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Exchange of info among MDAs crucial to public service transformation- Pantami

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It is an obvious fact that applying information technology (IT) for governance holds tremendous potential to improve the way governments deliver public services.

But, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is worried over the Ministries, Departments and Agencies’ (MDAs) approach to e-government which has been in silos.  

NITDA’s DG, Dr. Isa Pantami, stated the Agency’s position at Stakeholders’ Engagement on Nigeria e-Government Interoperability Framework (Ne-GIF), held in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said, it is worthy to note that seamless exchange of Information between various MDAs’ IT infrastructure and applications is critical to cross-portfolio service delivery and public service transformation.

However, NITDA is committed to change the narrative by working closely with stakeholders to remove existing barriers caused by silo deployment of IT solutions. The barriers have made information sharing a nightmare among MDAs.

NITDA was established in 2001 to implement National Information Technology Policy, give effect to provisions of the NITDA Act, 2007 and coordinate general IT development and regulation in the country.

 

Pantami’s message at the occasion:

“We recognize the enormity of the responsibilities placed on the Agency as well as the possibilities of IT or e-Government as a development resource for achieving socio-economic transformation. e-Government and ICT tools can among other things, cut down the cost of governance, improve national economic growth; enhance access and quality of services as well as render public agencies more transparent and accountable.

Accordingly, at this information age, going digital for any government is the optimal route to attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Nigeria as a developing country has her own share of good experience of e-Government or ICT adoption for streamlining and improving governance. Such good initiatives where Nigeria has recorded success in using ICT to drive government policies include Treasury Single Account (TSA), Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Government Information Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), Bank Verification Number (BVN), e-Taxation,  e-passport, e-wallet for farmers among others.

The implementation of TSA and IPPIS/BVN saves Nigeria N4.7 Billion and N20 Billion respectively every month and assist in the elimination of ghost workers in various MDAs.

However, the Nigerian government is becoming more complex and wide-reaching than ever before and citizens believe and expect that public services must be delivered effectively and at speed.

Silo e-Government systems would not help Government deliver public services efficiently.  Advanced phases of service innovation cannot be achieved without integrating many back-office functions.

For instance, registering a Limited by Guarantee Company in Nigeria requires visit to at least three institutions: CAC, FIRS, and Attorney General of the Federation physically and/or through their portals.

This is inefficient, inconvenient, time consuming and makes citizens pay more. Through robust e-Government applications, I t is possible to make the transactions and get the service delivered on a single portal.

Citizen-centered service delivery involves breaking up silos, integrating across agencies, innovating new ways of doing business, and creating a service-focused culture.

It has been proven that one of the strategic directions for e-government is to adopt a Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach for deriving expected value from IT. WoG involves back-end offices re-engineering, consolidation and integration of business processes across government agencies to deliver effective and consolidated services through the front-end offices at an affordable cost.

WoG is a deliberate path to attain Government Digital Transformation (GDT) we desire. GDT views Government as an entity by promoting the idea of ONE GOVERNMENT but still respect individual MDA’s mandates while providing government digital services.

Fundamentally, e-Government or digital service delivery has three models or approaches: Government-to-Government (G2G), Government-to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Citizens (G2C). Transforming G2G is the foundation for providing efficient digital services. It enables and drives the other delivery models.

However, the workability of any G2G is determined by the level of IT systems integration and standardization considering the social, institutional, legal, economic and political systems of a particular country.

The main difficulty in achieving advanced G2G is the interoperability requirements of IT systems of various government agencies. For instance, compliance with Executive Order 001 requires advanced G2G. A provision in the Executive Order 001 stipulates that “an MDA that requires input documentation, requirements or conditions from another MDA in order to deliver products and services on applications within the originating MDA’s remit or mandate, including permits, licenses, waivers, tax documentation, filings and approvals shall only request a photocopy or other prima facie proof from the applicant.

It shall be the responsibility of the originating MDA to seek verification or certification directly from the issuing MDA”.

How can this happen seamlessly when information is not digitally shared in an efficient manner between MDAs that are involved. This requires advanced G2G to provide the needed services to businesses and citizens.

The Government Digital Transformation Agenda led the Management under my leadership to come up with a Strategic Road Map based on seven-point focus areas: Capacity Building, IT Regulation, Digital Job Creation, Government Digital Service Promotion, Local Content Development and Promotion, Cyber Security and Digital Inclusion.

At least five of these focus areas are geared towards Government Digital Transformation. They are capacity building, government digital services promotion, cybersecurity, IT regulation and local content development and promotion.

Specifically, Government Digital Service Promotion and IT Regulation are targeted at transforming the way government provides digital services thereby making GDT a reality.

This has informed our decision to set up a dedicated department- e-Government Development and Regulation to champion the cause of Government Digital Transformation.

The department has an endorsed Strategy as a guide and template towards achieving the desired GDT. The Strategy is a by-product of the Agency’s Strategic Road Map and Ne-GIF is a critical component of GDT agenda. 

