Over time, we have seen that growth and success in the channel ecosystem have been mainly aided by collaborations or partnerships.

As businesses steer through the intricacies of today’s competitive environment, it is impossible not to appreciate the significance of the contributions of partners.

This partner growth has been aided by some crucial developments, namely: purpose-driven business models, enhanced insights, as well as the ability to scale up capabilities relevant to future competition. These developments are rewriting the undercurrents of partnerships and propelling businesses to higher levels. 

Clear Purpose Collaborations: Keeping Sustainability at the Heart of Business 

These days, the word ‘sustainability’ has gone beyond being a mere slogan. It is now a deliberate notion of vital importance for businesses in Nigeria. With customers becoming more aware of, and basing their choices on environmental protection, collaborating with purpose-driven partners becomes vital.

A couple of years ago, only 58 percent of shoppers across all groups considered sustainability over the price of items. Fast forward to the present, and over 66 percent of consumers declared that they will rather pay for environmental-friendly products.  

This trend is also gradually catching on in Nigeria where a study found that consumers’ attitudes (cognitive, affective and conative attitudes) are positively and significantly correlated to sustainable consumption. Although the results of the interviews conducted among marketers and retailers revealed that such attitudes do not reflect in their buying behaviour, judging by the sluggish sales of sustainable products when compared to unsustainable products. But more and more Nigerians are taking recycling serious.   

As a result, the onus is on businesses, and for their own interest, to take environmental protection seriously and take measures that will positively impact the areas in which they operate. They have to realise that the ability to pull resources together allows for more balance and effect for a better tomorrow. In addition, this helps growth, as 83 percent business leaders are the opinion that sustainability programmes provide immediate and long-term value for their respective companies.  

In Nigeria, which accounts for more than 150,000 metric tons of plastic bottles annually, half of it from the megacity of Lagos, business leaders are taking sustainability seriously, adopting sustainable practices for effective waste management, including total quality management, recycling, bio treatment, incinerations, neutralization and secure sanitary landfills.  

At HP, sustainability collaborations with its channel partners including vendors and resellers, have produced amazing results, with its Amplify Impact programme enabling the promotion of positive change to create a more advanced channel environment. The first of-its-kind partner assessment, resource, and training program, the HP Amplify Impact, has allowed more than 3,500 partners to drive change and utilise sustainability as a competitive advantage. Over the last 14 months, these HP Amplify Impact cohorts initiated over 7,000 transactions, all thanks to sustainability. This shows what purpose-driven partnerships can do.  

In addition, in 2022, more than 60% of HP’s revenue achieved its Corporate Knights standard for sustainable income. This milestone is a testimony of the significance of including sustainability as a vital business driver. We have long believed that by collaborating with organisations with similar ideas, we can produce a potent domino effect, promoting sustainable practices that aligns with the thoughts of consumers.  

Utilising Insights from Data for Well-Informed Decisions 

Without a doubt, data is the prevalent tool of the computer age, and the importance of properly utilising it for competitive business leads cannot be underrated. And those who base their decision making on data have seen their businesses grow twice as fast as those who don’t.    

As such, data analytics collaborations are indispensable for the growth of businesses. Should you choose to go at it on your own, you may not have enough data to recognise significant and relevant developments. As observed, data partnerships are on the increase. In fact, a recent McKinsey study forecasts that by 2025, data-driven organisations will start data collaborations to produce more valuable insights for all partners.  

Currently, HP’s Amplify Data Insights programme provides partners access to a vast pool of more than 20 billion data points, and this is updated weekly. HP has found that merging its data with that of its partners offers concrete trade opportunities. In the past three years, 98% of qualified partners have chosen to report data, and this partnership tactic enables partners to identify evolving developments, recognise consumer choices, and spot gaps in the market, thus putting them ahead in their respective sectors. 

In Nigeria, we have seen Partners begin to embrace data and Amplify Insights despite initial scepticism. Today, the programme validates itself with accurate predictions and niche opportunity creation within the growing Nigerian market. 

