The Nation Newspaper

Category: e-Business

  • Jumia opens online store

    Jumia has unveiled an online store  in partnership with other top brands  in Lagos.

    Speaking during the launch, Jumia Nigeria Chief Executive Officer (CEO),  Juliet Anammah, said the Jumia Mall is dedicated to various brands on the website.

    She said: “This website helps consumers to find products that are 100 per cent authentic, to enjoy a return policy of 15 days on the platform, as well as a warranty on every product.

    “Consumers can also enjoy faster delivery because those brands have their products seated in our warehouse, and we are able to provide those products to consumers as fast as possible.

    “This means that anyone who has a shop can sell their products on the website.  People can browse and go directly to a particular brand section that they desire just the same way they go into a regular physical mall.

    “So, this is the same way we have a dedicated space on the website where they can access those brands directly. It means that if the brands are running an offer, they will find it offline as well as online. So the rest of the website is the marketplace.

    Read Also: ‘Jumia’ll leverage internet, data for growth’

    “We also have other things on the websites such as Jumia Global, which are items coming from abroad that can be found on this space as well.

    “So, if they want to go to the brand stores they go to Jumia Mall, and if they want to see the assortment coming from abroad the go to Jumia Global, but if they want to see the other products coming from small shops, then they can browse on the regular categories on the Jumia website.”

    Head of Mobile Category, Jumia Nigeria, Kolawole Osinowo the first thing that the firm has done with Jamal Mall is to ensure that the products coming in are either coming from the brand’s directly, or they are coming from the authorised distributor or reseller of the brands.

  • Infinix Hot 8 unveiled

    A Smartphone brand in the emerging markets around the world, Infinix Mobile, has unveiled the Hot 8, the latest addition to its entertainment product line-up Hot.

    Speaking during the launch at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Infinix Mobile Managing Director Benjamin Jiang said with a 5,000mAh battery, a 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display, a triple rear camera, and a DIRAC Sound & Party Mode as the key features, the device will allow consumers to enjoy a world of entertainment at their fingertips.

    He said: “The Infinix Hot series aims to empower young people with boundless entertainment experience fueled by transformative mobile technology. We observe the trends of online and offline entertainment in global emerging markets where technologies apply. We found that young people desire to connect and share their life with their communities in various ways, such as social networking, gaming, streaming, and partying.

    “The launch of Hot 8 is a great example of how Infinix spares no efforts in delivering on its promise. By integrating a bigger battery, a bigger display and other key features, we not only aim to satisfy consumers’ entertainment desires, but also inspire them to explore a world of creativity with one device at smaller cost.”

    He added that Hot is a mid-budget series phone designed for young people who are passionate about entertainment in the interconnected world. Inheriting Infinix’s brand spirit of providing the most cutting-edge technologies at affordable prices, Hot series has been committed to breaking the boundaries of combining the most relevant features in one device, letting customers amplify their entertainment experience in the digital space.

    He said the device comes with a 5,000mAh battery in a compact body that  enables four days of battery life with just three hours of charging through the 2A fast charge technology. Consumers will be able to enjoy non-stop entertainment throughout the day, whether it is social networking, watching videos, capturing images, or playing games.

    To further satisfy consumer demand of long standby time, Hot 8 also adopts artificial intelligence to optimise power consumption.

  • ‘Improving telecoms, internet service quality’

    Shortage of last-mile infrastructure to convey submarine cables is a challenge. LUCAS AJANAKU writes on how this problem is being tackled.

    There are over 40 terabytes per second (TBPS) international connectivity capacity cables landing in Lagos.

    Despite the large number, a group,  Submarine Cable Operators of Nigeria (ASCON), lamented that in terms of utilisation across all cables, the country is using less than 10per cent because of the absence of the requisite terrestrial infrastructure to transmit this capacity from the shores to other parts of the country, particularly to the unserved and underserved areas.

    “The relevant national backbone is not available. That is the challenge we are facing with broadband penetration. Thus, the connectivity and speed people will experience in Lagos will be different from what they find in their villages. In this regard, we would collaborate with other telecommunication stake-holders in seeking government intervention,” Ifeloju Alakija and Bolaji Mudashiru, president and secretary of the group said.

    In view of this constraint, the memorandum of understanding (MoU)  between Broadbased Communications Limited and Dolphin Telecom Limited is significant in the industry.

