• At least eight West African States have been thrown into significant internet connectivity issues.
• Telcos say repairs could span from weeks to months, depending on the damage location
• The impact of such cable failures worsens as networks attempt to route around the damage, potentially reducing the capacity available to other countries.

Nearly a dozen West African states are currently experiencing internet outages occasioned by damage to multiple undersea telecommunication cables. Reports say that this has caused a widespread connectivity outage in parts of the continent, with operators and Internet monitoring groups cautioning that the situation might require several weeks or even months to resolve.

By the end of Friday, March 15th, at least eight countries across the continent had reported significant connectivity issues, although specific details regarding the cause of the undersea cable damages remained limited.

Global media reports indicated that the affected cable lines included critical continental arteries …

• AI-generated deepfake enabled scammers set to conduct video calls with European leaders under false pretenses. 
• Deepfakes, which are highly realistic fabricated videos or images, can deceive voters, manipulate public opinion, and tarnish the reputation.
• Google’s reverse-image search is another helpful tool that enables you to check if an online image has been used elsewhere.

Shortly before Slovakia’s parliamentary election in September last year, a viral audio recording circulated on Slovakian social media. In the recording, the leader of the Progressive Slovakia Party was heard discussing plans to manipulate the election and increase taxes on beer. (Slovakia is ranked sixteenth globally in beer consumption per capita.) However, it was later revealed that the audio was a fabricated AI-generated deepfake.

This exposed the threats that a majority of the countries are going to grapple with this year as many states hold their elections across Africa. This year, Senegal, South Africa, Chad, Ghana, …

• Global tech giants are meeting in Marrakech in May for the GITEX Africa expo as they seek a slice digital economy in the continent.
• Investors will be keen on learning tech advances in digital health, finance, AI consumer tech, cloud and IoT, as well as cybersecurity among others.
• GITEX Africa is organised by KAOUN International, an affiliate of Dubai World Trade Centre, which also organises GITEX GLOBAL show in the UAE.

This year, thousands of investors and entrepreneurs are converging in Marrakech, Morocco, for GITEX Africa, a signature tech and start-up expo that is poised to define the next phase of the continent’s digital economy.

The show, now in its second edition, comes under the Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco. GITEX Africa, which is scheduled from 29-31 May 2024, is organised under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration …

• The 2024 Sophos Threat Report shows data theft is the focus of most malware targeting small and medium businesses.
• Email attacks have moved away from simple social engineering toward more active engagement.
• According to the World Bank, over 90 per cent of the world’s businesses are small- and medium-sized organisations.

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting data in a new trend in the online security space the 2024 Sophos Threat Report has shown.  The report by cybersecurity services firm Sophos sheds light on the dangers faced by small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the digital landscape.

The 2024 Sophos Threat Report titled “Cybercrime on Main Street” underscores the significant threats looming over SMBs, focusing on the year 2023. According to the report, 50 per cent of malware detected targeting SMBs comprised keyloggers, spyware, and stealers – malicious software designed to steal data and credentials.

Cybercriminals employ these tactics to …

• In a significant escalation of tensions between Nigeria and the global cryptocurrency market, the African nation has detained two senior Binance executives.
• Anjarwalla and Gambaryan were detained in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, under circumstances highlighting the country’s aggressive stance towards cryptocurrency exchanges.
• In recent years, Nigeria has faced significant economic challenges, with the devaluation of the naira emerging as a central issue.

Anjarwalla and Gambaryan detained

In a significant escalation of tensions between Nigeria and the global cryptocurrency market, the African nation has detained two senior Binance executives, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange.

Nadeem Anjarwalla, a UK citizen living in Kenya and serving as Binance’s Regional Manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, the Global Head of Intelligence and Investigations at Binance and a former US Internal Revenue Service special agent, find themselves at the heart of a diplomatic and financial controversy.

Now extending into its third week, the detention stems from …

• New regulations for crypto firms in Kenya will force players give evidence of sufficient working capital to continue business.
• Crypto firms will required to maintain core capital of not less than 12% of the total fiat value of the virtual assets held or proposed to be held in the custody of the platform.
• The Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Bill also proposes that businesses dealing in digital assets in the country be allowed to operate as commercial entities.

Players in the digital assets and crypto currency space are now pushing for new regulations for crypto firms that will govern how new players join Kenyan market.

The digital asset industry lobby group, the Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK), is among others, proposing the formation of a new regulatory sandbox that will test and regulate companies in the industry before their licensing.

Additionally, the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Bill, …