Author: TechtvNetwork

Engr. Funke Opeke is the Founder/CEO, MainOne (formerly Main One Cable Company. After 20 years working in U.S. telecoms, she returned to Nigeria with a clear vision: fixing the connectivity problems.
The former Verizon executive joined public telecoms company NITEL and learned satellites were just part of the problem.

So in 2008, she turned her engineer’s eye towards the ocean, raised $240 million in funding and laid 4,400 miles of fibre optic cable from Nigeria to Portugal. Today, MainOne is West Africa’s leading communications services and network solutions provider.

MainOne can be created for creating the platform for big business to run their connectivity effectively and efficiently. Online banking, booking services and retail websites helped quickly followed. Nigeria’s Internet presence, once associated mostly with scams, is now a growing space in for international business opportunities. It’s a change for which Opeke deserves accolades especially having chaired the committee that drafted the New Nigeria Broadband Policy 2020-2025.

In this exclusive chat with Ace tech broadcaster, Don Pedro Aganbi (on the occasion of Nigeria@60: Celebrating ICT Success Stories, a documentary production produced by TechTV in collaboration with TechEconomy.ng), She speaks on the need to deploy broadband services to more people, especially the rural dwellers and highlighted broadband as the new frontier for driving digital economy. EXCERPTS :

*Q: From the telecommunication industry perspective, what are the lessons from the (coronavirus) pandemic?
*
Funke : Thank you very much, the lesson I learned from the pandemic around is really understanding the criticality of infrastructure development and a need for timely execution of strategies and things that we know are required to move our society forward.

The reality is we just put the broadband plan and set a framework of five years to do that as the pandemic was hitting, now you look at five years that seemed too long given the urgency that if faced with the pandemic intense of getting some of these results we need.

Also, the economic shocks brought about as pandemic making it more difficult and expensive less affordable for us to deploy infrastructure.

So, as they used to say,’’ stitch time saves nine,” and I think practically in issues of infrastructure and economy, it shows that we need to move faster as a country.

Q: Can you share with us the objective of the national broadband plan?

Funke : One of the primary objectives of the plan was to achieve 90 percent coverage of the population with broadband services.

That was about 25MB of download in urban areas and 10 mega beats in rural areas and to ensure that 70 percent of the eligible population.

In addition, we set basic objectives and coverage in schools and all our tertiary institutions to have access to broadband; 50% of our secondary schools, 25% of primary schools and the health facilities down to the Local Government across the country, to have access to broadband at affordable rate, because we want low-income group to also have access to this focus on digital literacy and digital identity.

I think those are some of the key elements that are tied to the plan and citizens will directly recognize the impact in the long run.

Q: What is the best-case scenario that ensures that people get this access?

Funke : Well, this is the best-case scenario. Of course, progress continues to be made, and operators continue to deploy at their-own commercial base; more broadband, and 4G across the country.

Q. The question is how do you intensify them to move faster and how do you do that with shared infrastructure services so the less privileged in the society – women, and students, can also access the services?

Funke . These are some of the things that the government is also doing things like critical infrastructure, and helping the operator to make progress and vandalism is much lower. Now, having more power from the nation grid will help in terms of lowing the cost of doing business, ease of doing business, and all the things put together, that will make ubiquitous broadband possible.

Q: What is that one thing if addressed would have created the greatest impact in improving broadband across the country?

Funke : I think 4G deployment; there is a lot of noise in the media about 5G, but the realization is 4G coverage in Nigeria is still somewhere 45% coverage of the population. So, we need to get 4G coverage to more people across the country. If we can do that at cost-effective level it will make a big difference.

Q: What sort of progress has been made so far and what are some of the major challenges ?

Funke : The president launched the planning in March, then the Coronavirus pandemic struck and we had had lockdown which really slowed things. However, the Minister inaugurated the Broadband Implementation Action Committee led by the NCC; they are looking at the infrastructure companies to deploy fibres and the spectrum availability and supports towards the deployment of the services.

Also, the President has signed an Executive Order on Critical Infrastructure Protection; as you can see, the States are reducing the charges on Right of Way to support the Federal Government. With these initiatives, we will continue to see a fair (reduction) in data prices and some people are still arguing that is due to low level of our economy.

I believe for six months into the plan the energy that is gone towards implementation even during the pandemic has been impressive and the Minister is trying to see what is going do to make it happen.

Q: In those early years before liberation, can you still remember the state of the telecom sector, when we had NITEL as a monopoly?

Funke : They are not good memories because I went to Graduate School in the United State, literary it took a week for my mother going to NITEL, every day and waiting for few hours so that we could have a conversation. So things were particularly difficult in terms of the ability to communicate. But, when we look at where Nigeria is today, we have indeed made a lot of progress and we can see the impact in having access in real-time to us and our economy.