Welcoming a Future-Ready Approach 

Faced by economic uncertainties and ever-changing consumer habits, partners are constantly reassessing their business tactics. The shift to online and digital marketplaces has provoked a dramatic change in their tactic, forcing them to embrace a future-ready mentality. To overcome these challenges, partners are looking to inventive channel programmes intended to raise alertness, interpretation, growth, and partnership.

These programmes serve as guides through the age of digital revolution and provide the growing wishes of socially aware customers. During and post pandemic, this helped HP transition key partners to have strong online and digital spaces. In some cases, we literally built these platforms from scratch. The optimisation these solutions bring to our partners is at the heart of our Future Ready proposition. 

In recognition of the importance of giving its partners power and control over their own affairs, HP has announced a number of innovative partner benefits and programme improvements under the auspices of the HP Amplify initiative. This places emphasis on creating competences, promoting partnerships, and improving performance. Interestingly, the HP Amplify programme has participants from 99% of revenue partners worldwide.  

More determined than ever before to sustain the tempo of its channel-led business model, HP continues to adjust its method on the back of consumer comments and an unwavering promise to continually drive long-term partner growth.

With a future-ready mindset and the backing of ingenious partner programmes, companies and businesses are ready to not only overcome present tasks but also come out tougher and more prosperous. 

Alternative work model, better known as hybrid work or remote work, is fast becoming essential to every business’ survival and continuity post COVID-19.

The acceptance and sustainability of this model is corroborated by a Microsoft 2022 Work Trend Index Report which found that the new work model is still gaining traction as hybrid employees, representing 51% of the workforce, are considering a switch to remote work, while 57% of remote employees are considering a switch to hybrid working models in the years ahead. 

In Nigeria, the emergence of remote, hybrid, and virtual work models have now become sustainable alternatives to the age-long in-office system. The trend is expected to gain more traction with the current economic realities occasioned by the removal of subsidy on fuel, as more and more employers and employees now see flexible models as the future of work, even though most businesses and lifestyles have returned to pre-pandemic status quo.  

According to a Gallup Survey in June 2022, 8 in 10 people are working hybrid or remote, thus demonstrating the enormous pickup of this flexible workplace approach.

This is further buttressed by FlexJobs.com’s Employee Engagement Report, showing 48% of companies are retaining some form of remote work for their workforce. 26% of survey respondents also opined that their employer would follow a hybrid model, and 22% said they’ll be allowed to work remotely when asked about their company’s post-pandemic workplace plans.

So, whilst employees are keen on remote or hybrid work, institutions worldwide are now realising that positive job output is not dependent on being physically present in the office. 

This paradigm shift to the new ways of work is again attested to by the ‘Africa: willingness to remote work by country 2020’ published by Statista earlier this year.

The study reveals that 74% of Nigeria’s working population who participated in the survey would work remotely for an employer with no physical presence in their country. Interestingly, same goes for other employees across Africa, with Benin Republic at 82%, and Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire – each at 80%. In South Africa, 73% of the respondents were of the same opinion. 

The public sector is not left out in this work shift as states like Edo, Kwara, and Kaduna have in addition to providing interventions to cushion the biting effects of the hike in cost of living hinged on increasing petrol prices, have declared flexible work models of three and four working days in a week for staff. The implication here is business continuity. Simple! Regardless, this can only be made possible with good deployment and application of digi-tech devices for seamless output.  

At HP, this flexible work model typifies the way to work now. With a vision to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere, HP is deepening the flexible work concept for more optimized productivity. All that is needed on the part of employees to make it work is to find a balance with working offsite full-time, while still maintaining and building relationships with customers, partners, teams, and ultimately, family. This is most significant, just as communication is important to keep relationships growing regardless of today’s realities which are now virtual.  