Our national peculiarities in terms of multi-tribal society, population, huge demand for accessible public services, new challenges of agitations, security and terrorism among others demand integrated services and collaborative governance.

Moreover, the legitimacy of any government, in this age of knowledge economy and information society, requires full-scale inclusion, participation and co-creation of customized and personalized services for citizens. All these necessitate the shift from a silo-based to a cross-portfolio service delivery approach by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The shift necessitates integrated policies and programs, collaborative and collective responses to social problems, promotion of shared infrastructure and applications as well as the need to leverage on comparative advantages of various agencies in order to maximize value from e-Government investments.

As mentioned earlier, Ne-GIF is a critical enabler for cross-portfolio services, WoG and GDT agenda.

Way forward

To achieve the needed integration preached by WoG principles, there is a need for a framework that guarantees interoperability of IT infrastructure and applications.

Regrettably, Nigeria, with all her efforts at deploying IT infrastructure and/or e-Government systems, is yet to develop one.

Therefore, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) whose primary mandate is to regulate and develop IT in the country as stipulated in the NITDA Act of 2007, has developed the draft Nigeria e-Government Interoperability Framework (Ne-GIF) to close the identified gap.

The Agency is presenting the draft Framework before you as our major stakeholders for inputs, comments and corrections. Most importantly, we implore you to own the Framework and ensure its smooth implementation and compliance. Developing the Framework is one thing, compliance and implementation is another.

If we all believe that Interoperability Framework is essential for Government Digital Transformation in Nigeria, I implore us to put resources together for its implementation.

It requires strong political and leadership will by MDAs and collective commitment by all stakeholders in the Public and Private sectors.

The Ne-GIF provides tools, specifications and recommendations that are based on Standards for supporting MDAs in undertaking interoperability of e-government solutions for the provision of cross-portfolio services.

My vision in NITDA is to facilitate and lead government digital transformation and ensure NITDA plays a critical role in building a digitally transformed government.

Leveraging on ICT to ensure seamless information exchange is a prerequisite to achieving ERGP objectives, Sustainable Development Goals by United Nations and attaining our desired Government Digital Transformation Agenda. We need to build capacity and ensure the right leadership is provided across MDAs.

Recently, we have been engaging MDAs and other stakeholders on different fronts.

It, however, requires concerted efforts. We can’t do it alone; we need the support and cooperation of MDAs, IT sector players, the National Assembly and other stakeholders”.

Source: TechEconomy.ng

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

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inq.Digital Supports Payments Forum Nigeria [PAFON 1.0]

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PAFOn 1.0
PAFON SPEAKERS

Inq. Digital Nigeria Limited has been announced as a sponsor of Payments Forum Nigeria [PAFON 1.0] maiden edition holding this Thursday in Lagos.

inq. Digital Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of inq. Group is an emerging leading digital and cloud solutions provider that delivers simpler seamless solutions to complex business challenges.

With offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, inq. provides reliable and affordable Intelligent Connectivity, SDN/NFV, Cloud and Digital services (including Edge –AI) for Nigerian businesses including those in the payment space.

Participation is FREE, however, pre-registration is required: https://bit.ly/4c4N19H.

Speaking ahead of Payments Forum Nigeria [PAFON 1,0] scheduled to take place at Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, Lagos on Thursday, March 21, 2024 by 9am under the theme: “Payments: Trust, Security and Privacy in AI Era”, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, the co-founder of TechCastle Foundation, the organisers, said the goal is to enable information exchange and knowledge sharing on key industry insights issues amongst key stakeholders, with the objective of ensuring a collaborative and proactive approach to push for policies that enable growth, tackling/mitigating fraud and limiting occurrences and losses.

Speakers

The following speakers are lined up for the Forum: Chibuzo Efobi, Director, Payments System Management, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Festus Amede, Chairman, Committee of Chief Information Security Officers of Nigerian Financial institutions (CCISONFI; Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare, Chief Visionary Officer (CVO), Digital Encode Limited; Adetokunbo Omotosho, Chief Executive Officer, Cybervergent; Roosevelt Elias, Founder, Payble; Ikenna Ndugbu, chief compliance officer, Moniepoint MFB, and Peter Evbota, Sales Director at inq. Digital Nigeria Limited.

Payments Forum Nigeria is organised by TechCastle Foundation and sponsored by: inq. Digital Nigeria Limited, Cybervergent, Moniepoint, Digital Encode Limited, Payble with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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S Mobile Tech Hub Opens Registration to Entrepreneurs in Southeast

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Kingsely Adonu, founder and CEO, S Mobile Group

•⁠ ⁠500 successful candidates to get starter-packs

•⁠ ⁠Rolls our Free Data, Airtime to Civil Servants, Students, others

S Mobile Tech Hub, an offspring of S Mobile Group has open applications to technology entrepreneurs in the 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 towards building a dynamic and vibrant startup ecosystem in 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 the youth in the Southeast, they must be actively engaged in digital skills development in order to eschew social vices and make positive contributions towards maintaining peace and progress in the region.