The next frontier is broadband and digital economy because we do a lot in education payment – financial inclusion, digital literacy, healthcare; the rich content we can get through broadband is empowering an enabling us to diversify all the way from oil as we have the plan to do as a nation.

If we calculate that we have made progress in the past twenty years, then, a lot of progress has also been made in the first ten where mobile telephony essentially became available over the country and we know that Nigeria can do it. We have the energy to transform our country with broadband now that we have turned sixty I know we do can that.

Q: Making broadband available, what do you foresee in terms of how it will improve the lives of our youth?

Funke : We have a very young and dynamic population. In fact, I think too much of our energy goes for unproductive things because we don’t have enough productive opportunities.

My belief is that if Nigerian youths are given access to these opportunities. We see examples already about people that acquire skills on YouTube and go on to build very successful businesses.

We have started seeing role models generating, real values and the information is right there at their fingertips. I believe that the sky should be the limit if they are given the opportunity to transform our society.

Q: Can you highlight some success stories through the development of the Telecom and ICT sector?

Funke : We are proud to have made an impact in West Africa. In Nigeria, the internet penetration has been on increase in the last ten years.

Today, greater than 50 percent of the services is made available to them from (local) data centres of which we are one of the key makers. I think those are some of the contributions.

Q: Can we achieve a pervasive Smart cities?

Funke: Smart cities require infrastructure. We need more coordinated planning. With the project that Lagos State, for an example, has just embarked upon, I think that is the first step.

Affordability, is the main issue for some of our States. I am certainly optimistic that Lagos will indeed get there, we will be a role model for other parts of the country.

*Q: What would Funke Opeke want to be remembered for in the nation’s ICT history?

Funke : Is transforming the broadband eco-system in our country and by enabling start-up using broadband. Influencing policy to facilitate that.

Q . What is your opinion on the idea of this documentary project for Nigeria @60?

Funke . Good things should be affiliated with our independence day. Technology is such a tool for empowerment; it is a positive thing.

techTV www.techtv.net.ng in collaboration with TechEconomy.ng, has recognised pioneers, innovators and advocates and influential organisations in the Nigerian telecoms; information and communication technology (ICT).

The award ceremony was part of activities for this year’s Titans of Tech Conference & Exhibition and in commemoration of Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary (Nigeria@60).

The Hybrid event with Virtual & physical attendance was held on October 08, 2020 at Virgin Rose Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos with outstanding personalities and high achievers leveraging technology across sector also recognized for their positive contributions to the nation’s economy.

The awardees include: Most Innovative AgricTech platform of the Year – Farmcrowdy; Excellent Leadership in digital Training Award -Prof. Engr. Mohammed Ajiya (the President, Digital Bridge Institute) and the Broadband Advocate of the Year – Olusola Teniola (President, ATCON).

Those inducted into the ICT Hall of Fame under TechLegends Award category include;

Engr. Olawale Ige (former Minister of Communications; HRH Engr. Eze Ogbonna Cletus Iromantu (pioneer EVC, NCC); Engr. Vincent Maduka (for contributions towards the establishment of NCC); Engr. Ernest Ndukwe (former EVC of NCC who led the successful auction of GSM licenses in Nigeria); Engr. Titi Omo-ettu (for playing key role in the liberalisation of the Nigerian telecoms industry); Chief Don Etiebet (pioneered the first Nigerian brand in personal computing) and Chima Onyekwere (championing internet revolution in Nigeria);

Others are Chief Leo Stan Ekeh (pioneered the Desktop Publishing, Computer Graphics in Nigeria and the launch of Zinox Technologies – Nigeria’s behemoth in technology sector); Chris Uwaje (contributions in the conceptualisation framework and content strategy for NITDA policy for Nigeria); Funke Opeke (for pioneering private sector-led Submarine Cable system in West Africa); Olarewaju Ayoola (for setting the stage for IoT revolution in West Africa) and Austin Okere (for innovative and investment acumen that birthed CWG Plc, a leading Pan-African systems integrator).

Other individual and corporate awardees are; Tech CEO of the Year – Chijioke Eke (MD, Sidmach Technologies); Best Public Sector Cloud Infrastructure Provider of the Year – Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB); ICT Company of the Year – Sidmach Technologies; Most Innovative Covid-19 e-learning platform of the Year – Luminate; ICT Infrastructure Company of the Year – TranterIT. Broadband Company of the Decade – MainOne; Most Innovative Tech Entrepreneur of the Year – Onyeka Akumah; Corporate Communications Manager of the Year – Hadiza Umar.

Excellence in Leadership Award recipients are Chinenye Mba Uzoukwu (President of ISPON); Engr. Gbenga Adebayo (Chairman of ALTON); Engr. Olusola Teniola (President of ATCON); Amos Emmanuel (President, Programos Software Group and Chief Lead at Innovationbed.Africa); Mohammed Rudman (President of NiRA) and Chijioke Ezeh (National Coordinator of WASPAN).

