Security policy, human capacity hobble cybersecurity war

Cybersecurity experts have decried poor human capacity and pointed at the absence of national security policy as a major roadblock in the fight against cybercrime.


They also expressed worry over unyielding attitude of management board of organizations in approving information technology security budget as a proactive measure, rather than reactive measure.


Peter Obadare, chief operating officer, Digital Encode, said that major challenge organizations face in the fight against cybercrimal and cyber warfare is lack of trained manpower.


“I have been in cybersecurity ecosystem for many years now and have identified lack of trained manpower in most organizations. Cybersecurity is not a certificate that speaks for you, but a continuous training to be ahead of the smart criminals, most organisations find it difficult to continually update their IT security staff to be able to face cyber threats,” he said.


Rommy Okonkwo, country manager, Check Point Software Technologies, frowns at lack of National Security Policy in the country.“For security policy, somebody needs to take ownership and run with it. So that if you are the chief technology officer of an organisation and you know what the security act of your country says on losing critical data which could land you in jail or make you lose a job and so many other things, people will embrace these things. We see it happen in other jurisdictions- we see where managing director of a company steps out to publicly declare he is resigning while investigation continues. Until we get to that level in this country, we might not make the much advanced progress as we want to as organisations or government agencies,” he said.

According to him, “security is more virtual stuff that has to do with licences. So, some people have difficulty justifying the bases or why they need to invest huge amount of money. Some people tend to claim: ‘we have run this business for five to six years without anything happening. How come you wake up one morning and telling us we have to spend this XYZ amount of dollars to just put our house in order?”


“The chief technology officers (CTO) and chief information officers (CIOs) get stocked. It is a major problem. We have also had instances people walk up to us and say ‘we need help’. Help in what direction? Help us build justification.”


“Why do we need to make this investment? Truly, cost is an issue, but for people who do not know, you think you are actually saving money in your organisation by not implementing IT security and not having the right policies in place, but you are actually not in business, that is what is called total cost of ownership.


Ahmed Adesanya, IT Security and Connectivity consultant, added that National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) should come out with a framework that organizations must follow in order to secure their sensitive data which will also provide a coordinated approach to fighting cybercrime, especially, now that organizations have taken their businesses to the cloud.

Just Starting Out? Avoid These 5 Startup Mistakes. You're Welcome

Take this advice from a seasoned entrepreneur. It can save you time, money, and stress down the road.

 

 

1. Decide if you want to be a small, independent business or a high-growth startup.

This is a binary, critical, fundamental decision that will immediately answer over a dozen other questions. It will determine what type of corporate structure you use, which state you register in, what kind of financing you will be able to receive, how you will compensate your employees, and much more. A good test is to ask yourself, "Will I try to raise money from outside investors?" and "Do I plan to offer stock options to any of my employees?" If the answer to either is yes, you have no choice but to head down the more complicated, high-growth path. Switching from one to the other later is possible, but that can be very expensive.

2. Figure out who The Entrepreneur is in the company.

It's tempting to say that "anyone can be a founder," and "all founders on the team are equal," but in the real world, that's just not true. While experience has shown that founding teams of two people (what serial founder and venture capitalist Paul Graham describes as "a hustler and a hacker") tend to be more stable and successful, in every case one person is the primary driver. This is the person who is prepared to do anything for the business, give up work-life balance, and be the one whom investors, employees, and partners look to. The buck has to stop somewhere, and if you don't figure that out before you start, you are in for a world of hurt.

3. If you have more than one founder, all of them must have vesting schedules for their equity.

While it is tempting to assume that "vesting is for everyone else," I have seen far too many startups crash and burn when one founder leaves a company--along with half of that company's equity. Vesting protects everyone, including a startup's founders, so be sure that every employee's options vest, and every founder's stock reverse-vests from the very beginning.


(Reverse vesting gives the company the right, decreasing over time, to buy back a founder's stock.) Trying to fix this one down the road will be very costly--and possibly a company killer.

