With a population of over one billion people and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $3m, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr Olusegun Awolowo, has decried the low level of trade among African countries.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Policy and Strategy, Mr Akintunde Folorunso, at a one-day sensitization workshop on “Export Competency Development to Enhance MSMEs Success in ECOWAS & AfCFTA” in Benin on Tuesday, Dr Awolowo lamented that instead of trading among themselves, African countries prefer doing business with Americans, Europeans and Asians.

He said: “We have 55 countries in Africa with 1.2 billion people that trade among themselves. It is on record that, Africans don’t like trading with themselves. They like trading with Europe and America.

Exabeam, a Silicon Valley startup that helps companies automate the analysis and monitoring of their cybersecurity data, on Tuesday said it raised $200 million in its latest round of funding which valued the company at $2.4 billion.

While venture capital investment in cybersecurity has been rising fast over the years, it got an extra boost during the pandemic as remote work created extra challenges.

According to data firm PitchBook, venture funding in cybersecurity hit a record $10.2 billion in 2020 and as of late May 2021 had already reached $8 billion. A bulk of the funding is happening with U.S. startups.

The number of applications like firewalls, identification verification and network security analysis that companies use are mushrooming, making it more and more difficult for them manage their cybersecurity.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has warned those promoting crime and insurrection in the country, noting that his regime will treat them in the language they understand.

The President also said many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War.

He spoke on Tuesday after meeting with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu; and other electoral commissioners in Aso Villa, Abuja, over the series of attacks on INEC facilities especially in the South-Eastern part of the country.

Rampaging hoodlums had razed no fewer than 11 INEC offices, 13 vehicles, 429 generators, others in over 41 attacks in the last few month. Scores of police stations have also been burnt in the South-East by the daring gunmen.

Commenting on the situation on Tuesday via his official Twitter handle, Buhari stated, “I receive daily security reports on the attacks on critical national infrastructure, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail. Whoever wants the destruction of the system will soon have the shock of their lives.