The Adimula of Ifewara, and perhaps one of the oldest serving monarchs in Yorubaland, HRM Oba Hezekiah Adeniyi Owolola, in collaboration with the Oladele Fajemirokun Foundation, recently concluded the first phase of a skills acquisition programme developed by the Foundation.

All over the world, governments and leaders concert efforts to address the issue of unemployment and its attendant vices. There is no gainsaying that even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic growth has been at the heart of the aspirations of actors of national development. According to a 15 th March 2021 Bloomberg article, unemployment in Africa’s largest economy surged to the second-highest globally. In its most updated report, the National Bureau of Statistics pegged the unemployment rate in Nigeria at 33.3%, a leap from its previous 27.1% record. Even worse hit are peri-urban and rural communities. One of such communities is Ifewara, in the Osun State of Nigeria.

Ifewara, a peri-urban community located 20km from Ile-Ife in the Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, is characterised by a low literacy level and lack of basic infrastructure and medical facilities. Although there are tertiary institutions in the neighbouring Ife town, there are few schools in Ifewara, hence the predominance of semi-skilled and unskilled labour. The people of Ifewara however, prove themselves to be hardworking people as the majority of them are involved in one economic activity or the other, albeit subsistent.

The , the philanthropic vehicle of Chief (Dr.) Oladele Fajemirokun, the Baba Oba of Ifewara, sought to bridge the economic gap by equipping Ifewara youths with the required skills and machines through the Skills Acquisition Programme (SAP)- tailoring. The Executive Director of the Foundation, Mrs. Lawumi Fajemirokun, revealed that due to Ifewara’s centrality as well as its literacy profile, it had the potential of local economic growth through low-end services such as tailoring. This consideration gave birth to the 3-month OFF-SAP tailoring course which inducted 50 participants. Mrs. Fajemirokun reiterated her passion for gender inclusion and empowerment in consideration of the over 90% representation of females in the programme. Following the success of the programme, she further pledged to impact more households through this initiative and charged the participants to make the best of their skills and machines.

The Adimula of Ifewara, HRM Oba Hezekiah Adeniyi Owolola, went on to thank the Oladele Fajemirokun Foundation for creating such opportunities for the Ifewara community and ultimately reducing the economic dependency on the local authorities. He stated that with the training as well as the provision of sewing machines and cash to all 50 participants, he was convinced that the economic profile of Ifewara will gather momentum in no distant time. The long-serving monarch who had ruled for over 4 decades expressed appreciation to the Foundation and its primary benefactor, Chief Fajemirokun for the many interventions on Ifewara over the years.

Canada Immigration expert Victor Ola, shared the success story of Mr. Kingsley which inspired him to do more when it comes to helping people relocate to Canada all by themselves in 2022.

A popular proverb that says: “a good turn deserves another”, Mr. Kingsley fed Victor Ola back after securing the UK study and work visa which seems to be an unachievable task for him.

Just as many people out there want more out of life, looking to relocate to a place where they can mix up with people of different races, get exposed to different environments, feel the touches of nature and explore life to their satisfaction, Mr. Kingsley also wanted to relocate and study abroad.

Mr. Kingsley on several occasions has employed the services of immigration agents to help him process the visa. “The advice I would never give to anyone in this advanced technology age where the resourceful information is readily at your fingertip.”

Unfortunately, either the visa agent fled with his money or eventually gave him a visa rejection letter.

Could it be that schooling abroad is not the experience that Mr. Kingsley would taste?

He got frustrated and wanted to give up on his relocation dreams after being scammed by different so-called visa agent, a concerned friend referred Mr. Kingsley to me, says Victor Ola

I shared with him what he could have done better and what he needed to do in his next application.

Being a brilliant applicant, Mr. Kingsley followed everything I told him, he searched through the huge list of institutions offering scholarships and submitted applications to schools of his choice.

Fortunately for him, he got admission into Nottingham Trent University, and Glasgow Caledonian University in the UK. Left with double options, He chose Glasgow Caledonian University due to his personal review of the institutions.

The issue of agents ripping helpless applicants is a matter for another day! Not, in any case, should you throw your money in the garbage. I’ve received emails from individuals that have been scammed by these so-called agents!

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Importantly, you’ll see how to get your first job as a new immigrant without prior experience and with no Canadian work experience once you land in Canada. If you’re dead serious about your study and work abroad dream, you need to avoid agent headaches and write your story like Mr.  Kingsley by joining the No IELTS To Canada workshop session now at https://noieltstocanada.com/

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Businessman and politician Moses Ayom gets royal blessing of the Tiv monarch in his bid to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari next year.