    While the former is an Open Access Metropolitan Fibre Optic Network Operator, the latter is a member of the African Coast to Europe (ACE) Submarine Cable System Consortium and the Operator of the ACE Submarine Cable Landing Station in Nigeria.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Broadbased Communications will provide the much-needed last-mile metropolitan fibre optic network connectivity wholesale to Dolphin Telecom’s clients, which include telecom operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the country. The ACE Submarine Cable System is managed by a consortium of 19 telecom operators from Africa and Europe.

    The submarine cable system is being upgraded to 100G technology, which will increase its design capacity from 5.12 terabytes per second (Tbps) to 12.8 Tbps. The  cable system is supported by wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology to accommodate future ultra-broadband networks.

    Broadbased Communications operates a non-compete, non-discriminatory, open access Metropolitan Fibre Optic Network that spans over 3,500 kilometres (km) of transmission, distribution and in-premise in all the major business districts in Lagos. The firm also operates Metro Fibre Networks in Kano and Akwa Ibom states with more points of presence (PoP) in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

    Broadbased provides fibre optic network connectivity for mobile network operators, 4G network operators, all the submarine cable landing stations, all major ISPs, data centres, Nigeria Internet Exchange Point (IXP), major global telecom operators, banks, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), electronic payment switching and processing companies, oil companies, major corporate firms and residential estates in partnership with other telecom service providers in each estate.

    Broadbased Managing Directror/Chief Executive Officer Prince Henry Iseghohi said the MoU is a testament to the company’s dedication to the open access, non-compete model, robust network architecture and the dedication of the  workers of Broadbased Communications.

    Dolphin Telecom Group Commercial Director Mr. Johnnie Coleman said the firm was delighted to partner  Broadbased Communications to distribute its wholesale internet capacity to telcos and ISPs in the major districts of Lagos. He said the ACE submarine system has positioned itself as a key driver of the country’s social and economic growth.

    Also, the Group Executive Director of Broadbased Communications, Mr. Chris Erewele Snr, restated their commitment to the provision of quality services to Dolphin Telecom with a dedicated Technical Support Team to meet the needs of their wholesale customers, including the use of horizontal directional drilling equipment to install fibre optic cables without manual digging.

    The Executive Director, Business Development, Mr Chidi Ibisi said the Broadbased Network, which spans over 3,500km is designed as a self-healing network in a ring architecture with redundant routes to over 20  PoPs, including the submarine cable landing stations, data centres, major telcos/ISP hubs and major corporate clients in Lagos.

    Aside the ACE submarine cable   which was manufactured by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and was laid by ships from ASN and France Telecom Marine, there is also the Glo-1 submarine cable that is along the west coast of Africa between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. It is owned by Globacom.

    The submarine cable system is 9,800 km long, and became operational in 2011 with a minimum capacity of 640 Gbit/s.

    Total capacity of the system is now advertised as 2.5 Tbit/s. The cable’s link to Ghana was turned up in April, 2011.

    Another indigenous player is the Main One submarine cable that stretched from Portugal to South Africa with landings along the route in various west African countries. It spans 14,000 km and provides additional capacity for international and Internet connectivity to countries between Portugal and South Africa on the west coast of Africa.

    There is also the SAT-3/WASC or South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable  linking Portugal and Spain to South Africa, with connections to several West African countries along the route.

    It is part of the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable system, where the SAFE cable links South Africa to Asia. The SAT-3/WASC/SAFE system provides a path between Asia and Europe for telecoms traffic, an alternative to the cable routes that pass through the Middle East, such as SEA-ME-WE 3 and FLAG.

    SAT-3 has a capacity for 340 Gbits while SAFE can take 440 Gbit/s. The SAT-3 system and SAFE were built by a consortium of operators.

    West Africa Cable System (WACS) is a submarine communications cable linking South Africa with the United Kingdom along the west coast of Africa constructed by Alcatel-Lucent. The cable consists of four fibre pairs and is 14,530 km in length, linking from Yzerfontein in the Western Cape of South Africa to London in the United Kingdom. It has 14 landing points, 12 along the western coast of Africa (including Cape Verde and Canary Islands) and 2 in Europe (Portugal and England) completed on land by a cable termination station in London.