The organisers also recognised ICT Media Heroes with the award recipients including Aaron Ukudie (Publisher, eWorldnews magazine); Sunny Aragba-Akpore (former Manager at NCC); Okoh Aihe (former NCC staff); Bayero Agabi (President at DigiVation Network); Segun Oruame (Publisher, ITEdge News); Don Pedro Aganbi (Managing Partner at TechTV Networks); Shina Badaru (Founder, Technology Times); Remmy Nweke (Publisher, ITREALMS Group); John Awe (Communications/PR, Globacom Limited).

Speaking at the event, Don Pedro Aganbi said that the story of the growth of Nigeria’s ICT sector is the ‘story of people’. “These are people who saw the potential; people who invested and many more who worked tirelessly for years to see the growth and success of the industry.”

“These leaders”, he continued, “inspired morale, accepted responsibility and pushed the frontiers. They are the pillar behind the success stories. So, we deemed it wise to celebrate them on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary”.

The Coronavius pandemic (COVID-19) has shifted global focus to the technology sector as most activities are now being carried out via technological platforms; most business meetings and transactions are now done through conference telephony and virtual meetings.

This further proves that the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is upon us, says the Managing Director of Sidmach Technologies, Mr. Chijioke Eke.

Mr. Eke made the remarks at the Titan of Tech Conference & Exhibition 2020 organised by TechTV Networks in collaboration with TechEconomy.ng, stressing that the Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be one of the fiercest crisis the world has had to deal with in recent times.

“It is one which has placed the global economy on a standstill and has affected virtually every industry, including the technology industry.

“The biggest takeaway from the pandemic is that: Everyone must be ready for change – both systemic and endemic.

“The pandemic has shifted global focus to the technology sector as most activities are now being carried out via technological platforms; most business meetings and transactions are now done through conference telephony and virtual meetings. This further proves that the 4th Industrial Revolution is upon us.

“It has shifted focus to technological development, e-commerce, search engines, and online marketing as the pandemic has isolated people from their businesses.

“Thus, telecommunications industries have thrived as a result of the isolation situation, which now brings the world to the realization that technological advancement to the industry is what would give businesses the upper hand in maximizing the global pandemic for their benefits.

As a Microsoft Gold Partner, Sidmach is a leading provider of world class solutions which has helped boost productivity, collaboration and creativity for Schools, Teachers, and other businesses.

Recently, the company proactively launched a learning management solution called LUMINATE, developed specifically to help schools navigate through the pandemic by taking learning and classroom activities online.

Mr. Eke said that the solution was developed for schools and learners across all levels – from nursery to primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

“As of now, we have more than a hundred schools already registered on the platform, running their school online.

“Also, we have BIZKIT, a simple and handy tool offering a complete business management solution for SMEs allowing them to manage the most critical components of their business – accounting, invoicing, payroll as well as inventory; all managed at the click of buttons in one single environment!”, he said.

Speaking further at the event which host Nigeria@60 ICT Hall of Fame Awards, he said although the industry still has rooms for improvements, however, “we cannot deny that some efforts has been made by the administration in supporting the ICT sector as part of reforms to aid and accelerate national development most notably led by our able Minister for Communications and Digital Economy”.

“For the first time in our history as a country, we are able to launch our own Unity Board, a novel technological piece that is able to encapsulate the next step in Nigeria’s technological advancement timeline.

“The present administration led by President Buhari has done fairly well in the area of ICT as it concerns national development but we cannot rest on our oars; a lot more needs to be done to make sure the ICT industry gets to the desired level of growth that we all envisage”, he added.

Highpoint of the event was the recognition of pioneers, innovators and advocates in the Nigerian telecoms and ICT industry and the unveiling of Nigeria@60 documentary.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Partner at TechTV Network, Don Pedro Aganbi said that the story of the growth of Nigeria’s ICT sector is the ‘story of people’. “These are people who saw the potential; people who invested and many more who worked tirelessly for years to see the growth and success of the industry.”

“These leaders”, he continued, “inspired morale, accepted responsibility and pushed the frontiers. They are the pillar behind the success stories. So, we deemed it wise to celebrate them on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary”.

Lead Consulting Strategist and Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media group, Mr. Remmy Nweke has been inducted into the Nigeria @60 ICT Hall of Fame, hosted by Titans of Tech, an initiative of TechTv Network www.techtv.net.ng in collaboration with TechEconomy.ng.

Nweke was among over 60 other ICT industry players recognized at the event held at Virgin Rose Resort, Victoria Island Lagos for their various contributions since independence and precisely in the last 20 years which saw to the blossom of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) following the deregulation of telecommunications sector by President Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

He was recognized precisely for consistency in technology reporting and engaging ICT partners across the globe as well as energetic pursuit of clarity of purpose on the Internet Governance ecosystem, local capacity building and information sharing deploying multi-award winning ITREALMS Online, DigitalSENSE Business Magazine and NaijaAgroNet.