So, in essence, technology has a huge role to play in the way we work going forward. It’s now a Zoom or Teams world. With an HP laptop, Poly headphones, a portable bouquet of flowers, sticky notes, and a clean and modest looking table – all preforming sundry critical functions for a fit-to-purpose and tranquil workspace, you are up for a new normal of work productivity. 

Important hybrid work tips 

First, due to the high number of virtual meetings, it is vital to make sure your meetings are short, fruitful and engaging. You must ensure you have an agenda that is simple and brief. Even more important, one must be attentive and meticulous if you’re to achieve your set objectives.  

Secondly, hybrid work employees also have to find ways to balance their home-office routines. For instance, my HP Elite Dragonfly is as much a companion to me in my home workspace, traditional office space as well as on my trips to partners or customers in the busy Lagos traffic. In my morning exercise routine, our Poly headphones seamlessly connect to my device and sync up with my favourite playlist, which also enables me to make and receive critical work calls as necessary.

This way I am able to work and take care of my body simultaneously thus improving my mental well-being. In addition to this, it is equally important to go outdoors and take in the scenery, weather permitting, as this helps put you in the right frame of mind. This really helps than sitting at home all day.  

Finally, find something that makes you happy or gets you inspired. For some, it is a picture frame of their kids, wife, husband or family – a constant reminder of why we do what we do every day. For others, Asake’s ‘Lonely at the top’ or a tune or two from Burnaboy’s or Wizkid’s eclectic collections will get their inspiration juices flowing. For some still, it could be watching the sun rise every day to reset or refresh their mindset.  

Whatever it is, the fact is that the future of work is hybrid, and it is here to stay. We just have to find the best way to make it work for organisations, as employers and as employees.  

The world’s natural reserves are fast diminishing at a worrisome speed, almost two times quicker than mother earth can recreate.

This figure is projected to be 2.3 times what is sustainable by 2050. Yearly, 50 million tonnes of e-waste contribute to this, which is tantamount to the size of all commercial aircraft ever made. 

Hence, achieving a sustainable environment is incumbent on implementing a circular business model like waste reduction, recycling, and regenerating products, and advocating sustainable production processes. Nonetheless, global economy is just 7.2% circular – implying that more ground needs to be covered. 

With an essential role expected of multinationals, organizations of every size and sector can still adopt circular business models.

Considerably, SMEs are driving platform sharing and collaborative consumption much as start-ups, from the onset, are incorporating circular models. An excellent example of this seen in Nigeria, where business sustainability focus is circular as propagated by the Nigeria Circular Economy Working Group, a founding member of the Africa Circular Economy Alliance. 

Incidentally, HP is deepening sustainability with years of experience. Its operations’ journey, particularly, will be entirely circular, driven by services and products modifications. Below are few approaches to reference: 

Getting the Buy-in of the Considerate Consumer  

Customers are getting more aware today than ever. So, businesses that make circularity a priority will accomplish long-term environmental and commercial profits; and ultimately fulfil customer expectations. 

While circularity models need upfront funding, it helps to reduce outlays, optimize efficiency, and even discover new revenue sources. To further endear customer trust and loyalty, organizations must offer measurement tools that identify waste prevention and cost optimization mechanisms that help to establish enterprise superiority. 

Circular enterprise models also produce profitable results. For instance, our Sustainable Impact Strategy has been boosted by HP’s socio-economic components on climate-focused programs. HP’s alliance with NGOs to launch an ocean-bound plastics recycling program to help indigenous workers is yielding positives in Haiti. Now, these plastics are fused into HP products design aesthetics, encouraging circularity, and providing revenue and homegrown education opportunities. 

Start and continue with the environment as a priority  

As a rule, circular products are designed with environmental considerations from the start. Sustainable sourcing should be among the initial priorities, with concentration on ethical practices and ambitious but attainable goals.

This ties in to ‘Circular Lagos’, a sustainability initiative of the Lagos State government which seeks to design economic value from waste recycling. 