  • Unregistered SIM cards pit minister against telcos

    Again, the issue of poorly registered/unregistered SIM cards on the network has aroused the attention of the Federal Government. It has earned the telcos fines running into millions of naira, with the highest, N330billion, just settled by MTN Nigeria this year. LUCAS AJANAKU writes on the need for stakeholders to collaborate and end the menace.

    Communications Minister, Dr Isa Pantami, is not new to the Information Communication Technology (ICT) space.

    He had stirred one or two controversies in the past. When he headed the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), his attempt to register IT contractors was resisted by the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), which insisted that registering contractors wasn’t part of the intention of NITDA Act 2007. Its role  is to plan, promote and develop regulatory framework and guidelines as stated in NITDA Act 2007, Section 6a. “The Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Act 49 of 1993 is saddled with the mandate to register, license, supervise and control the profession as stated in CPN Act Section 1 (2),” NCS insisted.

    Again, in July this year, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ALTON) pettioned the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over attempt by NITDA to usurp its functions.

    Titled: Introduction of Legal Instruments by NITDA with Attendant Impact on the Operations of Entities Regulated by the NCC–Request for Guidance, the telcos had drawn NCC’s attention to:  Framework and Guidelines for Public Internet Access (PIA) 2019; Framework for Data Centre Facilities; and Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.  ALTON  raised concern over NITDA’s attempt to regulate data services. It also faulted attempt to register data centres in the country under the guise of   Presidential Executive Orders 003 and 005 on local content development.

    The telcos also raised concern over NITDA’s attempt to turn itself into Data Protection Agency by making its regulation to override the NCC’s provision on data processing in the industry.

    Read Also: Minister gives NCC uptill Sep 26 to rectify improperly registered SIM cards 

    When he assumed office, Pantami told CEOs of Federal Government agencies under the supervision of the ministry that their performance would be assessed monthly. He warned that sanctions awaited anyone found wanting in the perfromance of their duties.

    Specifically, Pantami madated the NCC to end the issue of sale of pre-registered, unregistered and partially-registered SIM cards, especially as this can help in reducing numerous security challenges the nation faces; stem the tide of illegal deduction of data of subscribers and work towards the downward review of the cost of data; and ensure compliance with the maximum two per cent Call Drop Rate directive to telecom operators.

    It may have been pursuant to the mandate he gave to the NCC to end the sale of pre-registered, unregistered and partially-registered SIM cards that he directed the regulator to deactivate 9.2 million unregistered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards on the system.

    The concern of the minister is understandable. Almost 10 years after SIM registration started, it is curious that the telcos are yet to get it right.

    Last week, a statement from Communication Ministry  said  the NCC has submitted its baseline short-term performance targets report.

    “The report, signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, contained precise figures of improperly registered SIM cards in use around the country. The Commission in its report disclosed that an estimated 9.2million SIM cards did not comply with the proper procedures of SIM registration.

    “The investigation, which was carried out at the behest of the minister, has exposed for the first time in the telecoms history of Nigeria, in precise detail, the magnitude of defaulters,” the statement read.

    According to the statement, Pantami  “expressed concern over the security implication of this discovery and further directed that the telecoms regulator, should with immediate effect, ensure that all improperly registered numbers are duly reregistered.”

    To ensure maximum compliance, Pantami has directed NCC to ensure all mobile network operators block all SIM cards that do not meet proper registration standards until users comply with proper reregistration procedures.

    “The security implication of this irregularity is too grave to ignore and the Federal Ministry of Communications will not tolerate any actions or inactions that will compromise the nation’s security,” the statement noted.

    This is not the first time the issue of unregistered SIM cards is coming up in the telecoms sector. It has always been there. It is either the NCC said it has arrested people selling pre-registered SIM cards or it is issuing warnings to the telcos.

    About three months ago, the NCC had raised the alarm that some 95.7million subscriber data was ‘invalid’.

    ALTON  Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, had accused the NCC of indicting itself with huge number of cards it adjudged to be invalid because the NCC came out with SIM card registration rules, which the carriers adhered to during the exercise, adding that huge cash was also sunk on the project.

    Adebayo is right. The NCC got budgetary approval of N5.6billion, which it said, it also spent on registering SIM cards across the country.