His award was also presented by the President of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, who himself bagged an award for passionate advocacy of software and innovation as key to leadership and value creation in the competitive 21st century.

Equally inducted into the Nigeria @60 ICT Hall of Fame awards include Engr Olawale Ige, Engr. Vincent Maduka, HRH Eze (Engr) Ogbonna Cletus Iromantu, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chief Chris Uwaje, Mr. Tim Akano, Dr. Yele Okeremi, Mr. Collins Onuegbu, Mr. Abiodun Omoniyi, Mr. Lare Ayoola of Tranter IT group, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the current Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo of ALTON, Mr. Stanley Jegede, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan Chiazor, Mrs Nkemdilim Begho and Dr. Leo-Stan Ekeh of Zinox Technologies, Chief Chima Onyekwere, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Muhammed Rudman of IXPN, Emmanuel Amos of Programos, Mr. Olusola Teniola of ATCON, Prof. Engr. Mohammed Ajiya of Digital Bridge Institute, and Prof. Charles Uwadia of Computer Professionals Registrations Council.

Additional inductees were Engr. Ike Nnamani of Medallion, Mr. Chijioke Eke, Obong Mkpe Abang, Aaron Ukodie, Mrs. Ufuoma Daro, Dr Bayero Agabi, Shina Badaru, Abimbola Tooki, Don Pedro Aganbi, Ken Nwogbo, Segun Oruame, John Awe, Okoh Aihe, and Sonny Aragba-Akpore, Hajia Hadiza Umar of NITDA, to name a few.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Don Pedro Aganbi congratulated all the nominees for the 2020 awards, saying that they all were being recognized in their own rights based on various contributions made to the ICT industry as Nigeria marked the diamond independence, through development, deployment and advancement, which have helped immensely in driving the nation’s future with innovative thought leadership and products, applications as well as business solutions consistently nurtured to life.

“It is beyond dispute that the work that you all do is essential to enhancing our quality of life as a nation and individual members of the Nigerian nation,” he said, noting that Titans of Tech is a flagship industry event that annually celebrates excellence in the Nigerian ICT space.

Ace tech broadcaster and Executive producer, TechTV Network has said that the novel Coronavirus has brought to the fore the growing significance of the power of connection that information communications technology (ICT) enables. He made this statement in his welcome speech at the Titans of Tech Virtual Conference and Nigeria @60: ICT Hall of Fame Awards organised by TechTV Network in conjunction with TechEconomy in Lagos.

According to him, “You would agree with me that we are living in peculiar times. To “stay safe” has taken on a new meaning and significance this season. The coronavirus pandemic has brought to the fore the growing significance of the power of connection that information communications technology (ICT) enables”. He noted.

Speaking further, he said that It is the right time to recognise and celebrate everyone doing something to improve the quality of life in the nation through the development, deployment and advancement of ICTs.

He posited that Rita of Tech 2020 is a double celebration – Titans of Tech Virtual Conference & Nigeria @60 ICT Hall of Fame of Fame Awards.

“Titans of Tech is a flagship industry event that annually celebrates excellence in the Nigerian ICT space. It is unique for a lot of reason, the most important is the sheer breadth of sectors, industries, businesses and individuals covered every year. Every year, core ICT firms, entertainment, business, academia and fintech are nominated, recognised and celebrated. I extend my heartfelt congratulations all our nominees for the 2020 awards. In my book, you are ALL winners. You are doing something, so you are exceptional. You are not sitting on the fence. You are contributing your quota to nation-building. Aganbi noted.

He further said that all those inducted into the Nigeria 60: ICT Hall of Fame Awards are helping to drive Nigeria’s future with innovative thought leadership and through the products, applications and business solutions you consistently bring to life.

“It is beyond dispute that the work that you all do is essential to enhancing our quality of life as a nation and individual members of the Nigerian nation. Everyone talks about Nigeria and its potential. They have done so for years. But at Titans of Tech, we realise and recognise that it is people who make a difference. You are the difference makers. The veteran TV broadcaster and presenter opined.

He concluded by saying that ICT will continue to be the driver of growth of the digital economy….

“You are the hope of this great nation. You secure our place in the digital society.” He concluded.

Serial digital entrepreneur, Leo Stan Ekeh, has described the Tech Experience Centre, an ambitious technology project that is widely expected to bridge the gap to cutting-edge technology for millions of Nigerians, as the perfect birthday gift to Nigeria as it turns 60.

The revolutionary Tech Experience Centre, the first of its kind in Africa, is set to be formally unveiled on Thursday, October 1st 2020, incidentally the occasion of Nigeria’s 60thIndependence Anniversary.