As reference case, HP, since 2016 has mandated all its brand papers to be derived from ecologically reusable or certified sources. It was extended to paper-based packaging in 2020 for home and office printers and supplies, PCs and displays.

By 2030, HP’s goal is to become Forest Positive; thereby, eliminating deforestation for non-HP paper used in print services and product lines. 

What creates distinction in packaging is innovation. 100% compostable chitin-based materials are a new development, whereas 3D-printed moulded fibre tooling can drive eco-packaging at scale. Printing improvements, including printing directly onto product cargo boxes and using water-based inks most likely initiate supplementary benefits. HP’s goal is to eradicate 75% of single-use plastic packaging by 2025 compared to 2018―as of 2021, we were halfway there. Commendable Indeed! 

Decrease waste, enhance lifecycle 

One vital aspect for electronic devices is energy usage, though this can be puzzling for consumers. Companies and institutions can help customers make valid choices. Also with comparison tools, manufacturers can assist with clear and accurate details on labels, packaging, along with marketing and brand collaterals.  

HP supplies are often highly valued for repairability, with institutions like iFixit providing reparability scores and self-repair (DIY) guides. Institutions can help in reducing request for fresh raw supplies by giving extended warranties and ensuring repair options. 

Clearly, sustainable customer experience can be improved with ‘as-a-service models’; whilst promoting circularity through company-led takeback; hence, responsible companies aim to be value facilitators via repair and reuse of supplies when customers are done with them. 

Significance of closed-loop recycling 

Closed-loop reutilizing plays huge part in circularity, and HP is loaded with initiatives to support it. A good case study is HP’s Planet Partners program that helps to ensure that ink and toner cartridges do not end up in landfills. Over a billion cartridges have been recycled through this program, a major landmark in 2023. Provisionally, HP’s Evocyle toner cartridges, made from closed-loop recycled plastic, are serving the sustainability goals of customers in France, Germany, and the UK. 

In the reuse of a much wider range of resources, we are also getting better. For example, you might find bio-derived content like coffee grounds in monitors or cooking oil in laptop covers. 

Partnership−a necessary paradigm for enterprise scaling  

A circular business model is vital. It’s hinged on team play and partnerships with strategic stakeholders – government, suppliers, merchants/dealers etc.

Strengthening networks with NGOs, research institutes, and think tanks, also positions serious institutions above contemporaries. Lagos has entrenched the model by introducing initiatives which encourage community members to drop off used plastic bottles and containers at designated recycling points for reuse.  

To improve its fibre sourcing and certification programs, HP is collaborating with World Wildlife Fund and the Forest Stewardship Council.  

Regardless of where they are on their circularity journey, collaboration certainly benefits all types of companies. Participating in industry bodies, working with manufacturing partners, and ideas exchange with regulators and professional associations can help advance policy influencing, build consensus, and progress legislation. 

Institutions with established existing programs perhaps extend their impact by involving their business environment. Another reference now driving change at scale is HP’s Amplify Impact partner program, which has engaged over 3,500 partners worldwide. 

Envision the future 

A vision of a more regenerative and sustainable future is presented with the concept of a circular economy. It could boost the global economy by $4.5 trillion by 2030, if executed appropriately, with accountable sourcing and packaging, materials and products that remain in use longer, and closed loop recycling. 

Evolution to circularity is now a necessity with no option. To actualize it, we must immediately shift mindsets, embrace circular practices, and cultivate alliance and frameworks essential for success. Bountiful rewards sure await the businesses that leads the way.  

Nigeria, the leading importer of electrical and electronic equipment on the African continent which processes over half a million tons of discarded electronics each year, in January 2022, amended its national environmental regulations to tackle the country’s growing e-waste problem.  

So, whether you are just starting or already on the path ― the time is here and now to take the next big step. The future is indeed circular, and it’s up to businesses globally to make it come to fruition.  

A report by Gartner shows a sizeable 51% of US knowledge workers are projected to work ‘hybrid’ and 20% to work fully remotely in 2023.