4. Whatever you do, do it with a professional.

A penny saved on professional advice today is $100,000 lost in cleanup expenses down the road. While there are plenty of books and internet postings claiming that you can incorporate yourself and download forms from the web, you can't! Or, at least, you shouldn't. Every single serial entrepreneur with whom I have spoken has told me,
"If only I hadn't tried to do it myself, I would've saved $100,000!" There's a reason lawyers and accountants go to school for this stuff. While starting a company might not be quite as difficult as brain surgery, I guarantee if you try to do it all on your own, you will screw it up--and then pay 10 times as much to get a professional in to clean it up.

5. Don't start by raising money.

Although it may come as a surprise to a lot of ambitious entrepreneurs, investors do not fund ideas, no matter how good or how potentially profitable they are. A typical angel investor looks at 40 opportunities for every investment made; a typical VC looks at 400. And the investments they make will be in companies, not ideas. Spending months trying to raise funds for an idea is fruitless and dispiriting. Do not even think about raising money from outside investors until you have developed your product and have at least a handful of pilot or beta customers. Other­wise, it's like trying to teach a pig to sing: All it does
is waste your time and annoy the pig.

‘5.1billion people subscribe to mobile services globally’

The Global System for Mobile telecommunications Association (GSMA), has called on government leaders to reform their regulatory frameworks in order to encourage a new wave of innovation and investment in digital infrastructure and services.


This is even as GSMA revealed that more than 5.1 billion people – about two-third of the world’s population have now subscribed to mobile services.


GSMA Director- General, Mats Granryd, stated this at the 11th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.


Currently, 108 of the WTO’s 164 members have made commitments to facilitate trade in telecoms services, such as the right to establish new telecoms companies, make foreign direct investment in existing companies, and enable the cross-border transmission of telecoms services.


Granryd said: “Today, more than 5.1 billion people – about two-thirds of the world’s population – subscribe to mobile services. With this broad reach, the mobile industry is a major driver in the global economy, expected to employ nearly 31 million people worldwide and contribute $4.2trillion in economic value (4.9 per cent of GDP) in 2020.


“However, the continued growth of the mobile ecosystem is far from guaranteed, particularly if we do not address the out-dated and inflexible regulatory frameworks currently in place in many countries around the world. It is imperative that governments take the steps now to encourage investment in our digital future and spur digital trade.”


According to him, it is vital that government considers how adopting a future-facing digital framework can drive future trade, growth and inclusion.


He posited that recognising the enabling power of mobile; many governments have set bold policies to cultivate the digital economy, while ensuring that the benefits of connectivity reach remote and underserved communities.


“Forward-thinking WTO members are already making commitments to facilitate trade in telecoms services, extend competition in basic telecoms and adopt the regulatory principles for sector reform, which largely reflect ‘best practice’ in telecoms regulation.”


The GSMA urges all WTO members to not only adopt and apply existing WTO best practice principles, but also take additional steps to transform national rules and regulations to reflect today’s market realities.


On behalf of the broad mobile ecosystem, the GSMA called on WTO members to encourage network investment with a clear broadband development policy, and an investment-friendly spectrum policy.


They are also to promote economic growth through harmonised international privacy and data protection rules, protecting individuals’ privacy, and enabling cross-border data flows; and update their regulatory frameworks to reflect this new digitalised world. They must focus on ex post approaches rather than ex ante prescriptive regulation, coupled with regulatory consistency throughout the ecosystem.


“Based on our experience in bringing mobile services to billions of people worldwide, the mobile industry has identified a set of global principles and policy recommendations to further stimulate digital market growth. What we need now is the support of the governments to harness the full transformative potential of mobile for the benefit of national economies and societies,” continued Granryd.
Head, Latin America, GSMA, Sebastián Cabello, noted that regulation and public policy have a key role to play in fostering the digital economy by expanding investment and facilitating trade.

More product managers and designers, please

PHOTO: GOOGLE

There is typically a lot of confusion in determining what a product manager does in a technology products company. The trouble comes from the overlap of their roles with others, and that is why they are not easy to hire and even harder to create. The product manager is defined typically as “The CEO of a product”. They take full responsibility of the product throughout its lifecycle. While this role is more commonplace with technology companies, it is a universal one and not restricted to them alone.