    How many of the improperly registered 9.2 million SIM cards came from the NCC is unknown but it did particpated in the process that has become a subject of national security challenge.

    Adebayo faulted the new figures, insisting that it must be far less than 9.2 million. He agreed that unregistered SIM cards should be blocked because it is in line with the SIM registration guidelines reached by the regulator and carriers but wondered how that huge number of unregistered SIM would be on the network.

    “I don’t know how anyone will come about nine million unregistered SIM cards; that is certainly not possible. There could be SIM cards that have incorrect data or that require revalidation. Maybe they are talking about improper registration; but if they are saying that there are nine million unregistered SIM cards in the country, that is not possible. It is just impossible and I am saying this unequivocally.

    “Any unregistered SIM cards will be blocked and should be blocked. There should be no unregistered SIM cards in the first place.”

    A security expert urged all the stakeholders, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), telcos, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), NCC and other security agencies, to close ranks and address the issue headlong.

  • Nigeria News

    Satellite is another infrastructure that can help speed up the Federal  Government’s broadband ambition because of its ability to reach the rural areas.

    Incidentally, the country has a satellite, the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat), which could help bridge the gap.

    NigComSat said it has taken a new approach to the delivery of satellite connectivity solutions by establishing an eco-system of Virtual Internet Service Providers (VISPs) which will operate using the digital  Business Support System (BSS) PortaBilling, provided by PortaOne. This will  deliver the service to key markets – such as government, defence, maritime and enterprise.

    VISPs will rent data channels from the NigComSat orbiting satellite and then rely on the PortaBilling self-care portal to manage their tariff plans and subscribers. PortaBilling will carry out all service monetisation, ie: service activation, charging, invoicing and payment collection. So, a VISP does not need to purchase or implement any infrastructure, and the only action required on the VISP side is to install the customer’s equipment.

    The low entry barrier enables nearly local firms, such as system integrator, utility or even a supermarket chain to become an internet service provider (ISP). It will have major effects in several key markets, in particular for small office or home office (SOHO) that will benefit from better satellite connectivity.

    The Managing Director/CEO, NigComSat, Dr Abimbola Alale, said PortaBilling, a robust and flexible solution, will address the common challenges ISPs face in the country.

    She said: “It will also aid profitability, market readiness and a need for technology, which evolves with the market because PortaOne offers a license, unlimited in terms of number of subscribers or resellers. This helps to maintain a low and predictable  Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).”

    She expressed gratitude to PortaOne team’s agile development work done on the project to integrate with other elements of the solution such as online payment through REMITA.

    Based in Canada, PortaOne is a leading software developer of service provisioning and billing systems for modern telecommunication companies – across the globe.

    The CEO of PortaOne, Andriy Zhylenko, said flexible convergent digital BSS is a crucial tool which will enable NigComSat to succeed via monetisation of an innovative service and better customer experience.

    “At the heart of PortaBilling is an open architecture that will integrate seamlessly with NigComSat’s value-added services. The two will work smoothly together to create cutting edge solutions that will meet the needs of today’s customers,” Zhylenko said.

    He said PortaBilling will make internet access more abundant and affordable by building a vast network of VISPs in the country. PortaBilling would further enable prepaid satellite internet access across the country by improving revenue collection and reduction of leakage for VISPs and NigComSat.

    Zhylenko said: “Since the entry is simplified and the operating costs are minimal due to fully automated service provisioning and charging, new ISPs will be able to appear in regions where they did not exist before. As a result, the overall end-user experience will be improved and there will be more healthy competition.”

    The Executive Director, Technical Services at NigComSat, Kazeem Raji, expressed satisfaction with the full open architecture of PortaBilling, which enables the firm to tie it into various back-office and VAS system.

    “A true partnership approach where we are empowered to decide on how and who performs the integration within our system,” he said.

  • ‘Digitalisation of oil, gas imperative for productivity’

    The oil and gas industry is the largest foreign exchange earner for the country, yet Nigeria is an oil producing country with the highest cost of production. A business solutions firm, Verraki, believes digitalisation could change the game, reports LUCAS AJANAKU

    Business solutions firm focused on accelerating the development and transformation of Africa, Verraki Partners, has said digitalisation of the oil and gas industry will go a long way to addressing many of its challenges.

