The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has  advised  telecom consumers in the country not to share their cell phones, National Identity Number (NIN), and Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards with others.

Mr Efeosa Edehen, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, said on Thursday at a consumer conversation event organised by the commission in Abuja that defaulters would be held liable for any crime committed with the SIM cards.

The conversation with the theme “Know Your Rights and Obligations as a Telecom Consumer” was aimed at enlightening consumers on the dangers of shearing such vital information.

He warned that Nigerians must be extremely careful with their devices so they do not fall into the hands of wrong people who would use them to commit crime and later be traced to the owners of the devices, NIN or SIM cards.

Edehen cautioned Nigerians not to help any of the consumers to link their SIM cards with their NIN or give phones to other people to make calls, send texts, or use social media.

“Your phone carries your identity and therefore should be protected and always be with you.

“Note that you will be responsible for whatever wrong/offense someone else committed while using your SIM card(s). So, be very vigilant.

“As a citizen, it is very important and necessary to register for National Identity Number (NIN) and to ensure your NIN is linked to your SIM cards,” he said.

Speaking further he said Consumers had the right to receive clear and complete terms and conditions for service agreement and disclosures of price for goods and services.

He added that the also had the right to affirmatively accept all terms and conditions before being charged for services.

“They have the right to be protected against fraudulent, misleading and deceitful information, advertisement or labelling.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) and  Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will facilitate the release of contiguous bandwidth in one of the most suitable Frequency Spectrum band(s) for early deployment of fifth Generation Network (5G) services in  the country

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday in Abuja,Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, spoke at the signing ceremony in Abuja,explained that among the Frequency Spectrum bands allocated to 5G by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), C-band (3.4GHz – 3.9GHz) stands out because its balancing point between coverage and capacity provides the perfect environment for 5G connectivity.

According to him, C-band is most suitable and appropriate for immediate deployment of 5G services taking into consideration availability of device ecosystem with 60-70% of global commercial 5G network deployment currently in the band.

He said: “For optimal 5G service performance, an average of contiguous 100 MHz of spectrum in the C-band is required by an operator. However in Nigeria, only 120 MHz of the band (3.4 – 3.52) GHz is available for mobile services while the remaining 680 MHz (3.52 – 4.2) GHz of the band is used by NigComSat (NG-1R) satellites.

“The commission initiated negotiation with NIGCOMSAT whom in our estimate could make some adjustment to its satellite operation and release part of its Spectrum holding in the band to facilitate the deployment of 5G in Nigeria. The impeccable team at NigComSat proved us right.”

Danbatta commended the management of the NIGCOMSAT for demonstrating that the interest of Nigeria is paramount to the organizational or personal interest.

He said: “The two agencies have been in discussions on how to relocate the operations of NG-1R to the standard C-band 300MHz (3.9GHz – 4.2GHz) portion of the band, which is more suitable in terms of satellite service offering because end user terminal are cheaper there, while leaving the non-standard C-band 400MHz (3.5GHz – 3.9GHz) portion of the band for 5G use.

“The cost of relocating the NG-1R is expected to be offset from the proceeds of the auction of the 5G spectrum. The two agencies have developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) detailing all the aspect of this undertaking. It is my belief that the impact of this decision knows no bounds and will not only strengthen the relationship between both agencies but would also go a long way in making positive impact on the Nigerian economy.”

Kaspersky  has partnered with value-added distributor DataGroupIT who will provide the global cybersecurity company with access to new markets in Nigeria and Ghana.

“DataGroupIT is a well-known distributor in Africa with a clear value-add when it comes to generating focused business growth, especially in the enterprise segment. It also has the capacity to support the Kaspersky business logistically and provide valuable technical expertise on Kaspersky solutions,” says Lehan van den Heever, Enterprise Cyber Security Advisor for Kaspersky in Africa.

DataGroupIT has more than 1 000 clients in over 15 Sub-Saharan African countries with its professional teams delivering exceptional sales, pre-sale, logistic, marketing, and financial support.

