The Northern Youth Alliance for Development and Enlightenment Initiative (NOYADEI) has indeed endorsed the presidential Tax Reform Committee’s proposal. This development suggests that NOYADEI supports the government’s efforts to reform the tax system, which aims to promote economic growth, reduce poverty, and increase revenue generation for state governments.

It’s worth noting that not all northern stakeholders agree with this proposal. Some, like the Arewa Youths Forum, have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the tax reform on the northern region, citing issues like equity, fairness, and the potential for disproportionate burden.

However, NOYADEI’s endorsement is a significant step forward in the government’s efforts to reform the tax system. The proposal aims to simplify tax compliance, reduce tax evasion, and increase revenue generation for state governments.

The Northern Youth Alliance for Development and Enlightenment Initiative (NOYADEI) has officially endorsed the Tax Reform and Administration Bill. This endorsement is a significant development, as it indicates the organization’s support for the government’s efforts to reform the tax system and promote economic growth.

As stated by the Chairman, Dr. Musa Isa Matara IQAM, NOYADEI’s endorsement is a crucial step forward in the government’s efforts to reform the tax system. The proposal aims to simplify tax compliance, reduce tax evasion, and increase revenue generation for state governments.

It’s worth noting that not all northern stakeholders agree with this proposal, with some expressing concerns about the potential impact on the northern region. However, NOYADEI’s endorsement is a positive step towards promoting economic growth and development in Nigeria.

Dr. Musa Isa Matara IQAM

In a remarkable display of determination and academic excellence, Faith Aduragbemi Olabisi, an 18-year-old Accounting student at the University of Ilorin, has achieved an extraordinary milestone by becoming a Chartered Accountant while still pursuing her degree. Faith passed the November 2024 professional examinations conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), positioning herself as one of the youngest Nigerians to ever attain this prestigious qualification.

Her achievement is not just an individual victory; it stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration for young people across Nigeria, demonstrating that age is no barrier to success, and that hard work, commitment, and dedication can yield remarkable results at any stage in life.

Faith’s journey has been nothing short of impressive. In a country where many young people face significant barriers to accessing opportunities, she has proven that determination and a clear vision can transcend these challenges. While many of her peers are navigating the challenges of their undergraduate studies, Faith has managed to juggle her academic work and professional ambitions, showcasing her extraordinary ability to excel in both realms. Passing the ICAN exams while still enrolled at the University of Ilorin speaks volumes about her discipline and drive.

Faith’s exceptional accomplishment has drawn attention and admiration not only from her family and peers but also from leaders within her academic community. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN, celebrated her achievement, noting that it reflects the high standards upheld by the institution and its commitment to producing leaders of tomorrow. “Faith’s success showcases the discipline and resilience we nurture in our students. She is an embodiment of excellence, setting a remarkable example for others to follow,” Professor Egbewole stated.

For Faith, this accomplishment is a testament to the fruits of perseverance and hard work. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I am excited and humbled to be the youngest to attain this professional qualification in Nigeria. It proves that when you dedicate yourself fully, your efforts will not go unnoticed. This is not just my achievement but a reflection of the immense support I’ve received from my family, mentors, and the University of Ilorin.”

Faith’s success is not only a personal triumph; it also carries a deeper message for the youth of Nigeria. It serves as a powerful reminder that they are capable of more than they often believe. Too often, young people are limited by doubts and the belief that success is reserved for those who are older, wealthier, or more connected. Faith’s journey tells a different story: that with focus, hard work, and a clear goal, any young person can break boundaries and achieve greatness.

In an age where distractions are abundant and the pressures to conform are ever-present, Faith’s story stands out as a testament to the power of self-discipline and determination. She did not allow her age to limit her; instead, she used her passion for learning and her drive to excel as the fuel that propelled her forward. In doing so, she has not only achieved her professional goals but also inspired countless others to pursue their own dreams without hesitation.

Faith’s achievement sends a clear message to Nigerian youth: success is not reserved for the few or the fortunate. It is achievable by anyone who is willing to put in the work, to push beyond their comfort zone, and to rise above the obstacles that may come their way. The road to success may not always be easy, but it is paved with dedication, resilience, and a willingness to embrace the opportunities that come your way.

As the youngest qualified professional accountant in Nigeria, Faith is not just a role model for those in the accounting field, but for anyone who aspires to make a meaningful impact in their chosen path. She is proof that youth does not equate to inexperience, and that true leadership comes from a willingness to embrace challenges, learn continuously, and strive for excellence.

Faith Aduragbemi Olabisi’s success is a call to action for the youth of Nigeria: dare to dream big, challenge the status quo, and invest in your own growth and development. In a world that often seems focused on age and experience, Faith’s story reaffirms that what truly matters is the depth of your commitment to personal development and the passion you bring to your goals.