I had a strategy session with a major Nigerian bank last year, and they told me all the people in the room were product manages in their e-Channels Department. A structure like that helps the bank to be more innovative and allows their products to get to the market faster. I was quite impressed.


Sometime in 2013, I had a conversation in Boston with my mentor Kingsley Idehen the founder and CEO of OpenLink Software, and he broke down the problems with current Web 2.0 product models.


Companies keep throwing developers at flawed designs and models without going back to look at first principles. His analogy is that building a product is like building a house. You need to get the location right then you design the house. It is only after a building is appropriately designed that you get the builders involved. He said that developers were like the bricklayers in the building process. You still need the architect, engineers, supervisors, contractors and electricians. The role of developers is vital but frequently overrated. The functions of “Product Managers” and Designers are habitually underrated. They are much more important than a lot of companies realise. Having built houses before, I understood what he meant.


We pivoted our company from a poorly run product startup to a “pure services and consulting” business model many years ago, but we recently started building products again, after we discovered a lot of gaps in the financial services space. We decided to do better this time around by learning from others. We realised the importance of the product management role just from interacting with successful organisations like Google and Facebook. Those companies and other successful technology companies had a lot of product managers leading their product efforts. The people who moved to leadership roles in those organisations frequently also had product management experience.

Sundar Pichai, the current CEO of Google, also used to be their Head of Products.


I had always loved building products and preferred it to consulting. Products and services solve problems, but products are reusable in a way that services cannot be. Products are also more scalable than services. For us to change our direction, I had to become more involved in the product creation process personally and even attended a product management course in the UK. Being part of that training was an eye-opener to the new product process and also the concept of “Design Thinking.”
My first User Experience workshop was done at Google I/O in 2013. We had to come up with a user journey for Goggle’s commerce product “Google Shopping Express”. It was a transcendental experience. Attending Google’s “Design Sprint Academy” at Launchpad opened my eyes even further. Product Design is NOT an option for technology companies; it is an imperative. Design Sprints take the mystery out of this process. Google Ventures is a significant champion of this process, and it is frequently used by their portfolio companies. Google as an organisation also encourages wider adoption.


Knowing what I know now, I now understand more why we had failed at building products in the past. We stumbled into it from school and failed not only because the market lacked depth but also because we also didn’t know what we were doing. A lot of people currently building products in Africa are falling into the same trap.


Our schools don’t teach people how to build products; they teach people how to write programs or manage businesses. Creating a software product isn’t the job of “a developer” or team of developers, it is the job of everyone in a product team or product company. The ideal CEO should also be a great product manager.

MultiChoice launches app for DStv installers

MultiChoice

In a bid to make the DStv installation process seamless for customers, MultiChoice Nigeria, pay TV provider, has launched an app installers.


The DStv Installer App is a management tool for assigning, monitoring, reviewing, troubleshooting, and managing customer installations to ensure quality installation and better accountability.


Speaking on the launch of the app, the Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said: “The DStv Installer app is the latest feature in MultiChoice Nigeria’s line of innovative services and products which benefit our partners and customers. The DStv installer app enables dealers to assign jobs to accredited installers within a specific area, whilst ensuring that our customers benefit from reduced waiting times and the pre-knowledge of their installer’s identity.”


The benefits of the DStv installer app also include an improved business process which reduces the manual operation of assigning an installer, tracking the installation and managing the installer.


This in turn ensures reduced operational costs for the dealer, whilst also giving them the power to review and ensure all installations are done properly, and simultaneously guaranteeing a better customer experience.


The installer app joins other innovative means and platforms through which customers are aided with the DStv installation process. These include the DStv website www.dstv.com, and the DStv easy self-service platformwww.eazy.dstv.com which gives you the ability to clear error codes, pay for your subscription, find a DStv installer and upgrade or change your package, all from the comfort of your home.


Speaking further, Ugbe said: “At MultiChoice Nigeria, we take pride in constantly evolving and advancing our systems and processes thus ensuring our subscribers get the best experience from the point of purchase to installation and user experience. We are thrilled to launch the installer app, and guarantee our customers of improved installation service delivery.”

