The University of Pretoria, South Africa makes a grant to Fasmicro Group, to help prototype a new Leadership System I have worked over the last two years. In my Advisory subsidiary, we invented the Wellbeing Economy Leadership Practice (WELP). The fund makes its way to Lagos. The German Government (part-funder) and University of Pretoria (P.I. Prof Lorenzo Fioramonti […]
Foreword – ‘Wale Olaoye, Halogen Security Group
Cyber technology is here to stay as we now live in an increasingly connected and open world. The realities of our connected world reached an unprecedented and alarming proportion in recent times with its arrival on the political and national security stage purported able to change the course of history in the sovereignty of nation states and national elections. Large number of global businesses and institutions suffered unprecedented threats and losses than ever before recorded in history of humanity. Therefore, protecting these spaces is no longer optional but of significant and major decision.
The continued rapid development of information and communication technologies, the new definition of globalization, the drastic increase in data volumes and the growing numbers of different types of equipment connected to data networks are having major impact on our daily lives, the functioning of the state, corporations and communities.
In addition, the Internet is becoming increasingly accessible. The numbers of users continue to grow. With new technological solutions and services – such as the “Internet of things”, and cloud computing – the number of potential vectors for attacks, along with the complexities of the attacks, is growing by the day.
As a result, cyber risk is now firmly at the top of the international agenda as high-profile breaches raise fears as they endanger all facets of our world. Cybercrime costs the global economy over US$400 billion per year, according to estimates by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The estimated annual cost of cybercrime in Nigeria, is claimed to be approximately 0.08% of the country’s GDP (N127 billion).
Technical innovation throws up new online dangers. Hence, one of the challenges is that cybercrime is only likely to increase, despite the best efforts of government agencies and cyber security experts. Its growth is being driven by the expanding number of services available online and the increasing sophistication of cyber criminals who are engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with security experts.
As examples, the migration of data to third-party cloud providers has created a centralization of data and therefore more opportunities for criminals to misappropriate critical information
Similarly, the emphasis on mobile services has opened up corporate systems to more users – multiplying the opportunities to penetrate security systems and measures. Applications that involve the collection and analysis of data in large quantities – the so-called “Big Data” – put additional pressure on security practitioners and experts, as mountains of sensitive data about buyer decisions, their habits and other personal information need to be kept safe. The widespread use of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is only likely to boost the possibility of information misuse whilst posing risks and enterprise threats. Much of the world’s critical infrastructure, such as power generation, transport and utilities, already depends on M2M. Protecting these networks thus become acutely vital.
At Halogen Security Group, our strategic focus on the entire vulnerabilities and enterprise security risk management of our clients has necessitated our focus on cyber security, as it is now one of the most urgent issues of our current existence, hence we are committed to providing risk-based approaches that an individual, organizations and governments can utilize to minimize losses and exposures in an open and continuously volatile world.
Hence, a publication such as this is required in our practice and intellectual space to assist in fashioning out strategies that increase Cyber security capabilities as well as raise the population’s awareness of cyber threats. In our view, this will assist to assure continued confidence about the security myths and realities that permeate cyberspace. With the right level of knowledge and insights, which this book provides, it will be possible for individuals, organizations and governments at all levels to control the real and anticipated risks and recover from cyber breaches and their consequences.
‘WALE OLAOYE
CEO – Halogen Security Group
Mr. Wale Olaoye is a high riding Risk Management Professional and business strategist committed to the transformation of private security’s value and impact on business and national security. His professional experience spans twenty five years across four continents with extensive capacity and influence to resource globally. He was formerly the Country/Group General Manager of TNT International (global leaders in Express, Mail, Logistics & Aviation)/IAS Express Nigeria where he also had responsibility for the overall business management for Nigeria and West Africa including network and line haul security. He was also a former Chief Operating Officer of Impex Worldwide Limited, Nigeria and United Kingdom.
A member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), Member, Association of Licensed Professional Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), Fellow Nigerian Institute of industrial security; FNIIS; Fellow International Institute of Professional Security, FIIPS; Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and Member Institute of Directors, IOD; Alumnus University of Ife, Lagos Business School, LBS; IESE of University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain. A speaker at several local and intentional conferences and seminars.
Website: Halogen Security Group
The “Dangote System” eBook Manuscript is Ready; Help on Cover Design
Good people, I have just completed an exciting eBook which looks at Aliko Dangote business process, philosophy and systems. The book is titled “The Dangote System: Techniques for Building Conglomerates”. This is not a biography book; I have no time for such. The book focuses on his business and what we can learn from his System. Yes, how a trader, who started like others, became the most important man in African business sphere, and in the process controlling one of the largest industrialized conglomerates in the world.
Now, can anyone help me on the book cover? On the cover, all I need is the book title and my name (Ndubuisi Ekekwe). Please see this design for reference except that I want Dangote face on the cover. To show appreciation, I will ask my team to give you access to our Tekedia subscription where the eBook, just like others, would be exclusively published.
This is not a competition [certainly not, as there is no judge here], but I promise you that if you send a fairly decent design, we would surely give you access. We typically find ways to use all the covers.
