Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

  • Lagos, Nigeria
  • Info@bhluemountain.com
  • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Mon - Fri
  • August 4 2023

👨🏿‍🚀TechCabal Daily – Hacktivist group warns Nigeria

In partnership with Share this newsletter: Lire en Français اقرأ هذا باللغة العربية TGIF Google is making it easier for you to go incognito. Starting September, you’ll get alerts when any of your private information—including email addresses and phone numbers—appears online. You’ll then be able to submit requests for removal. As usual, the feature—like Google’s AI features or alien abductions—is only available in the US. For now at least. In today’s edition GSK exits Nigeria Anonymous Sudan attacks Nigeria Worldcoin responds to Kenya Funding Tracker The World Wide Web3 Event: TC Live Job openings Economy GlaxoSmithKline to exit Nigeria after 51 years Image source: YungNollywood More global conglomerates are leaving the giant of Africa. Yesterday, global pharma and biotech company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced its exit from Nigeria after 51 years of operations in the company.  A tight space: The company, which markets brands like Maclean and Sensodyne toothpastes and painkiller Panadol, has reportedly faced stiff competition in the market in recent times. In H1 2023, it experienced a 47.6% decline as its sales dropped to ₦7.75 billion ($9.9 million) from the ₦14.8 billion ($19 million) it recorded in H1 2022.  The Haleon Group, a pharmaceutical company GSK owns 13% in, is also reportedly planning to terminate the distribution agreement it had with GSK and appoint a third-party distributor for its healthcare products like Sensodyne in Nigeria. In June, the company also noted that Nigeria’s shaky foreign exchange market was negatively impacting its business.  “For the above reasons, and having, together with GSK UK, evaluated various other options, the Board of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc has concluded that there is no alternative but to cease operations,” GSK Nigeria said in a statement. Wrapping things up: The company hasn’t announced an exit date yet, but it did mention that it’s in the process of engaging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to see how cash can be returned to shareholders in the company.  To Financial Times, the company noted that about 160 employees would be affected by the change in direction. Zoom out: GSK’s exit comes four months after another global conglomerate, Unilever, announced that its Nigerian subsidiary would dial back on manufacturing home and skin care products. Unilever, at the time, cited the need for sustained profitability as the reason for its change in focus. Several other global companies including ShopRite, Game and Etisalat have either exited the country or are in the process of doing so.  Secure payments with Monnify Monnify has simplified how businesses accept payments to enable growth. We are trusted by Piggyvest, Buypower, Wakanow, Fairmoney, Cowrywise, and over 10,000 Nigerian businesses. Get your Monnify account today here. Cybersecurity Hactivist Group Anonymous Sudan attacks Nigerian companies Anonymous Sudan, a pro-Sudan hacktivist group, is showing companies shege. A week after attacking Kenyan companies, the group is claiming responsibility for cyberattacks on MTN Nigeria and Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This is in response to Nigeria’s proposed military intervention in Niger. Image source: Zikoko Memes What military intervention? On July 26, a military group led a coup and removed Niger President Mohamed Bazoum from power. In response, West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, asked the coup plotters to reinstate Bazoum within the week—a deadline that expires on Sunday. On Wednesday, Nigeria cut power supply to Niger, making it the first sanction against the country, and ECOWAS says it is considering military action to restore constitutional order.  After Nigeria’s moves, the hacktivist company issued warnings to Nigerian companies to brace for repercussions by August 2.  While MTN’s confirmation of the cyberattack is pending, NITDA confirmed in a press release that Anonymous Sudan targeted its digital infrastructure and advised Nigerian financial service providers, government bodies, and telcos to prepare for a series of attacks. ICYMI: Anonymous Sudan attacked digital services in Kenya because the country questioned the sovereignty of the Sudanese government in an internal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In a series of Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, Kenya’s biggest telco, Safaricom, and Kenya Power—the national utility company, were hit, including Kenyan media, hospitals, universities, and businesses. Furthermore, the group demanded an official apology from the Kenyan government and a ransom payment of $200,000 worth of bitcoin to cease their attacks. Zoom out: The cyberattacks carried out by the group in Kenya have prompted Nigeria’s Computer Emergency Response Team to issue recommendations for averting a similar impact within Nigeria. Some of the guidelines include deploying firewalls and DDoS protection services, using CAPTCHA tests on websites, and limiting network broadcasting. Discover Trends with Smile Identity Download the Smile ID State of KYC in Africa Report on the latest trends in identity verification across Africa, highlighting the power of biometric verification and document verification in combating fraud. It is a must-read for any business looking to acquire users across Africa and keep up with fraud trends. Crypto Worldcoin responds to Kenya WorldCoin has responded to Kenyan authorities by halting its iris-scan-for-token activities in the country.  The blockchain company said it will use this “pause” to develop better onboarding processes and crowd control measures while working with relevant authorities to resume its operations in Kenya. Why Kenya suspended Worldcoin: This “pause” comes one day after Kenya’s interior ministry suspended Worldcoin over data privacy concerns. Additionally, a joint statement by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), cited concerns about offering money in exchange for data, having so much data in the hands of a private company and the lack of clarity on how the biometric data was stored. Image Source: YungNollywood Despite the overwhelming demand for WorldCoin in Kenya, with over 350,000 people lining up to have their iris’s scanned in exchange for 25 WorldCoin tokens, worth Ksh7,000 ($50) and to obtain a World ID, the country has become the first in Africa to suspend its operations. Zoom out: The CEO of WorldCoin, Sam Altman, says Worldcoin is necessary to distinguish

Read More