    Its Energy Lead and Senior Partner, Real Sector, Mrs. Abayomi Olarinmoye, said upstream players could gain competitive advantage, operational excellence and financial transparency by embracing more automation in their operations and enjoy several benefits including increased productivity, reduced operational costs and highly engaged employees.

    Mrs Olarinmoye, a former Managing Director, Accenture’s Resources Operating Group in Nigeria, identified several value-adding opportunities for oil and gas firms to deploy digital technologies which would serve as catalysts to achieve  growth.

    She identified increasing reliance on real-time data by international oil and gas operators and the need for players to adopt similar strategies given the existing infrastructure, security and operational challenges.

    She identified use of apps as a service business models which allow operators to deploy technology customised to suit the size of their business operations.

    She believes that if oil and gas firms maximise the potential of digital supply chain technologies, it would help to establish a new ecosystem of markets and alliance partners.

    Mrs Olarinmoye said: “The energy industry is getting smarter and more intelligent as business operations and growth decisions are being backed by leading-She stressed that this becomes consequential, given the increasing demand for smarter devices and automated sensors on the field and a move to stay continuously connected with assets in remote locations.

    “Investing in shared platforms for service delivery and adoption of these digital technologies by oil and gas companies will enable the ability to provide critical data in real-time without any downtime, hence improving co-operation within the ecosystems and their communities.’’

    Mrs Olarinmoye urged industry players to take advantage of Verraki’s best practice techniques to deliver supply chain optimisation opportunities, digitise processes and guarantee production and efficiency improvements for oil and gas companies.

    Verraki is focused on implementing technology and business solutions designed inherently for Africa and fit for purpose, while curating business ventures that would contribute to unlocking new sources of growth across the continent.

    Led by foremost corporate professionals as well as former Accenture leadership in Nigeria, Verraki will apply its global expertise and local insights to partner with enterprises and governments to accelerate the development and transformation of Africa by providing business solutions uniquely tailored for Africa.

  • MainOne partner CcHub on PitchDrive

    MainOne has partnered Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) and Sterling Bank on the second edition of PitchDrive tech tour currently underway.

    Ten selected startups utilising hardware and deep technology tools in their businesses are travelling through five Asian cities pitching their businesses to investors in the Asian technology ecosystem and forging partnerships to scale.

    The two-week tech tour  ended September 8.

    Tagged: PitchDrive Tour Stories, they  interacted with tech and hardware communities in Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China and Hong Kong, engaged in pitch events with Asian tech giants such as Tencent and Transsion.

    They also sought collaborations, partnerships and potential investment opportunities to further grow and scale their businesses.

    Head Marketing at MainOne, Tayo Ashiru, said sponsorship  was borne out of the firm’s deep commitment to enable the tech startup ecosystem across Africa.

  • Destruction of telecoms facilities and national security

    The xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa sparked reprisal attack of infrastructure in some parts of the country. Destruction of telecoms infrastrcuture is an ill wind because it can compromise national security and service quality, writes LUCAS AJANAKU.

    Like a horror film, grim images of attacks on foreign nationals and burning down of their means of livelihoods emerged from South Africa last week.

    Again, it is another season of xenophobic attacks. It is not the first and this might not likely be the last if the root cause of the attacks are not addressed.

    There were, however, reprisal attacks in Nigeria whose citizens were worst hit by the unprovoked aggression.

    The Nigeria arm of Africa’s largest carrier, MTN Group, came under attacks.

    The telco confirmed that its facilities, customers and some of its stakeholders were subjects of attacks in retaliation for the ongoing xenophobia situation in South Africa. “We have confirmed reports of attacks in Lagos, Ibadan and Uyo,” MTN’s Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, said in a statement.

    The Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has warned that further vandalism of telecoms infrastructure will spell doom for the industry.

    Its President, Olushola Teniola, in a note, said news and a reaction to what is happening in South Africa are disheartening. “We cannot have vandalism of telecom infrastructure as the answer to the unfortunate incidents happening in South Africa. Other African citizens have also faced similar fates and the best thing is for peaceful protests to happen to express displeasure,” Teniola said.

    According to him, facilities for now may not have not been vandalised but outlets maybe at risk.  “Should vandalism continue, then negative impacts will be felt in quality of service (QoS), level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and create a level of uncertainty amongst the investment community, he said.