Equally important, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami is expected to commission the auspicious project located within the high-rise Yudala Heights on 13 Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Also expected to attend the launch are stakeholders from the technology sector, corporate egg-heads and other dignitaries.

The event, which is scheduled for 5pm on Thursday, will be streamed live to millions across the world via digital channels.

Ekeh, who has remained in the forefront of digital evangelisation and promoting knowledge democracy in Nigeria and beyond, has expressed excitement with the birthing of the Tech Experience Centre. The tech guru affirms that the formal unveiling of the Centre on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary makes it a fitting present to the country and to all Nigerians.

‘‘Nigeria’s journey as a sovereign independent nation is one that is filled with so many memorable milestones. Although we still face some peculiar challenges, there is much to be proud of as Nigeria clocks 60. In the same vein, the launch of the Tech Experience Centre represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s march to technology independence.

‘‘Indeed, the unveiling of this unprecedented project right here in Nigeria is a powerful statement of intent and a positive development that every Nigerian should be proud of. It is, in my opinion, the perfect birthday to Nigeria as we celebrate 60 years of our independence,’’ he said.

Ekeh, who had called on the Federal Government to consider declaring October 1st Nigeria’s technology independence day, restated the landmark strides that Nigeria had recorded in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The Zinox helmsman affirmed that the multiple collaborations, increased local participation and access to the latest technologies that would become a right of every Nigerian with the establishment of the Tech Experience Centre is a bold step forward in Nigeria’s march to technological emancipation.

‘‘On a number of occasions, I have reiterated that no country achieves true independence without a level of technological independence. The set-up of the Tech Experience Centre is one of such bold investments Nigeria requires to confidently stake a claim for relevance as a technology force to be reckoned with, not only in Africa, but on the global stage. The current administration also deserves commendation for its greater emphasis on technology – a critical sector that is being championed professionally by the Honourable Minister, Dr. Pantami.’’

In addition, Ekeh heaped praises on the various tech giants that have partnered with TD Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa’s technology, lifestyle and solutions distributor, to bring the idea of the Tech Experience Centre to life.

‘‘We must also not fail to recognize and appreciate the global OEMs that have identified with this project. Having renowned tech brands such as Cisco, Microsoft, Dell Technologies, HP, Schneider Electric, Zinox, Philips, Samsung, Apple and Bosch, among others, come together under one roof to build local capacity and place the latest technologies at the fingertips of every Nigerian is a huge development that will come with a number of positive multiplier effects for the country,’’ he concluded.

The Tech Experience Centre will officially open its impressive doors to Nigerians on Thursday, October 1st by 5pm.

For the first time, Nigeria will play host to the latest global technologies including those not normally available in Africa, offering all classes of visitors a first-hand experience of new gadgets, solutions and infrastructure that would have previously required a visit abroad, thereby saving corporate organizations, government establishments and individuals money or scarce foreign exchange expended on these trips.

The Centre will house global technology giants under one roof, with the aim of making cutting-edge technology easily accessible to Nigerians and other nationals at entry costs that make sense. Experts and economic watchers have hailed the expected launch of the centre as a major development that will shore up Nigeria’s relevance in the global technology space, while also boosting the nation’s economy.

by TechTV Network

It’s hard to beat being able to tell your sound system to select and play a particular song, or order something online using just your voice, or have your refrigerator tell you when you’re running short of food, or have your office printer diagnose itself and demand service automatically from the vendor.

Features like this are driving the demand for smart offices, smart homes, smart appliances, smart buildings, and smart cities — all connected through the Internet of Things (IoT).

The IoT is the network of physical objects equipped with sensors, software and other technologies for exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet. These include embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, control systems, home and building automation systems, and smart home devices, as well as smartphones and smart speakers.

There were 7.6 billion active IoT devices worldwide at the end of 2019 and there will be 24.1 billion in 2030, according to digital transformation research firm Transforma Insights.

Connected Teddy Bears – Wait, What?
Surely spurred by the work-from-home necessities of 2020, people have connected a multitude of non-business devices to their corporate networks. Some are predictable and others might be surprising. For example, teddy bears and other toys, sports equipment such as exercise machines, gaming devices and connected cars, according to global cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ 2020 IoT Security Report.

The increasing number and variety of devices hooked up to IoT networks is making it progressively difficult to implement cybersecurity, because every device is a potential weak point.

For example, it’s possible to hack large numbers of connected cars to shut down cities by causing gridlock.

Smart buildings and even cities can be hacked to compromise automated systems that control HVAC systems, fire alarms and other critical infrastructure.

Digital intruders have reportedly accessed homes through smart thermostats to terrorize families by turning up the heat remotely; and then speaking to the residents through the cameras connected to the Internet.