Lagos to overtake Nairobi as Africa’s start-up capital

Going by the level of transformation currently happening in its digital ecosystem, Lagos is set to overtake Nairobi, Kenya, as the start-up capital of Africa.


A presentation by the Country Editor, The Business Year, Silvia Lambiase, at an ICT forum, organised by Huawei Technologies in Lagos, on Monday, revealed that for early-days entrepreneurs, Lagos represents the most valuable ecosystem, with startups raising on average more funding than anywhere else on the continent to finance their early stages.


Lambiase said prime examples of the success of startups in Nigeria are eCommerce giants Jumia and Konga, which now operate beyond the home-country borders.


According to her, other start-ups among the best on the Continent are Andela, iROKO and Flutterwave, which have all attracted large global investor interest.


She said Lagos has witnessed rapid growth in its ecosystem, especially because of the success in establishing ‘Yabacon Valley’. Quoting Quartz Africa, Lambiase said: “the work is paying off, last year, Nigeria attracted more investment than any other startup ecosystem in Africa.”


Indeed, The Guardian gathered that about $360 million investments and grants entered Africa in 2016, with Nigeria getting 30.3 per cent of it.


Nigeria got $109million; Kenya $97.7 million; South Africa $96.7 million; Rwanda $16 million; Cote d’ Ivoire $13 million; Tanzania $12.9million; Egypt $9.15 million; Ghana $8.67 million; Senegal $6.5 million; Morocco $0.98 million; Tunisia $0.8 million, and Uganda $0.27 million.


The Country Director, Andela, Seni Sulyman, was quoted in the yearly African Tech Startups Funding Report produced by Disrupt Africa, as saying that investor interest is absolutely increasing, as data shows that capital deployed is increasing yearly.


“There are also an increasing number of top-tier international investors expressing an interest in understanding the Nigerian tech market. In the past year alone, we’ve hosted investors from 500 Startups, Y Combinator, and other major early-stage funds that want to get involved in the Lagos tech ecosystem,” he stated.


This was a view shared by Victor Sada, a risk and investment analyst at Venture Garden Group, one of the primary firms investing in Nigerian tech startup.


“The rise of foreign investors has also sprung up an interest in the local investment space in technology,” he said.


Sada identified many reasons for this, saying: “Nigeria has over 180 million people, making it the most populous country in Africa. It also has the highest number of Internet users in Africa.


“There are a lot of problems in Nigeria. Basic amenities are still a big issue; people complain about the banking sector- this is why there has been a huge rise in the number of fintech startups in Nigeria. So, there is huge potential for technology to solve real life issues which would, in turn, bring value,” he stated.


Meanwhile, Lambiase posited that Nigeria has the potential to achieve and exceed what countries such as South Korea, and Rwanda have done, stressing that there is an extremely entrepreneurial, tech-savvy and young population.


She said support for Nigeria’s bright entrepreneurs must continue in order to make Nigeria a tech hub.


She urged government to provide a more enabling environment through liberalisation of key ICT sub-sectors such as broadband and other managed services, software, IoT, and even blockchain, to create more competition and attract foreign direct investments (FDIs).

Hair Growth : How To Grow Hair Faster In A Natural Way With Ease!

Craving for a long, luscious and gorgeous hair? For centuries it has been a personification of beauty and growing long hair is something that has never been out of fashion. No doubt, the short, modern haircuts are trendy these days, but nothing stands in comparison to this feminine grace. Of course it is going to take time to get such beautiful tresses.  If you are following the correct hair care methods, the hair is going to be part of your repertoire without much fuss. A lot of debate has centred on how to grow hair faster and whether natural or over the counter products suit the bill.  Before we get into the depth of the subject matter, we need to understand some facts about hair growth.

 Does Hair Grow At The Rate Of Knots?

Before proceeding on how to grow hair faster, we need to figure out the process. The speed of hair growth is dependent on the stature of follicles along with genetics. Hair growth revolves around 0.50 inches on an average per month, and it may sound a lot. But it is isn’t! Not taking good care of your hair, bad diet coupled with over usage of styling products, leaves your hair in a bad shape. This is bound to decrease the length and cause some significant damages to your hair.