Just as a Phillips Consulting (PCL) study reveals how Nigerian executives considered culture as one of the top factors to consider in their business strategy, moving from a 17% focus pre-COVID to a 44% focus in some cases to align with the future of work. 

Notably, these new dynamics signal new trajectories for security teams, as business protection is now more demanding because the path has become doubtful.

To mitigate this, emphasis must be on protecting endpoints – PCs and printers; the ‘focal point’ of most attacks. Thus, to detect, prevent, and control cyber threats, new cybersecurity strategies are required; to dispel the threats associated with lost or stolen devices by boosting remote PC management.  

Mitigating security slips  

It’s clear that 82% of security experts adopting a hybrid work model have slip-ups in their organization’s security architecture, a new research and a hybrid security report from HP Wolf Security reveals. The epicenter of the hybrid worker’s world is the endpoint.  

In fact, 84% of security experts agree that endpoint is where the most enterprise-damaging cyber-threats occur, and it’s the root of most security threats – be it a PC, smartphone, laptop, tablet, or complementary peripherals like printers. For malicious attackers, these devices can be a target entry point. 

Nonetheless, local networks may be compromised and misconfigured. But truly, endpoints are the link bridging unprotected technologies and imperfect users.

When devices are not provided with requisite routine enterprise protection, hybrid work models suffer and negatively affect productivity.

Significantly, machines and employees working remotely are likely to be without appreciable protection and left vulnerable. 

Furthermore, some employees who are confined to their comfort zone without assistance of knowledgeable coworkers makes them more prone to either opening an attachment containing malware or clicking on a risky link.

Employees likewise work in cafes, restaurants, and airports, and perhaps even living the digital nomad lifestyle abroad; they aren’t just working from home (WFH).

Actually, two-thirds (66%ⁱ) of security leaders and IT experts consequently concluded that the most pronounced cybersecurity weakness in their organization is the possibility for hybrid employees to be compromised – phishing, ransomware, and attacks via unsafe home networks are also cited as top enterprise risks. 

Forward-thinking organizations now seem focused on fine investment in securing hybrid work, with a commendable four-fifths i.e., 82% of security leaders increasing budgets threshold specifically for hybrid workers, and 71%of these leaders expect this focus to increase further in 2023. Yet, the impact of their budget must be targeted at the appropriate tools with a concentration on positioning the endpoint front and center of any hybrid security strategy.  

Leaving no stone unturned  

An improved remote management of devices, despite its attendant complexities, is most necessary as most major considerations for the IT and security teams, in this hybrid age.

Also, 70%ⁱ of security experts conclude that the risk of lost or stolen devices is prevalent in hybrid work. This triggers the question – when remote machines are powered down or offline, what happens?

Locating or safeguarding data on these devices could be tasking, and substantially risky if they either contain confidential trade secrets, personally identifiable information (PII), or intellectual property (IP). The reality here is that Cloud Technologies have helped to reduce the workload here, but they’re not 100% effective.  

Human-error risk tendency is rife with itinerant workers always on the move; same way there will always be unethical hackers lurking around for susceptible devices they can attack. This trend raises risks, exclusively in highly regulated sectors like government – where a lost or stolen laptop could mean a national security risk.  

Connecting with a fresh approach 

In Nigeria, an emerging economy, institutions are gradually deepening hybrid work models via infrastructure investments despite challenges of electricity, network coverage, low bandwidth, and affordability.

HP has also been working on designing a model of IT management connectivity solution hence, the new HP Wolf Connect service now enables IT to manage devices even when powered down or offline.  

So, for IT managers, what can they do to mitigate these concerns? Step one is to find a fresh approach to link remote computers over cellular networks. This implies that devices can be controlled even when turned off or offline.

Fundamentally, such functionality could be deployed to connect with lost or stolen devices and then lock and wipe them. This approach will not only lower the risk of data leaks and violations, but it can also moderate IT expenses by cutting cases of PC replacement or remediation.