The effects of hacking will likely be most severe in the healthcare industry, where equipment failure or hijacking will endanger lives.

“Connected medical devices — from WiFi enabled infusion pumps to smart MRI machines — increase the attack surface of devices sharing information and create security concerns including privacy risks and potential violation of privacy regulations,” wrote Anastasios Arampatzis, an author for security vendor Tripwire.

Holding CEOs’ Feet to the Fire
So, who will be responsible for cybersecurity in an IoT network? The vendors of individual appliances or equipment? Whoever owns or runs the network? The company or organization using the IoT network?

Global research and advisory firm Gartner predicts that, by 2024, 75 percent of CEOs will be held personally responsible for attacks on what Gartner calls cyber-physical systems (CPSs).

Gartner defines CPSs as “systems that are engineered to orchestrate sensing, computation, control, networking and analytics to interact with the physical world, including humans.”

These systems “underpin all connected IT, operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) efforts where security considerations span both the cyber and physical worlds, such as asset-intensive, critical infrastructure and clinical healthcare environments.”

OT consists of hardware and software that detects or causes a change in industrial equipment, assets, processes and events through direct monitoring and/or control.

In other words, 75 percent of CEOs could be held responsible for IoT security failures by 2024.

Why CEOs? Because regulators and governments will drastically increase the rules and regulations governing CPSs in response to an increase in serious incidents resulting from failure to secure CPSs, Gartner research VP Katell Thielemann wrote. “Soon, CEOs won’t be able to plead ignorance or retreat behind insurance policies.”

Holding CEOs responsible “is a definite possibility and is consistent with the way that CEOs are held accountable for the accuracy and legitimacy of their financial attestations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,” Perry Carpenter, Chief Evangelist and Strategy Officer at security awareness training said.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was created to crack down on corporate fraud.

The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) “realizes that cybersecurity and, by extension, cyber-safety should be an issue that even rises to the level of the Board of Directors,” Carpenter said. “It has issued guidance for how to do so.”

Companies can buy cyber insurance, but cyber-insurance policies “are notorious for not paying out if the company does not meet a high bar of security excellence,” Carpenter remarked.

Further, “regulatory bodies won’t be in a hurry to offer easy outs for CEOs and companies who may be demonstrably negligent.”

Covid – 19 Contact Tracing App Download Hits One Million

More than one million people have downloaded the government’s contact-tracing app for England and Wales within its first day of release.

NHS Covid-19 instructs users to self-isolate for 14 days if it detects they were nearby someone who has the virus.
It also has a check-in scanner to alert owners if a venue they have visited is found to be an outbreak hotspot.
Anyone aged 16 and over is being asked to install it. The government plans to give its own download tally on Monday.

WATCH: How to install the NHS Covid-19 app

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the app “helps us to find more people who are at risk of having the virus” that human contact tracers are unable to find.
“Everybody who downloads the app will be helping to protect themselves, helping to protect their loved ones, helping to protect their community because the more people who download it, the more effective it will be,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
The app keeps secret who receives a self-isolation alert.
And there was some confusion about whether users could ignore a notification telling them to stay at home.
Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast: “That self-isolation is voluntary, unlike the mandatory self-isolation if you are called by NHS Test and Trace.”

Matt Hancock said people might need to “upgrade” to access the NHS Covid-19 app

But the Department of Health had earlier said that users must obey the command and would in theory be liable for fines of £1,000 or more if they did not, while acknowledging it had no way to check.
A senior source has since told the BBC that the notification is “advisory” because the authorities cannot legally enforce something that cannot be proved.
How to use England and Wales’ contact-tracing app
How does Covid-19 test-and-trace work?

User will have to verify they are over 16 before they can start using the app

The move reflects a desire by health chiefs for the software to be used by as many students in further education colleges and universities as possible.
The age limit is in line with the Protect Scotland contact-tracing app. And health chiefs behind Northern Ireland’s StopCOVID NI have said they intend to launch a new version that accepts under-18s later this month.
The launch comes as the UK reported 6,178 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, up 1,252 since Tuesday, and 37 deaths.
The government had originally intended to release the app months ago. But problems with the initial design and the addition of extra features meant it was only ready for its final public test in August.
One tech expert who has tracked the initiative acknowledged the team involved had worked hard to address concerns about privacy and transparency, but said wider problems could still limit its impact.
“Not only is the app late to launch, but it will be hindered by the delays in the testing system,” Rachel Coldicutt told the BBC.
“If you don’t have symptoms, will a push notification saying you were near someone a week ago make you and your family self-isolate and spend days hitting refresh on the testing website, trying to find a test?”
Although the app allows users to order a coronavirus test and automatically get the results, the government does not believe it will complicate efforts to meet demand.