Hair And Scalp Treatments For Hair Growth

1. Massaging Scalp

Blood circulation increases when you massage an area and scalp does follow the golden rule. When the scalp isbeing massaged, blood flow to the area increase encouraging growth of hair follicles. It is a simple and easy way on how to grow hair faster.

• When you take a shower massage your hair. The tips of your fingers in a circular motion should rub the scalp. Do cover the front, back and side portions of your hair.
• Continue the process as long as you can. It helps you feel calm and reduces emotional turmoil as well.

2. Essential Oils

Some oils are empowered to stimulate on how to grow hair faster. Ideally, 5 to 10 drops of oil should be poured on your head and the scalp needs to be massaged. Some of the popular essential oils are

• Peppermint is known to improve circulation
• Lemon oil encouraging a steady hair growth.

3. Oil Conditioning

A couple of advantages are associated with this method. On one hand how to grow hair faster is assured, and secondly the present hair is kept strong and sturdy. For a conditioning treatment, the following steps needs to be followed

• The hair needs to be wet and then a couple of teaspoons of oil should be put on the scalp
• With the help of your fingers, the oil should be distributed in an easy way from the roots to the tips of your hair.
• The hair should be covered with a shower cap as it would allow the oil to soak in for a couple of hours
• Then shampoo your hair as you normally tend to do. If there is excess oil, then you have to wash it more than once.

4. Bristle (Boar) Brush Technique

A special brush formulated of natural fibers replicating patterns of human hair. Sebum (naturaloil being secreted by your hair scalp) is pulled all the ways towards the tips of the hair. To understand on how to grow hair faster.

• The brush must be placed against your scalp and it should be brushed to and fro as natural oil will be picked up.
• In a single stroke try to brush your hair from the roots to the tips. Continue the process till the hair looks glossy.
• Make it a point that this process does not work with metal or plastic brushes.

5. Soothing Hair Conditioning Mask

Is your hair dry or brittle? Then to make it look luster a nutritious mask would be an ideal .proposition. You may not be able to meet the target of how to grow hair quickly, but for sure it is going to protect the hair that you have on your head. To make a hair mask

• An egg is to be cracked and put in  a bowl.
• To it you can add a couple of teaspoons of yogurt and a single teaspoon of honey.
• On your wet hair it needs to be applied and kept for 20 minutes.
• Shampoo the hair in a normal way to wash out the mask.

6. Be Aware Of What Products You Are Using On Your Hair

When your prime aim is how to grow hair faster, you would need to pay due consideration to the products that you are using. There are products in the market that contain chemicals which can damage your hair way beyond repairs. Your aim should be to use products that are incorporated with natural ingredients.  To avoid hair products that contain

• Sulfates- a common ingredient of shampoos which are cleaners ( harsh) removes the natural oil of your scalp.
• Alcohol- part of hair gel and styling products. They will make your hair brittle by drying out your hair.

Dietary Techniques To Make Hair Grow Faster

1. Increase Intake Of Protein

Protein is a part of any hair, and make sure that you have lots of it in your diet. This will address the issue of how to make your hair grow faster and see there are enough proteins as part of your diet. If it is deficient in protein, then simply hair is not going to grow.

• Increase intake of fish, meat and dairy products that are a rich source of proteins
• Leafy vegetables along with beans are vital sources of proteins for veggies.

2. Supplement Vitamin A And C

Both these vitamins makesure thatyou have a healthy and glossy hair. When the body lacks in the supply of both these vitamins, the hair becomes weak and brittle. Do make it a point that it is part of your diet as it does help in an attempt on hair growth.

• Carrots, sweet pumpkin are all rich sources of vitamin A
• Citrus fruits along with leafy vegetables are important sources of vitamin C

3. Being Hydrated

When you are hydrated, it rolls on to the overall wellbeing of your hair.  The hair is prone to breakage, being brittle and dry. When hair frays and breaks, it becomes a difficult task to grow into a long style that you have craved for. On how to grow hair faster, make sure that you drink plenty of water every day to stay hydrated.