A stronger and secure connection to remote computers also reduces the time and effort required to resolve support tickets.

Teams can precisely report where and when devices went missing, and how long it took to lock or erase them. Now, that’s a fresh approach to security. 

About 80% of institutions laid claims to have deployed numerous tools and policies to protect hybrid working staff. However, what’s vital now is that these tools and policies require a paradigm shift from old perimeter-focused thinking. Once again, endpoint must become the focus for applying protection in the hybrid age.

Accepting hardware-enforced security features and protection above, in, and below the OS – such as application isolation – will be strategic for protecting end-users without impacting on the freedoms that hybrid work admits. 

This model should be part of an approach to hybrid workplace security that takes into consideration the distinct threats and contextual challenges that are more common with flexible working. 

Incidentally, about two-thirds, representing 61% of corporations and leaders, are saying that protection of their hybrid workforce will be harder moving forward. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Enhanced remote management and the adoption of hardware-enforced security, can help businesses unleash end-user productivity without alluring extra cyber risks.  

Consequently, businesses should upgrade to a hybrid work model, at a time when sustainable growth is strategically significant to all organizations, bearing a fine blend of tech tools and motivated people to optimize lasting productivity. This is the future of work.

A usual workweek for some could read: Traditional Monday meetings, outfield customer oversite on Tuesday, convene strategic think-tank session with colleagues working remotely from the corporate office, whilst deploying the HP Smart App to print meeting outlines for physical attendees on the go. Just as you go about your day, the relationship with your team is somewhat multi-dimensional with Slack and Teams holding sway. 

Incidentally, for over two years, institutions globally have persistently recorded a multifaceted paradigm shift; seeing people getting jobs done on the go – from the comfort of their homes, hotels, in-flight, and in coffee cafés or shared workspaces. 

While most employees welcome hybrid work, it has its peculiar glitches. These dynamics – tools and processes driving the engagement and efficiency of in-person work environment is now jaded; hence, businesses ensure productivity is not impeded by striving harder through the adoption of a flexible work model.  

One of the noticeable trends in Nigeria in recent times is that HR leaders have identified organizational redesign as a priority and are moving towards building a cross-functional network of teams to become more agile. Efficiency is key to successfully execute organizational strategy.    

So, to generate, share, and protect data amongst a mass workforce, business leaders must devise effective strategies.

Therefore, whilst acknowledging that ways to handle once-printed material is one struggle, yet for other workflow, the issues reach farther.  

Embracing digital transformation rightly is arduous; according to Boston Consulting Group, about 70% of digital transformations fall short of their objective expectations, reasons giving as uncomplimentary company culture not endearing to change or poor data gathering and management methods. The concept of “human-centered transformation” – which is a tactic that sustains workers at the forefront is one reliable concept being entrenched by HP worldwide. This deals with the needs of employees to work proficiently and successfully today.

This, in the workplace, further connotes great understanding of end-user’s behaviour, wishes, and own experiences.

Consequently, whilst you want to imagine employees’ adaptability to stale technologies, tools, and procedures – can be unproductive and unsatisfying for many to deploy, exclusively in our dynamic work world—tools, technologies and procedures essentially must, speedily, meet employees’ needs. 

Incidentally, accepting “human-centered transformation” is expressly imperative as employee roles are now more flexible than ever; hence, HP is distinctively determined to explore this as it undergoes its own swing to digital processes, workflows, and systems.  

Deepening worker-focused solutions 

Nigeria’s remote work scene is thriving, as more and more businesses embrace the hybrid model. Lately, the ‘japa’ syndrome has compelled employers to rethink work conditions and embrace customised work arrangements, new research, Temporal Contexts and Actors vis-a-vis I-deals’ Timing and Creation: Evidence from Nigeria, has found.

Also, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), 85 percent of 1,017 Nigerian companies adopted hybrid work arrangements during the pandemic, while at least four percent of those surveyed will operate a fully remote work approach post-COVID.