Successful cyberattacks can have multiple impacts on a business, and the repercussions can be both far-reaching and long-lasting. Robust cybersecurity measures are therefore essential in mitigating these risks, including against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which are designed to force a server, website or online service offline.

As outlined by NETSCOUT, which provides visibility, security and performance solutions for organisations across the globe, cyberthreats are all around us, lurking in unexpected areas of the internet, networks and even individual devices. Uncovering the identification, prevention and evolution of the most common cyberthreats is a significant step in an organisation’s cyber defences.

Unpacking Common Types of Cyberattacks

NETSCOUT confirms that some of the most common types of cyberattacks include the following:

1. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks: These cyberattacks flood servers, applications or other network areas to render them unavailable and disrupt the availability of services, leading to potential revenue loss and reputational damage.
2. Malware: This malicious software that is installed on targeted devices or networks has a variety of negative effects, including deleting or encrypting files, hindering performance, and gaining access to accounts. Malware is spread by downloading infected files, clicking on malicious links, or visiting hacked web pages.
3. Social engineering (including phishing): This threat targets individuals, trying to trick them into taking actions that allow threat actors to gain covert access or spread malicious software.
4. Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks: Here, an adversary intercepts or eavesdrops on communication between two parties. The goal is to steal login credentials, encryption keys and other private information.
5. SQL injection: In this code-injection technique, malicious prompts are inserted into SQL databases. Threat actors enter prompts such as ‘Dump the entire database to X location’ to export the contents of a database for their own purposes.
6. Zero-day exploits: Adversaries make use of unknown or unaddressed security flaws to place malware in a system. Threat actors can already use these weaknesses to access systems, so vendors have zero days to remedy the issues.
7. Advanced persistent threats (APTs): These threat actors pursue their victims repeatedly over an extended period of time and adapt to defensive measures.
8. Ransomware: This is malware that encrypts files and blocks access. Threat actors then demand payment to unlock the files and restore access.
9. Credential reuse: This type of attack – also known as ‘credential stuffing’ – uses lists of compromised user credentials to log into a system and gain network access.

Know Your Enemy: Taking Action Against DDoS Attacks

The impacts of data breaches and outages can include operational disruptions, which cause delays in critical business processes and negatively affect the supply chain; financial loss due to the costs of remedying an attack, such as removing malware and paying regulatory penalties; and damage to the brand’s reputation, further eroding customer trust and resulting in a loss of future revenue.

DDoS attacks are arguably one of the most devastating types of cyberattack an organisation can experience, and NETSCOUT excels in monitoring, understanding and protecting against such attacks, for customers worldwide, against a DDoS landscape that is constantly changing.

As part of its offering to global organisations, NETSCOUT releases a bi-annual report outlining the latest information on DDoS activities around the globe, as well as presenting regular information updates across various platforms. Remarking on the 13th and most recent issue of its global DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, the 1H2024 edition, the company stated that: “In the first half of 2024, large surges in attack frequency were noted, notably in geopolitical conflicts, driving never-before-seen stresses on networks worldwide and leading to more sophisticated attacks than ever before. DDoS-capable botnets are evolving and growing, with a notable increase in bot-infected devices. Critical infrastructure, such as banking, financial services, and public utilities, are prime targets, seeing a massive wave of attacks targeting them.

“We first determined the global aggregated DDoS attack impact via large-scale analysis of concurrent DDoS attacks,” the report says. “During the first half of 2024, this averaged out to 1,900 attacks, with a total volume of approximately 3.2Tbps and 595.6Mpps, at any given point in time.”

Local investigations of the aggregated attack impact per network type revealed that networks with typically lower traffic loads (such as government or nonprofit organisations) report peak attack volumes on the same scale as those experienced by high-traffic networks (such as content and service providers). This indicates that the relative surge in traffic during attacks is significantly higher for lower-traffic networks (≥4 orders of magnitude) compared with high-traffic networks (3 orders of magnitude).

“These attack dynamics clearly demonstrate that all network types require substantial mitigation capacities to ensure robust protection,” says Hamman.

“Protection against DDoS – and other – cyberattacks is therefore of critical importance in safeguarding the excellent progress that has been made to date, and to allow it to continue into the future,” he concludes.

For more insights into how NETSCOUT is helping financial institutions mitigate cyber threats, explore the full DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, or visit the NETSCOUT Cyber Threat Horizon for real-time attack statistics.

NETSCOUT’s Arbor DDoS protection assures the world’s largest networks and service providers against DDoS attacks of all shapes and sizes.