“Unfortunately, a lot of our young people are facing numerous barriers to participating in formal and informal sectors today. In December 2015, the United Nations Security Council adopted UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. The resolution was the first to recognise the important role young people can play in preventing conflicts, and sustaining peace.

“It is on this premise and more that S Mobile is thinking out of the box by extending digital skills programmes to empower the youth to be more economically relevant. This will also go a long way in supporting the efforts of the Governors in the Southeast who are not resting on their oars until we have crime-free society with less poverty index.

“S Mobile Tech Hub has been positioned as a platform for entrepreneurs to leverage trends to accelerate their skills and innovation especially in the areas of artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, etc., which have become embedded in our daily lives.

“We are rolling out free data and airtime to civil servants, students, farmers and other entrepreneurs, for connecting with MTN Nigeria services.

Also during the cohort 1 of S Mobile Tech Hub programme 500 successful technology entrepreneurs across the Southeast region will be sponsored with the starter-tools to live their dreams.

“Together, let’s turn technology into your personal pathway to empowerment, growth, and societal well-being. Don’t just dream about a brighter tomorrow; let’s build it together today!”, the company said on Wednesday.

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2024 Sophos Threat Report: Cybercrime on Main Street Details Cyberthreats Facing SMBs

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Sophos Launches Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
  • Data and Credential Theft Malware are Top Two Threats Against SMBs in 2023, Accounting for Nearly 50% of All Malware Sophos Detected Targeting this Market Segment
  • Ransomware Still the Biggest Threat to SMBs; Business Email Compromise on the Rise, Along with More Sophisticated Social Engineering Tactics

Sophos, a global leader in innovating and delivering cybersecurity as a service, today released its annual 2024 Sophos Threat Report, with this year’s report detailing “Cybercrime on Main Street” and the biggest threats facing small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs*).

According to the report, in 2023, nearly 50% of malware detections for SMBs were keyloggers, spyware and stealers, malware that attackers use to steal data and credentials.

Attackers subsequently use this stolen information to gain unauthorized remote access, extort victims, deploy ransomware, and more.

The Sophos report also analyses initial access brokers (IABs)—criminals who specialize in breaking into computer networks.

As seen in the report, IABs are using the dark web to advertise their ability and services to break specifically into SMB networks or sell ready-to-go-access to SMBs they’ve already cracked.

Sophos
Above: Discovered by Sophos X-Ops: a sample of a dark web forum post advertising access to a small U.S. accounting firm. Additional examples of cybercriminal forum ads targeting SMBs, by industry and country, are in the 2024 Sophos Threat Report.

“The value of ‘data,’ as currency has increased exponentially among cybercriminals, and this is particularly true for SMBs, which tend to use one service or software application, per function, for their entire operation. For example, let’s say attackers deploy an infostealer on their target’s network to steal credentials and then get hold of the password for the company’s accounting software. Attackers could then gain access to the targeted company’s financials and have the ability to funnel funds into their own accounts,” said Christopher Budd, director of Sophos X-Ops research at Sophos. “There’s a reason that more than 90% of all cyberattacks reported to Sophos in 2023 involved data or credential theft, whether through ransomware attacks, data extortion, unauthorized remote access, or simply data theft.”

Ransomware Still the Biggest Cyberthreat to SMBs

While the number of ransomware attacks against SMBs has stabilized, it continues to be the biggest cyberthreat to SMBs. Out of the SMB cases handled by Sophos Incident Response (IR), which helps organizations under active attack, LockBit was the top ransomware gang wreaking havoc. Akira and BlackCat were second and third, respectively. SMBs studied in the report also faced attacks by lingering older and lesser-known ransomware, such as BitLocker and Crytox.

Ransomware operators continue to change ransomware tactics, according to the report. This includes leveraging remote encryption and targeting managed service providers (MSPs).

Between 2022 and 2023, the number of ransomware attacks that involved remote encryption—when attackers use an unmanaged device on organizations’ networks to encrypt files on other systems in the network—increased by 62%.

In addition, this past year, Sophos’s Managed Detection and Response (MDR) team responded to five cases involving small businesses that were attacked through an exploit in their MSPs’ remote monitoring and management (RMM) software.

Attackers Sharpen Their Social Engineering and Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks

Following ransomware, business email compromise (BEC) attacks were the second highest type of attacks that Sophos IR handled in 2023, according to the Sophos report.

These BEC attacks and other social engineering campaigns contain an increasing level of sophistication. Rather than simply sending an email with a malicious attachment, attackers are now more likely to engage with their targets by sending a series of conversational emails back and forth or even calling them.

In an attempt to evade detection by traditional spam prevention tools, attackers are now experimenting with new formats for their malicious content, embedding images that contain the malicious code or sending malicious attachments in OneNote or archive formats.

In one case Sophos investigated, the attackers sent a PDF document with a blurry, unreadable thumbnail of an “invoice.” The download button contained a link to a malicious website.

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