Nigeria also leads the way in the number of organisations in Africa planning a hybrid work model (56 percent) going forward. 

HP, as a global corporate citizen, prides itself as more than a manufacturer of discreet products and solutions like computers, printers, webcams, and other peripherals.

We aim to provide a holistic, intuitive suite of products and services that are flexible, scalable, and anticipate customers’ needs.

It is layering valuable insights into products and services through advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and crowdsourcing that enable greater problem-solving, faster decision-making, and increased sharing of vital information. 

The objective for HP is to inspire customers in line with their own digital transformation paths by providing ongoing, informed decision-making. Thus, for reference, the HP Presence portfolio uses AI for real-time monitoring to guarantee that video calls users perpetually stay in frame, look their best, and are audibly heard by all.

Additionally, HP’s acquisition and integration of Poly  broadens these capabilities as we launch our new Workplace Services & Solutions organization. These steps will help HP further expand our device, software, and digital service offerings while providing more insights, manageability, and data security to hybrid workforces. 

Resolving end-user demands  

Primarily, customer experience is key. HP needs to display good understanding of user journeys, pain points, and their expected results. Appreciably, we need to get daily direct feedback from our products and services users, like doctors and nurses in hospitals, teachers in classrooms, and field engineers.

Inquire what they require today to work more effectively? Just as having conversations with business leaders, procurement specialists, and IT staffers amongst others. 

By extension, how can technology lead the quest for a better hybrid work experience? What will be needed a year, or five years, from now? Technology is assisting us here, too. We are now able to deploy digital innovations to pool everything from a single user’s feedback to crowdsourcing solutions that can apply to specific roles, industries, geographic areas, and much more.  

Conclusively, as we push further, we need to have sustainable engagements in this ever-evolving market as we test, experiment, and discover varied means. Though, we may not have all the answers initially, but solutions will continually be vital as we incorporate human-centric evolution.

Firstly, it is a thriving business. For instance, according to the FBI, there was a 207% increase in in reported case of cybercrime reports between 2008 and 2021, and almost $7 billion (₦3,223,080,000,000) in losses last year. In Nigeria, the peril of cybercrimes recorded a massive rise in the first six months of 2022, “with phishing and scams hitting 174%”.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) well over 2,800 persons were convicted of cybercrimes in the country last year, and the Consumer Awareness and Financial Enlightenment Initiative (CAFEI) has projected a $6 trillion loss by 2030 to cybercrime within and outside Nigeria.

Secondly, it has no entry requirement – yes, it is that easy and, quite cheap. Imagine this – the typical cost of compromised remote access credentials costs about ₦2,302 and can simply be bought on the dark web. Cyber crooks use these passes to access their prey’s enterprise networks.

A report, The Evolution of Cybercrime, showed that 75% of advertisements for malware and 91% for exploits  costs less than ₦4,604.40. Some years ago, it was much more expensive. For instance, as of 2009, cybercriminals paid well over ₦3.6 million for a standard malware kit.

Worse still, it has become increasingly easier than ever before for these hackers to work together in a specialized and concerted secretive supply chain.

They have built fortes, proposing unique services like hiring of huge botnets to convey a customer’s preferred malware to thousands of targets, or hackers-for-hire who take full advantage of the destruction caused by ransomware – spreading an invasion of weak points in a network.

The result of all these is that workers in scattered workplaces around the globe are now in more danger than ever before.

The unclear distinction between private and work devices means that hybrid staff are not always shielded by enterprise defenses, thus the risk of attacks is always there.

But there is a way out, and it lies with the employees who are usually the first line of defense, and they must work together. With computer crime now a part of how we do business, and growing, the only way to beat criminals is collaborating with one another to defend ourselves.

Knowing your enemies’ strategy 

Hackers the world over betray trust in daily interfaces and exchanges online, mostly via emails, to gain access to systems. It is a known fact that email remains the most common means for hackers to secure illegal access to networks, and once they are in, they try to monetize their access—deactivating the group’s backups, stealing delicate information, and installing ransomware.