• Reduce intake of carbonated drinks and replace it with water when possible.
• A water bottle is to  carried with you so that you are not thirsty during the day.

4. Consumption Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

They fall into the group of good fats. They promote the overall wellbeing of your healthy by supporting the health of your scalp. A steady growth of skin and hair cells is assured which helps to work towards on how to grow hair faster. Some of the food rich in this source are walnuts, flax seeds, sardines, salmon etc. if you do not have a liking for Omega 3 fatty acid foods you can always resort to the consumption of flax and fish oil supplements.

5. Eat Biotin

Essential for steady hair growth, it is a vital B vitamin. As it is a common part of animal products, veggies come across the fact they are deficient in the same. To makesure that you have a sufficient amount of this vitamins as part of your diet, consume the below-mentioned foods

• Wheat bran, nuts, eggs along with meat products
• If you feel that with food alone you are not able to meet vitamin B requirements, then opt for a biotin supplement

If your hair is falling out, seek help form a doctor
It has been observed that hair fall or slow growth of hair could be fixed by home remedies. There is an underlying cause for these facets and how to grow hair faster is assured if preventive steps are taken in a prompt way. If you feel that hair fall could trigger some serious problems in the future, visit a doctor. Once the issue is identified, hair restoration at a fast pace. Some conditions responsible for hair loss are

• Skin disorders or infections of the scalp.
• Over the counter medications.
• Hormonal imbalances may also trigger hair loss.

Working On Your Hair Care Habits

1. Reduce The Frequency Of Shampooing Your Hair

If you wash your hair daily it is going to become brittle and dry. Every time you wash your hair, it removes the healthy oil (protective) that keeps the hair strong and healthy. You should not wash your hair more than twice a week.

• During washing use a dry shampoo so that the roots do not look oily.
• When you are washing your hair, do it with cool or lukewarm water. Hot water is  to be avoided at all costs, and  hair needs to be handled  in a gentle way.

2. Any Form Of Heat Styling Products Is A Strict No

In your choice of removing your hair air dryer tops the list. When you air dry the hair it damages and weakens your hair. How to grow hair faster should not be undertaken with any heat based products like hot rollers or flat irons

3. Brushing Your Hair When Wet Is Not A Sensible Option

When the hair is wet it stretches and breaks easily in comparison to when it is dry. Because of this precise reason brushing your hair when wet is damaging. It can pave way for fizz along with split ends. Opt for a tooth comb wide in size to detach the hair. You should start near the tips and make way towards the roots.

4. Harsh Hair Styles Or Treatments Is To Be Avoided

Bleaching, drying or any chemical leeway on your hair can lead to irreparable damages. This obviously has to cast a damp squib on how to grow hair faster. If you are planning to outgrow your hair, and then preferably leave it open. It is better to avoid hairstyles that tends to pull out hair in the form of braids or tight weaves

• Learn to admire the natural make up of your hair. If it is curly or kinky, there is no natural method that is going to make it straight.
• If you are planning to straighten your hair, then opt for a natural method as far as possible. You can dry honey or henna that are natural products on all counts.

5. Be Aware Of Environmental Hazards

Sun, pool chlorine and air pollution are environmental hazards that puts a stoppage on your goal on how to make hair growth faster. If the hair is fragile, like your skin, it would be a better idea to protect it.

• When you go out in the sun, wear a hat to cover your hair
• If you live in an area where the pollution levels are high, then wear a scarf or hat when you are out
• During swimming use a chlorine cap to protect your hair.

To conclude, this pretty much sums up our discussion on how to grow hair faster in a natural way. Try to avoid artificial products as far as possible because side effects could emerge, cause irrevocable damage to your hair.


There is a not a single person out there who does not want to have long and beautiful hair. The key is to work on developing a healthy scalp and then hair is bound to grow naturally. Try as possible to keep the hair and scalp clean. To make sure it is squeaky clean shampoo it at least twice a week.


Clean scalps ensure a healthy spurt of hair and invest in a good quality shampoo that suits your hair type. You can always rely on preparing your own natural shampoo as well.

References

• https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Hair-Fast-Naturally
• https://experthometips.com/how-to-make-your-hair-grow-faster-than-ever