Tech and finance professionals are joining the ranks of workers in other industries by delaying their return to in-person office work until as late as the third quarter of the year. Workers are balking at returning to their physical offices while fears of a resurgence of the virus are prevalent.

Meanwhile, major U.S. employers have postponed return-to-office plans because of recent bumps in the number of coronavirus infections, according to thousands of employees and managers polled about their companies’ plans regarding working from home.

Blind, an anonymous community of verified professionals with 3.6 million users, began running a survey last month to gauge whether tech and finance professionals had any insight into when their employers will compel them to return to work.

That survey revealed that their various companies have postponed return-to-work plans according to the following schedule:

33 percent until the first quarter of 2021
14 percent until the second quarter of 2021
18 percent until the third quarter of 2021
21 percent with no end date provided
Returning to the office is not only a health and liability concern, cost and productivity are also key issues, according to Eli Diament, founder and director of Azurite Consulting.

His company recently surveyed 3,500 business executives and decision makers, revealing that managers and workers were not only hesitant to return to an office but felt they were more productive working remotely.

“Additionally, business owners found they would perform as efficiently and reduce costs by keeping remote work in place,”.

Significant Findings
Blind runs studies to reflect what is going on in the world. Blind’s researchers take headlines as predictions of how companies will react, explained Fiorella Riccobono, public relations specialist at TeamBlind.

“For example, a headline such as ‘Employers Get Major Protections in GOP Liability Shield Bill’ led researchers to ask survey participants in what quarter employees are expected to return to the office,”.

This particular survey polled 3,000 workers. It went to all Blind users, most of whom are concentrated within the tech and financial fields. Sixty percent of the user base works in tech, another 20 percent is in finance, and the other 20 percent are scattered among other industries.

“In the survey results, we see companies providing their employees with at-home perks. This is likely because it is more affordable to provide work from home stipends than to institute all the social distancing measures within an in-person office. Employers will eventually have to account for temperature checks, sanitation, and having people remain six feet apart,”.

The Azurite Consulting survey found one-in-four office workers would quit if asked to return too soon. That includes 26 percent of employees and 21 percent of managers, noted Diament.

“We also learned that only 13 percent of managers and 11 percent of employees prefer full-time return to the office. However, 36 percent and 42 percent expect this to likely be the case,” he said.

That Azurite survey also found that 37 percent of office workers indicated they have a better work-life balance now. While 29 percent do not; and 54 percent of high-risk employees want to continue to work remotely.

The survey also revealed that 70 percent of workers think that taking public transportation to work is unsafe. Given the current level of uncertainty related to the pandemic, it’s difficult to determine if this 70 percent statistic should be construed as surprisingly high, surprisingly low, or to be expected.

Costly Return Delayed
The coronavirus pandemic, which forced millions of employees to work from home, has been an awakening for many employers who discovered that employees can be more productive, more engaged, and more loyal without ever stepping foot into the same physical office, according to Diament.

Furthermore, businesses can save a considerable amount of money by not spending on an office. To foster a safe return, office workers want face masks and investment in better hygiene before they return, he noted.

The Azurite survey results show 56 percent of respondents want mandatory face masks, and 42 percent want sanitizers or disinfectants at their desks. The survey also showed 36 percent want reduced office capacity at any given time, and 15 percent want daily temperature checks, while 16 percent want weekly COVID-19 testing.

“Returning to an office definitely has a cost factor. A majority (54 percent) of companies in major downtown centers realized they could reduce the cost of business and have intent to downsize their footprint,” Diament offered.

Some of the companies plan major office relocations, he added. For instance, 55 percent plan at least some relocation of employees, and 11 percent of urban dwellers contemplate a suburban move.

“For all these reasons, many companies will continue to keep remote work in place for the immediate future, and some may very well make it a permanent way to conduct business,” he concluded.

Risks to Businesses
One of the most fascinating points about the pandemic is how COVID-19 is inspiring many companies to rethink their workplace requirements.

Until a successful vaccine arrives and is widely distributed and used, businesses will need to take a “safety first” approach to returning employees to the workplace, according to Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Those that do not proceed carefully risk sickening substantial numbers of their workers and, possibly, being faulted and sued if they fail to take adequate safety measures.

“Effective precautions will take time and money to design and install and are coming at a time many businesses are already stressed financially,”.

Depending on the business and circumstances, it will not be surprising if organizations reevaluate their operations and continue to support employees whose duties do not require them to be at specific facilities with flexible options, including working from home part or full time, King added.

The larger question is whether these changes will stay in place after the pandemic recedes or ends, he pointed out. Opinions seem to diverge widely on the subject, with some claiming that workers need socialization at the office to be fully effective and satisfied. Others say that the COVID crisis has revealed the inherent inefficiencies of traditional workplaces.

“One thing is for sure, if a substantial number of businesses decide to make flexible work options permanent, the disruptions we have already seen will continue to roil numerous areas, from commercial real estate to the companies that provide critical support services to larger firms, to nearby retailers and restaurants,” said King.