Picture shows Ayom (on his kneels) being blessed by the paramount ruler of the Tivs, His Royal Majesty Professor Ortese Ayatse in his Palace, Gboko, Benue state, the ancestral home of the Tivs.

Ayom, a Tiv, is in the ruling APC.

Globally, 2021 proved to be a significant year for cryptocurrencies. And while some played it safe, Africa’s leading crypto exchange Yellow Card Financial achieved significant milestones which included: setting up the YC Academy, launching in new African territories and raising a Series A of $15M. Now, starting the year off strong, Yellow Card is proud to announce its relaunch into Nigeria.

This relaunch is significant as Nigeria was the first African country where Yellow Card was set up, in 2018. Since then the company has solidified its presence in 14 countries, making significant strides to make cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT Stablecoin accessible to anyone anywhere across the continent.

Oparinde Babatunde, Yellow Card Director of Operations, says this moment is a game-changer for the company.

“Nigeria has always been our largest market, and us coming back to reclaim our market share is a big deal for me.

There’s so much that existing and new customers can expect: our app looks different and is a whole new experience for users. We also have a strong focus on usability, trust and safety, having implemented Smile Identity to ensure the tier 1 traders are only able to submit documents once and they are scanned with an international db,” he said.

Yellow Card’s initial withdrawal from Nigeria came in February 2022 When the cryptocurrency industry came under regulatory scrutiny around concerns to protect user interest.

“The tide has changed and we are now seeing a growing interest from the CBN in them creating their own digital currency. Around October last year, they announced the release of the eNaira which is a digital form of the country’s currency and draws its value from the physical naira. In the coming months, we hope the CBN will reconsider their stance on cryptocurrency,” added Oparinde.

At the time of the withdrawal, Yellow Card boasted an estimated 90k users in Nigeria – a majority of these users included technologically savvy youth and people who wanted to explore innovative investment and retirement options.

The team has now set their sights on achieving 500k users in the country by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Crypto adoption across the continent is growing at record numbers. Earlier this year the Global Crypto Adoption Index cited South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria among the top 20 countries with the fastest growth.

Oparinde says the reason for the increased interest can be attributed to the fact that “a lot of Africans use crypto to hedge against inflation as most African currencies continue to lose their value against the US dollar.

Crypto also tends to be a faster and cheaper means of cross border payment so people prefer it as an option opposed to the traditional fiat monetary system”.

As interest in crypto is on the rise, educating Africans on the market remains one of Yellow Card’s key mandates, and they have managed to successfully execute this through various initiatives, webinars and platforms. One such platform is the Yellow Card Academy which boasts a wide range of information about cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and financial literacy.

Having been in the market before Yellow Card does not negate the challenges that may arise, including government policies that clamp down on cryptocurrency entities and individuals dealing with crypto. Despite this, there’s no denying that the speed at which Africans are adopting crypto is too fast to contain.

Crypto gives people a sense of freedom,” says Oparinde. “As humans we love freedom and naturally tilt towards anything that projects that”.

There’s no doubt that 2022 will be another significant year for cryptocurrencies as people want to be part of this new emerging market. So while you’re putting together your New Year’s resolutions, why not invest, trade, buy or sell crypto on Yellow Card at the best rates. Sign-up to Yellow Card today.

Download our app on Play Store and Appstore.

These days, the way we pay for things online is under intense scrutiny. First, we had the rise of fintech payments (PayPal, Skrill) that challenged the traditional credit/debit card options. And now we have cryptocurrencies, promising faster and more secure payments than ever before. Bitcoin, for example, touts itself as the most secure way to pay (although other blockchain payments might beg to differ).

But some might take issue with the claims that bitcoin and other cryptos are immune to hacks, fraud and theft. Just a cursory glance at the news will throw up scores of stories of scams and hacks. For example, check out the story of the $600 million Polygon blockchain hack in August 2021. While the hackers eventually returned the money, claiming they wanted to test vulnerabilities (so-called white hat hacking), it still shows up one thing: Blockchain technology is not invulnerable to security breaches, regardless of what its proponents claim.

So, what is the best way to pay online for something? Well, if you are security conscious, it’s hard to overlook Paysafecard. Founded in 2000, the company now operates in 40 countries and has millions of customers. However, Paysafecard’s security is not based on some incredible technology that blockchains fail to master. Its security is based on simplicity. A good idea that is well executed.

