Author: ITPulse

By Hannro Steenekamp By embracing 4IR technologies within Special Economic Zones, Africa can create a blueprint for sustainable, inclusive industrialisation. Africa possesses immense potential for economic transformation. With AI adoption in the region expected to grow by 18% by 2030, we have an unprecedented opportunity. ​ Today, I want to focus on how Special Economic Zones can harness Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to accelerate industrialization. Traditional SEZ models have had mixed results. To achieve breakthrough success, Africa needs a new approach. This means integrating technologies like machine learning, blockchain, and industrial automation into the core of SEZ development. Imagine streamlined…

Ransomware attacks saw a sharp increase once again over the past year. AI and the increase in mobile-connected devices provide further areas of vulnerability for cybercriminals to exploit. Early detection can reduce the cost of breaches up to a thousandfold. Following two years of high but stable loss activity, 2023 saw a worrying resurgence in ransomware and extortion losses, as the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve. Hackers are increasingly targeting IT and physical supply chains, launching mass cyber-attacks, and finding new ways to extort money from businesses, large and small. It’s little wonder that our customers and clients rank…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that following the disruption of telecom services last week, voice and data services have now been restored to approximately 90% of their peak utilization capacities. Data and voice services were disrupted last week Thursday due to cuts in undersea fibre optics along the coasts of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. In a statement earlier today, the NCC through its spokesperson, Mr. Reuben Mouka noted that the services were restored after all operators who were impacted by the cuts took recovery capacity from submarine cables that were not impacted by the cuts, and have thus…

Deepfakes, which are highly realistic fabricated videos or images, can deceive voters, manipulate public opinion, and tarnish the reputation of political parties and politicians More than four billion people worldwide will take part in elections this year, including in the US, UK, India, and South Africa. However, the increasing prevalence of disinformation, fuelled by the growing use of deepfakes and generative AI, means that politicians and voters alike will need to be on high alert. In the 2024 Global Risks Report the World Economic Forum identified AI-generated misinformation and disinformation as the second most significant global risk after extreme weather.…

MainOne, one of the several subsea cable affected said it has restored services to some customers and is actively working on restoring services to others via capacity acquired on available cable systems. This follows the damages caused to some undersea cable along the West African Coastline, which has resulted in Internet and Voice services being disrupted in some African countries since last week Thursday. “We have restored services to some customers and are actively working on restoring services to others via capacity acquired on available cable systems,” it announced. According to Mainone, the estimated repair time is for our submarine…

The strategic alliance recently sealed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to enhance the National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM linkage in four ways. The four ways the alliance will help each of the agency to leverage each other’s expertise and resources are: ⁠Streamlining the NIN-SIM Linkage Process: NIMC and NCC will collaborate to ensure a seamless experience for Nigerian telecommunication subscribers. This includes exploring innovative approaches to facilitate the swift verification and authentication of NINs during SIM registration and activation. Capacity Building and Public Awareness: Both agencies will collaborate on initiatives to…

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has ordered a full-scale investigation in respect of allegations of unauthorized access to the personal data of enrollees in the database of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The National Commissioner at NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji disclosed this in a statement earlier today, saying the investigation is a further regulatory measure to be taken by NDPC in the wake of public concerns over reports of illegal access to personal data of enrollees by a shadowy entity called XpressVerify.com. It will be recalled that prior to now, NDPC has been engaging with NIMC on fostering adequacy…

…. Sanwo-Olu calls for fair competition By Martin Ekpeke QNET, a renowned global entity in the lifestyle and wellness direct-selling sector has insisted on the rights and protection of the consumer, stressing that such rights are enshrined in the importance of education and awareness. Speaking at this year’s Consumer Rights Day conference, organized by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) to spearhead a pivotal movement in consumer rights awareness and empowerment, Mr. Biram Fall, QNET’s Regional Manager for sub-Saharan Africa, noted that in this technological age where it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell the real from the fake, the…

•⁠ ⁠500 successful candidates to get starter packs•⁠ ⁠Rolls our Free Data and airtime to Civil Servants, Students, others S Mobile Tech Hub, an offspring of S Mobile Group has open applications to technology entrepreneurs in Southeast Nigeria. S Mobile Tech Hub was recently conceived by Mr. Kingsley Adonu, a visionary entrepreneur and CEO/Founder S Mobile Group, who aims to manifest the Group’s deliberate programmes toward building a dynamic and vibrant startup ecosystem in the eastern region of the country. APPLY by visiting www.smobilegroup.com to register. Speaking against this backdrop, Mr. Adonu, said that even against tremendous challenges faced by…

…. ALTON calls for understanding The recent Internet and Voice services being experienced in some African countries have been blamed on the disruption of some undersea cables along the West African Coastline.   In a statement issued yesterday by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the disruption is a combination of cable cuts, resulting in equipment faults on the major undersea cables along the West African Coast.   The statement signed by Reuben Mouka, Director of Public Affairs at NCC, noted that the cuts have negatively impacted data and fixed telecom services in several countries of West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana,…