The stampede from offices to working from home has strained IT security teams to their limits. As a result, SMBs find they need to get more bang for fewer bucks to fight off cybersecurity threats.

Network security firm Untangle on Sept. 8 released the results of its third annual SMB IT Security Report. Polling more than 500 SMBs, the report explores major barriers for managing IT security. The results reflect the growing challenges the pandemic caused in forcing massive shifts to remote work.

Nearly half of IT pros have altered their security plans as a result of large-scale breaches reported in the media. The report shows that IT teams, in addition to protecting their organizations from increasing cyberattack risks, must also contend with the unintended consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

The survey revealed that as businesses consider more permanent plans for their employees, 56 percent will continue to have some employees work from home permanently. Another finding shows 38 percent of SMBs allocate US$1,000 or less annually to their IT budget.

SMBs are proactively putting tools in place to combat attacks. They are able to limit their vulnerabilities even though they continue grappling with limited security budgets and resource constraints.

However, dealing with these challenges during a cross-industry WFH shift has created gaping vulnerabilities within their networks. This adds another challenge to already overburdened IT departments.

“As the abnormal becomes our new normal, SMBs need to approach remote work by using a combination of cloud-based applications and on-premises solutions to keep employees and systems safe, and ensure business continuity,” said Scott Devens, CEO at Untangle.

SMBs should be looking for technologies that incorporate multilayered network security tools and hybrid network infrastructure, such as SD-WAN, to avoid large-scale network vulnerabilities, regardless of budget and resource size, he suggested.

This survey revealed a critical takeaway about the changing cybersecurity climate the pandemic thrust upon SMBs, warned Joseph Carson, chief security scientist and advisory CISO at Thycotic.

“The report is clear that SMBs do become victims of cyberattacks and that it is better to invest upfront rather than try to survive in a post cybersecurity incident,”.

Economical Solutions
If SMBs stick to their tight budgeting restrictions for their IT departments, they could find that some of the $1,000 ceilings they put in place can be eaten up for cyber insurance.

Cowbell Cyber’s recent survey revealed that 65 percent of SMBs will spend more on cyber insurance in the next two years, according to Isabelle Dumont, the company’s vice president of market engagement.

“Subscribing to a standalone cyber policy is always a great step for SMBs to get financial protection against a wide range of cyber incidents and gain access to expert security resources when an incident actually occurs,”.

A growing number of SMBs continue to do more with less, according to the report. This year’s 38 percent budget adjustment noted above compares to 29 percent last year and 27 percent in 2018. Further, 78 percent of SMB employees are temporarily working remotely with an anticipated 56 percent suggesting some positions will be permanently remote moving forward.

Nearly half (48 percent) of the surveyed organizations operate in more than two locations, making SD-WAN an ideal infrastructure. SD-WAN allows small businesses who are operating in multiple physical locations and using bandwidth-intensive applications, such as voice over IP tools (VoIP), Zoom, or Salesforce, to take advantage of this technology.

Doing so allows SMBs to increase branch office network security. It also lets them increase Internet efficiency and decrease IT spending.

For nearly one-third (32 percent) of the responding SMBs, budget restrictions are their greatest barrier. That result is the same as last year.

Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) said their biggest challenge is employees who do not follow IT security guidelines. Limited time to research and understand emerging threats was the biggest cybersecurity protection barrier for only 13 percent of SMBs responding to the survey.

Fight More Threats, Spend Less Money
IT departments, even with limited resources, can implement foundational strategies to address network security issues and lay the groundwork for future investments, noted Untangle in citing some of the significant findings. The survey revealed effective strategies SMBs employ with their limited budgets.

For example, SMBs rank firewalls (82 percent), antivirus protection (57 percent), endpoint security (48 percent), archiving management and backup and VPN technologies, (47percent), and Web filtering (40 percent) as their most important features when considering which IT security solutions to purchase.

A majority of SMBs find economical solutions in the cloud. For instance, SMBs have adopted a hybrid on-premises/cloud-based IT infrastructure for business applications. A solid majority (71 percent) have their firewall on-site rather than in the cloud.

Nearly half (45 percent) of SMBs said they have adjusted or reevaluated their IT security roadmap based on recent security breaches and ransomware attacks. Of those SMBs surveyed who experienced a data breach within the last 12 months, 15 percent were able to stop the attack or any unauthorized access before sensitive data was extracted.

A proposal to avoid the banning of the popular social media app TikTok was submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department over the weekend.

The Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Aliyu Aziz, said about 42 million Nigerians have been enrolled into the National Identity Database (NIDB) and now have their National Identity Number (NIN).

Federal government on Friday apologised for asking all account holders in financial institutions in the country to re-register their personal details.