    Ukpanah said while MTN Nigeria remains committed to providing uninterrupted services, the safety and security of its customers, staff and partners is of utmost priority. “All MTN stores and service centres will, therefore, be closed as a precaution until further notice. MTN condemns any acts of violence, prejudice and xenophobia and remains absolutely committed to ensuring a peaceful harmonious and respectful relationship with all communities in Nigeria and across Africa.

    “We are engaging all relevant authorities in this regard and we urge them to act swiftly to reduce tensions both in South Africa and Nigeria. We will provide further updates as and when possible,” Ukpanah said.

    Teniola agreed no less with him. He said: “The shutdown of their outlets, hopefully, is a preventive one until the government of Nigeria and other African leaders can intervene to curtail it.

    “Continued diplomacy in reaching a permanent resolution to the root causes of the problem must bbe explored.”

    Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Ernest Ndukwe, has also rejected xenophibic attacks in South Africa and reprisals in Nigeria.

    In a statement, he condemned the attacks in unequivocal terms and commiserated with the victims of the unfortunate incident.

    Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said: “The board of MTN Nigeria wishes to add its unequivocal condemnation of the xenophobia and violence against Nigerians and other nationalities in South Africa over the recent days, as well as the violent response to it in Nigeria. Violence cannot and must never be acceptable and we must reject it in the strongest terms possible.

    “We offer our profound sympathies to all those affected and urge all stakeholders and communities in Nigeria, South Africa and other countries, to act with restraint, and to work collaboratively to address these issues.

    “Our future as a continent will be built on enhanced connections and greater integration economically, culturally and politically. It is in all of our interests to work together.”

  • iDAF unveils iAspire fellowship

    A group, iDAF, has unveiled iAspire Data Science Fellowship Programme in the country.

    Data Science entails a combination of data inference, algorithms, and technology that solves complex problems.

    The core of this technology is data that is initially raw, then is streamlined, and stored in a data warehouse to help generate significant business values.

    Co-founder/CEO of iDAF, Theophilus Medeiros, said the programme will offer a comprehensive curriculum for participants and designed for the industry.

    He said:  “iAspire Data Science Fellowship is about the only data science program in Africa that offers the most comprehensive curriculum and a guaranteed cloud certification. The curriculum is designed and is being constantly updated to cater to industry needs by experienced data science practitioners and professors

    “The programme creates a portfolio of 10 mini-projects and a capstone project across industries of your choice to showcase your skills and knowledge and will definitely offer participants knowledge about the theory of current data science technologies with hands-on experience.”

    To participate in the programme, he said interested candidates are to visit iDAF’s website (www.idaf.ng/apply) and submit their application not later than October 5.

    “Therefore, we get you up to speed as quickly and deeply in just six months of current topics. Interestingly, the faculty is a mix of Top Data Scientists working for Fortune 50 companies who are passionate in teaching,” he added.

    Another co-founder, Prince Ogwuru, advised the government to develop policy frameworks and structures on which Artificial Intelligence can thrive, and position Nigeria as the leader of Artificial Intelligence in Africa.

    Leading organisations bring their Data Science and Business Intelligence practices together for timely and centralised access.

    To this end, the iDAF’s flagship programme aims to train and prepare Nigerian bright minds to use Artificial Intelligence and advanced machine and deep learning concepts to tackle business and social problems.

  • Beware of SIM swap fraudsters

    There is a new high tech fraud in town called subscriber identity module (SIM) Swap.

    Hundreds of persons are already licking their wounds after losing millions of naira.

    How it works?

    1. Your phone network will momentarily go blind / zero (no signal / zero bars) and after a while a call will come through.
    2. The person on the other end of the call will tell you that he is calling from your global system for mobile communication (GSM) service provider. The caller will tell you there is a problem in your mobile network.

    3  The caller will instruct you to Please Press 1 on your phone to get the network back.

    -At this stage, don’t press anything, Just cut or End the call.

    If you press 1, the network will appear suddenly and almost immediately go blind again (zero bars) and by that action, your phone is #Hacked.

    Within a second,  your bank account, will be emptied thereby causing you untold damage.

    Experience

    It will appear as though your line is without network, meanwhile your SIM has been swapped.

    The danger here is that, you will not get any alert of any transactions, so if you do USSD banking and mobile banking, beware and be very careful.