To send the cover design, email to tekedia@fasmicro.com . You need to tell the webmaster the email you want for the Tekedia (one year bonus) subscription. Please send the design by March 1 2018. Please submit in .jpg or .png with image size of 2485 x 3517 (i.e. Horizontal pixels x Vertical pixels)
This book comes at no extra cost (of course) to those with active subscriptions.
What I Told a Job Seeking Graduate Today
Today, I met a brilliant young man. He was academically talented. But I am not sure if anyone had actually guided him in his journey as a university graduate looking for work. He hated his city. He hated his country. Largely, he was annoyed with everything. The nation had failed him.
He was speaking and yelling to his friend. You could see the bitterness in his spirit. Perhaps, his model in life was to get the best grade in the university, and Nigeria would do its part. He got good grades, but Nigeria has not done the expected part. So, he fell off with his nation.
As he was talking, I called him and said “Young man, you are making a mistake. Life is more than getting good grades. The smartest people are teaching in some classrooms, and most would retire within classrooms. But those that run the world might not have passed with great grades. And those that create most jobs on earth might not have written serious exams.” I asked him some questions. He provided some answers and I explained why he was making big mistakes. He studied computer science, made good grades. But the man that invented computer science did not finish college.
Without humility, education is a waste because the greatest education is the liberation of the mind. I felt his mind was not liberated even though he passed exams in school.
I told him a story when I started my secondary school education. I came home and complained that I did not like one of my teachers. That was in Ovim (Abia State). The man did not do anything to me. The rumor was that he liked to fail students. So, I joined the wagon, hating him. But that day, I got a strong instruction from my brother: “ We are not sending you to school to decide the teacher you would like or not. You must like all your teachers. There is no alternative. It is by liking him that you would learn from him”. Indeed, I went back to school and started liking the man. Good enough, I started doing well in his class. The animosity that caged my little mind was gone. I saw him as a friend I did well in his exams.
I have extrapolated that “teacher” to include liking my country knowing that by liking Nigeria, I would have the energy to succeed in Nigeria. If I hate Nigeria, it would be challenging to make progress in Nigeria. It would be a struggle to find the strength to overcome a society you despise.
So, I told the young man: “Unless you like Nigeria, I am not sure you would get anything from Nigeria. When your mind builds bitterness in the society, you shut down the best from that society.” I explained his problem could be that everything was negative before him. And when you approach everything with that mindset, nothing seems to work.
Negative attitude happens in families and relationships; if you do not like something, you would struggle to get the best form that thing. How can you benefit from a relationship you despise? Not possible.
As a teenager, I prepared people for WASC/GCE Mathematics while in JSS3 (Junior Secondary 3). They paid me and I enjoyed the experience. I was three years off to write mine but it was evident that WAEC was a simple exam. During lessons, I devised ways to help my students. I noticed one thing: students like money-equations, and when you introduce money in equations, everyone understands. So, 8x + 6x is hard but N8 + N6 is easy. Yes, they get the Naira one but the “x” is confusing. So, I devised a technique, changing all equations with x to Naira. Magically, it became solvable. The students’ minds were opened for Naira (we like money) but the minds were locked for “x’ (we hate maths). Yes, unless you open your mind, knowledge and blessings would struggle to flow in.
As the young man listened, I told him that he would be fine if his negativity about Nigeria could turn into positivity. Nigeria is made up of people. Unless he likes Nigeria, he cannot appreciate his fellow citizens. Those fellow citizens are the people that would give him jobs. The attitude must change.
As I rounded up, he was beaten up with thoughts. I wished him the best as I left. I am confident that he would be fine.
About the Author – Ndubuisi Ekekwe, PhD
Dr. Ndubuisi Ekekwe is the Founder of African Institution of Technology, a 501(c)3 U.S. charity. He holds two doctoral and four master’s degrees including a PhD in electrical & computer engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, USA and MBA from the University of Calabar, Nigeria. He obtained BEng from Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Nigeria) where he graduated as his class’ best student.
A US semiconductor industry veteran, his working experiences include Diamond Bank, Analog Devices Corp and NNPC. In Analog Devices, he worked in the team that designed a generation accelerometer for the iPhone, and he created the company’s first wafer level chip scale package for inertial sensor.
He writes regularly in the Harvard Business Review, and previously served in the United States National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center E&D Committee for four years. He was also a PACE Chairman and Gold Chairman of IEEE Boston section. Prof Ekekwe is a Co-Chairman of JPL Financial Group, a California-based financial advisory firm which syndicates capital for projects in Africa.
An inventor, author, he held professorships in electrical & computer engineering, Babcock University, and Carnegie Mellon University electrical/computer engineering. He is the recipient of IGI Global 2010 “Book of the Year” Award. He is also a TED Fellow, IBM Global Entrepreneur and World Economic Forum “Young Global Leader”.
As the Founder/Chairman of Fasmicro Group, he controls companies like Zenvus, an agtech pioneer in Africa; First Atlantic Cybersecurity Institute (Facyber); Milonics Analytics, an IBM PartnerWorld member; First Atlantic Semiconductor & Microelectronics; among others. He recently co-founded Atlantic Americas, an engineering firm, handling major operations in most parts of northern Nigeria.
Dr. Ekekwe is a selection board member of the $100 Million Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program. He has written many books, authored many technical papers, and invented technologies. The African Leadership Network has honored him as a “New Generation Leader for Africa”.