africa and Nigeria are seeing a sharp rise in attacks,” said Sergey Lozhkin, head of META and APAC regions at Kaspersky.

Kaspersky noted a 0.01 percentage point increase in African ransomware cases year-on-year, reaching 0.41%, still below global and Middle Eastern averages, but a troubling sign for the continent’s emerging digital infrastructure.

Experts warned that attackers are refining their tactics, shifting focus to unconventional entry points like IoT devices, smart appliances, and misconfigured hardware.

“As these economies expand digitally, sectors such as manufacturing, finance and government are becoming key targets,” said Lozhkin

The cyber-crime landscape is evolving quickly, fuelled by AI tools and dark web access to large language models, which enable less skilled actors to launch convincing phishing and malware campaigns.

Groups like FunkSec, which uses AI-generated code and a low-cost ransom model, are redefining ransomware operations.

“African organisations face the dual challenge of expanding digital footprints and limited cybersecurity awareness. This makes layered defense strategies, including network segmentation, real-time monitoring and regular staff training, essential,” stated Lozhkin

Kaspersky continues to monitor 25 active APT groups in the META region, including SideWinder and MuddyWater, some of which are known to target African institutions.

To bolster defenses, the firm recommends using tools such as its free Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business and the Kaspersky Next suite for threat visibility and response.

 


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Nigeria Launches Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support

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Nigeria recently launched a new joint case team to step up its response to cybercrimes that affect people and businesses at home and abroad.

Nigeria Launches Cybercrime Team with Commonwealth, UK Support

The ‘Joint Case Team on Cybercrime’ brings together Nigeria’s key justice and security agencies to work as one, making it easier to detect, investigate, and prosecute digital offences.

It is supported by the UK National Crime Agency, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Commonwealth Secretariat, as part of a wider effort to promote international cooperation on cybercrime.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, minister of justice and attorney general of the federation described the initiative as “a bold and transformative stride in Nigeria’s justice system.”

He said that although Nigeria has a national legal framework to address cyber offences, laws alone are not enough.

Nigeria is among the countries most affected by cybercrime around the world, with increasing financial losses.


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