Hackers can’t find financial data if it doesn’t exist

Paysafecard is very popular with gamers and casino players. It works by providing players with a 16-digit eVoucher, which is most commonly bought in a store. At last count, there were over 650,000 stores worldwide that sold the vouchers. So, once you have paid for your voucher in-store using cash or whatever you like, you can then make your deposit at a Paysafecard casino or gaming platform, or whatever it is you like to do online.

The idea, therefore, is that there is no point on the journey to pay where you release your personal financial information on the internet. You can have peace of mind that the data simply does not exist for hackers to find.

Of course, this is not meant to sound like an advert for Paysafecard. Like every type of payment method, it has pros and cons. The latter usually surrounds the limitations in terms of scale. In short, people only use Paysafecard for small purchases. Indeed, at casinos, there is often a cap on Paysafecard payments, so it’s probably not an option if you are a high roller. However, that drawback is also a boon for some players, as some will use Paysafecard to ensure that they are spending within their means.
Paysafecard is popular among low-stakes casino players

The cap on Paysafecard payments is in place for two reasons. First, it’s a question of logistics: you aren’t going to walk into your local store with $30K in cash to buy a voucher, then go on the internet to buy a car. But secondly, Paysafecard offers anonymity, and retailers and gaming platforms are required to have some sort of KYC policy in place for big spenders.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to look beyond Paysafecard if you are truly worried about security when paying for stuff online. Chances are if you use PayPal, VISA or bitcoin, you’ll not get hacked, particularly if you follow common-sense rules for protecting your data online. But if you want an extra layer of security by removing that financial data, then it’s hard to look behind Paysafecard.

While the electric vehicle revolution takes over the automobile industry, many countries appear untouched by this growing trend. For example, as electric cars become more common on the roads in more affluent countries, life seems to be going on as usual in Nigeria, where internal combustion engine vehicles still hold sway with their noisy and environment-polluting operation!

However, this state of affairs has not stopped the country’s leadership from joining their global counterparts at the recently concluded summit in Glasgow in vowing to fight environmental pollution.

The reality is, pushing electric vehicles is low-hanging fruit in the fight against climate change. Nigeria could follow the UK’s template and announce a ban on the sales of new ICE vehicles at a future date. But before such a move coming from the most populous Black nation can be taken seriously, the government must first address some crucial elements. Some of the factors are discussed below.

The state of public charging infrastructure

Electric vehicles need to be charged to move on the road, just as ICE cars need to refuel. However, over the years of running petrol or diesel-powered vehicles, infrastructure for providing access to fuel has developed, which is why a Toyota Corolla driver can pull up into any fuel station to put petrol in his tank. He can embark on a trip from one end of the country to another as he expects to find filling stations along the way where he can refill his tank.

Similarly, for electric vehicles to thrive in Nigeria, there is a need for a robust public charging infrastructure that assures drivers that they can find places to charge their electric cars rapidly while on long trips. Again, the UK government is setting an example as it plans to deploy public chargers, even choosing a design it hopes will become as iconic and commonplace as the red telephone booth.

Enable home charging

The second factor that the Nigerian government has to address is home charging. While public charging can be crucial, most electric vehicle owners charge at home because of its convenience. Charging a vehicle at home in Nigeria will be a big challenge if the electricity issues bedeviling the country are not fixed. Some neighborhoods go without power supply for weeks, while others have to get by with a few hours of supply per day.

Home charging takes long, making a steady supply of power a necessity. For example, a typical electric car could take up to eight hours to charge the battery fully on a Level 2 charger, while Level 1 chargers might take a whole day to charge.

Without a constant power supply, electric vehicle owners will have to depend on generating sets, which defeats the purpose of electric vehicles altogether.

Address the high cost of electric vehicles

Electric vehicles have higher sticker prices than ICEs, which is largely due to the battery, which costs a lot. There are promises of lower battery costs, but that has not materialized yet. However, the initial high cost of electric vehicles is offset by the lower refueling and maintenance costs. This is because electricity is usually cheaper than buying fuel, and electric cars do not break down as often as their ICE counterparts.

The savings during ownership notwithstanding, many people are priced out of owning electric vehicles. This is especially the case in Nigeria, where disposable income is low, and many car buyers have to settle for used cars imported from other countries due to the cost.

For electric vehicles to gain a foothold, the Nigerian government must follow the lead of even richer countries that still have to subsidize some of the cost for their citizens. For example, the US government offers tax breaks as incentives up to $7,500, with a bill passing through the Senate aiming to increase the amount by $5,000 and relax the qualification criteria.