The partnership between the two organisations will further enhance Kaspersky’s rapidly expanding footprint in Africa. It is designed to empower customers to leverage Kaspersky’s knowledge, market intelligence, and world-class cyber security professionals with best-in-class local market support.

“West Africa is becoming a major focus for Kaspersky. The agreement with DataGroupIT will see Kaspersky gain access to new verticals in this region while helping new and existing customers build their cybersecurity strategy. It also puts Kaspersky in a position to work with major regulators to elevate the digital protection threshold across the region,” says van den Heever.

Amir Shtarkman, VP Business Development at DataGroupIT says; “Our partnership with Kaspersky is an excellent fit for our growing product portfolio, and our ‘6 pillar model’. Kaspersky is an experienced vendor and a leader on their product portfolio. Their offerings will enable our customers across the region to realise the benefits of cybersecurity and, in particular, endpoint protection and cyber intelligence. DataGroupIT has a wealth of experience in the cybersecurity market in Africa, and we are looking forward to growing the Kaspersky business with this partnership.”

With the DataGroupIT partnership in place, Kaspersky plans to replicate the success it has observed in other African regions.

“This expansion will help move the maturity of cyber defence tools and processes in West Africa to a new level especially at a time when organisations and consumers are adapting to a new distributed working environment that creates the potential for additional cyber risk,” concludes van den Heever.

The Federal Government and Microsoft Corporation have announced plans  to equip no less than five million Nigerians with a digital upskilling programme in locations in each of the six geopolitical zones in the next three years.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo  and Microsoft Corporation President, Mr. Brad Smith said the partnership would create 27,000 jobs leveraging on Microsoft’s experience in the utilisation of technology as an enabler for the delivery of public and social good.

The partnership with Microsoft Corporation anchored on connectivity, skilling and digital transformation followed discussions between both parties led by Osinbajo and Smith earlier in the year.

Osinbajo said the current administration is partnering with the technology giant to accelerate Nigeria’s advancement towards a more digital economy in line with the Economic Sustainability Plan.

“Our government is committed to leveraging innovation and technology to bring better outcomes across a wide area of governance concerns. Indeed, it is with this in mind that we have sought constructive partnerships that bridge the knowledge, skills and technology gap that exist in most of our communities,” Osinbajo said

A recent research by Kaspersky Technologies,has disclosed looming mobile threats in Nigeria and Kenya through Stalkerware.

Specifically,the  research shows  that stalkerware affected one out of every 100 mobile users in Kenya and Nigeria in 2020 and malware every four out of 100 in South Africa.

The research warned that mobile threats should not to be taken lightly and consumers must remain vigilant when it comes to their online activities if they are to keep themselves safe from the growing threat of cyberattacks.

“Even though these numbers might seem low, especially when it comes to stalkerware, it bears mentioning that this form of attack is focused on specific individuals. So, unlike general malware that is distributed on a massive scale, stalkerware is a more personal crime that has life and death consequences for the individual affected, for example a perpetrator can track down their estranged partner with ill intentions, or human trafficking rings targeting children,” says Lehan van den Heever, Enterprise Cyber Security Advisor for Kaspersky in Africa.

Heever said stalkerware can enable the perpetrator to track a victim’s location, read their messages, view their photos and videos, eavesdrop on telephone conversations, and see everything typed on the keypad.

“Our research shows that almost 54 000 users globally were affected by stalkerware apps in 2020. The fact that these are growing momentum in Africa should be cause for concern. And even though South Africa has not been affected by these attacks yet, it is only a matter of time before mobile users in the country start experiencing the dangers of stalkerware,” he added.

He said his company  released the TinyCheck tool designed to find stalkerware without its operator knowing,adding that it has recently been updated to help uncover all types of geo-tracking apps that identify people’s movements using their GPS data.

“Over and above the threat of stalkerware, our research shows that malware and adware, although again rather low, still remain cyberthreats that we urge users in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria to be cognisant of and protect against,” adds van den Heever.