The Nigerian government can also subsidize solar panels to help electric vehicle owners generate electricity without relying on the grid.

Conclusion

As a country that regularly rubs shoulders with the rest of the world when it comes to climate change issues, the Nigerian government can demonstrate its commitment by pushing zero-emission electric vehicles.

However, if you need quality and reliability when sourcing vehicles or spare parts for your organization, Denmark headquartered STS-Global is the company to contact. They have extensive experience and connections from years of supplying passenger vehicles, construction equipment, genuine auto parts, etc. The company works with tested and trusted brands like Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes, Freightliner, etc.

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We’ve seen businesses of all sizes and across verticals deploying various cybersecurity solutions to thwart cybercriminals and minimize risks. However, it appears that companies might achieve very little despite the best intentions. It’s mainly because the situation has changed.

More and more people use smart devices, unknown networks, and outdated tools to do the job both in-house and from home.

Should businesses install more firewalls and antivirus software? Is there a different approach? It appears that cyber resilience has a lot to offer to companies across sectors. Let’s see what it is and how it can improve cyber security.

What is cyber resilience?

Let’s start by defining cyber resilience. It is the way for a company to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyber-attacks.

As you can see, cyber resilience encompasses cyber security, and it’s a much more considerable effort to answer to cyber security threats. Cybercriminals are not going to go anywhere, and there will always be risks when doing work online.

However, to answer evolving threats, organizations need to shift their paradigm. Instead of responding to cyber security threats, they need to continuously work on developing the ability to prevent them and act accordingly if a breach happens.

What does cyber resilience encompass?

One of the main pillars of cyber resilience is detecting and mitigating threats. Organizations need to be able to identify risks before they fall victim to them. They need to address these risks appropriately and prevent data leaks.

Patching vulnerabilities regularly is also of vital importance, especially in organizations with big and diverse tech stacks, BYOD practices, and lots of external teams. Keeping all software and devices updated means a lot when it comes to minimizing risk and preventing attacks.

Finally, cyber resilience also refers to your staff. How come? Well, the human factor is responsible for 99% of breaches. Keeping your staff well-informed and educated on cyber security, threats, and ways to prevent breaches will help you make your company more resilient to cyber threats.

Cyber resilience doesn’t favor one of these practices. It is a holistic approach to cyber security challenges, but it’s not a one-time fix. It is an ongoing and long-term strategy.

Why it is better than the traditional way

There is a considerable difference between cyber security and cyber resilience, and there is no better way to outline it than to look at the goals of each one of them. Cyber security aims to create a secure and risk-free environment for devices, networks, and keeping the data. It helps companies guard these assets against cyber threats.

The goal of cyber resilience, on the other hand, is to ensure business and operational continuity with minimal impact. Cyber resilience’s primary role is to prevent a cyber-attack, and if it happens, it should cushion its blow and limit its impact on business operations. Cyber resilience results from a diverse strategy while cyber security narrows down the frame of reference to a threat/solution ratio.

For instance, a Virtual Private Network aims to prevent data interception and protect users on unknown networks and HTTP websites. Its goal is to minimize the risks and defend against potential data misuse and theft. With it by your side, you can continue browsing the internet much safer. However, it is also not enough to make yourself bulletproof online. Such invincibility would require a lot, like changing your attitudes and browsing habits.

How to assess the cyber resilience of your organization?

Every organization is unique. As you probably know, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions here. Fortunately, there is a way to assess the cyber resilience of any organization following a short checklist.

The best way to assess your organization’s cyber resilience is to work with a cyber security specialist. Start by mapping your business processes. It will help you identify the processes a breach could easily disrupt. Do you have cyber security measures in place to address the vulnerabilities you’ve discovered?

Then, it would help if you saw to what extent your IT infrastructure and software stack are intertwined with your business processes. It will help you discover more vulnerabilities that might have slipped you during the first run-through.

While you are at it, you should also test your staff for general knowledge of best cybersecurity practices. It will provide you with insight into how well your employees are suited to avoid being scammed, phished, or tricked in any other way to install malware.

Once you finish the assessments in-house, you should extend them to your vendors, partners, and entire supply chain, for that matter. Some of the parties in your chain may fall victim to a cyber-attack. Do you have a strategy on what to do if your supply chain is disrupted?

Cyber resilience will not only help you ensure operational continuity but also improve your cyber security overall. Your organization will be ready to take cyber threats head-on through consistent system scans for vulnerabilities, improved workflows, patched systems, well-trained staff, and dozens of “what-if” strategies.