According to him,Kaspersky’s analysis of mobile threats in 2020 shows that in Kenya 7% of users were affected by malware, and 13% by adware. In Nigeria, the situation is similar, also showing that 7% of users were impacted by malware and 17% by adware. In South Africa, 4% of users were targeted with malware and 7% with adware.

“While we advocate that mobile users must protect their devices with a strong password, they should also never leave their phones unattended. Furthermore, it is important to block the installation of apps from third-party sources in their device settings and install a reliable mobile antivirus solution that detects and warns them about stalkerware and other malware. Lastly, do not click on links in spam emails,” concludes van den Heever.

The partnership between the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) has heralded the development and handing over of twenty-six (26) documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) manuals to the OHCSF and the Federal Civil Service by the Africa Initiative for Governance for all processes carried out in the Office.The SOPs are globally recognised as manuals that apply step-by-step instructions compiled by an organisation to assist its personnel perform their operational tasks accurately and effectively.

The handing over ceremony which took place last week  in Abuja was well attended by Directors, AIG team, SOPs champions in the OHCSF and the Press.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan disclosed that the main objective of SOPs is to develop an effective system that complies with industry–specific regulations and standards to significantly reduce or avoid operational errors as well as unwanted work variations.

According to her, the adoption of SOPs will ensure efficient, effective, and productive civil service, adding that for a dynamic civil service to be achieved, it was pertinent to have laid down standards of operation. She commended the departmental champions for their commitment and assiduous input that made the actualization of the SOPs a reality.

Speaking,the Chairman of the Africa Initiative for Governance, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede said, “The real issue is how fast we are able to get the entire Nigerian Government and not just the civil service to document its operating procedures in this way, and then going further to obtain ISO 9001:2015 certification, and finally digitalising all civil service functions and operations”

He  further explained that the new process will enable users of government service to interact with the service through official websites instead of the current inefficient paper-based method.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary Special Duties Office (SDO), Mrs Ibiene Roberts said the SOP manual contains a standardised process and detailed instructions that will help the staff of the Head of Service to perform tasks safely and develop an effective business system.

In his goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, Service Policy and Strategies Office (SPSO), in the office of the Head of Service, Dr Emmauel Meribole affirmed that the actualisation of the SOPs is a welcome development, whose essence is to ensure uniformity.

He urged all civil servants to make effective use of the launched SOPs for the good of the Service and as a yardstick for measuring standards in the Civil Service.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has arrested no fewer than five suspected individuals for allegedly engaging in fraudulently registering and selling Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.

The operation was carried out by a joint team from the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Department of the Commission, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 in the Wuse area of Abuja.

The arrested suspects were subsequently handed over to the NSCDC Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Wuse, Abuja for further investigation with respect to the allegations leveled against them.

Commenting on the enforcement operation, NCC’s Head of Enforcement, Salisu Abdu, who led the joint enforcement exercise, said the exercise was part of the routine activities embarked upon by the Commission to rid the industry of criminal elements engaging in fraudulent registration of SIM cards.

He said pre-registering a SIM card is an offence punishable under relevant regulations in the telecom sector and constitutes a breach of national security.

“It is criminal and fraudulent to pre-register a SIM card in Nigeria and it is an offence punishable under the law.

“Though the Federal Government recently lifted the ban on sale of new SIM cards, it should be noted that proper registration of SIM cards and linking them to National Identity Number (NIN) before activation has now become a prerequisite,” he said.

National Information Technology Development Agency(NITDA) has so far saved the sum of N22.45 billion for the Federal Government through the clearance of Information Technology projects of various  Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) of government.

Mr.Kashifu Abdullahi, the  Director General of NITDA,who  disclosed  this in Abuja at a media briefing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the agency,noted that with the release of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), NITDA has created a new industry, stimulated new business models, and empowered thousands of Nigerians through capacity building and skills development.

“We licensed 72 Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs), created over 2,686 new jobs roles in the industry, developed a new data protection sector valued at around 2.2 billion Naira.

“The agency has also successfully investigated and issued data breach fines to many organisations, including public institutions.  More importantly, other countries are looking up to the Agency for guidance on Data Protection Regulation,” he explained.