The effect of such violation can be grievous, leading to operational interruption, repairs, affect an organisation’s name, and lead to exposure of trade secrets and loss of intellectual property.

As a result, corporate groups and their employees must work together to fortify their lines in this highly increasing risky atmosphere.

Setting up your protective line  

First, all employees must be conscious of the methods of hackers and promptly report any suspicious behaviour. They must also understand their respective roles in the defense of their organisation’s cyber systems.

The employers, on their part, must back these endeavors by inspiring a positive security culture where employees are given clear instructions to be watchful for phishing and IP protection, ask for help, collaborate on ways to advance cyber safety, and teach coworkers and family members.

As a group, companies and organisations should place emphasis on understanding the basics, constantly working on their resilience, and acting as a team to lessen their risk of exposure.

Quality security begins with IT asset detection – you can only protect the devices, software and systems being used by your workers. The next thing is to adhere to best practices in susceptibility management and multidimensional authentication, while putting in place the personnel, procedures, and know-how to spot, thwart, and recover from likely attacks.

This entails anticipating and planning for the most unpleasant of scenarios, executing procedures to reduce supply chain and insider risks, and rehearsing your response. Such rehearsal drills are not only important in getting you ready for the real attacks when they come, but also helps to expose hitherto unknown problems and inspire process improvements.

An organisation can also exploit the advantages of its security investments by closing known common attack routes, especially malware sent via email and the web, which can be nullified using prevention technologies like the hardware-enforced isolation of HP Sure Click Enterprise.

Such solutions help protect systems not by detecting malicious activity, but by allowing staffs to undertake normal daily routines, including risky undertakings like opening of email attachments safely and shielding IT departments against unidentified threats.

Collaborating with industry peers 

Cybersecurity is a collaborative endeavor. Organisations can confidently strengthen the kind of actions and habits they will like their staff to adopt by vigorous and regular awareness sessions and exercises tailored to their needs. A good example is HP’s recently released noir–inspired cybersecurity training film for its employees.

This will help the organisation build a security culture, with staff encouraged to individually manage risks.

It must be pointed out too that these collaborations should not only be internal (within organisations), but also with other players in the industry. Such external cooperation, including sharing of threat intel, will help the organisation to gauge its cyber security strength and performance, equip it with current information on cybercrime trends and risks, and how best to stay ahead of cybercriminals in the current year, and in years to come.

Emmanuel Asika is the Country Head, HP Nigeria 

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The cyber threat landscape continued to evolve last year, with malevolent players joining forces more than ever before, exchanging access to networks and systems, sharing malware and sharpening their attack methods.

Such heightened collaboration, coupled with the low cost of malware – three-quarters of malware kits cost less than ₦7,000 – are further triggering cybercrime to be more accessible.

The implication being that more devices and end-users will be vulnerable to being under attack in 2023, and as cyber criminals intensify attempts to access enterprises – these systems, PCs and printers will be at the forefront.

These challenges, for cyber-security experts, will be intensified by the growing economic slump and uncertainties.

As cybersecurity spending is set to increase by 13.2% in 2023, cost projections will be under critical observation, with emphasis on the most important cybersecurity demands.

ALSO READ: How Brands Can Stop Product Fraudsters in Today’s Counterfeit Economy

With tough impending decisions, below are four cybersecurity trends that institutions must plan for in 2023:

1. Increasing costs can prompt an inflow of cyber hustlers and money mules, powering the cybercrime economy and leaving users at risk 

The increase in the cybercrime gig economy, with its swing to platform-based business models, has made cybercrime simpler, affordable, and more dynamic. Cybercrime devices and mentoring services are readily available at low costs, luring cyber hustlers –  adherents with little technical skill – to access needed information to make gains.

With an impending global downturn, easy access to cybercrime tools and skills could enhance the number of scam SMS messages and emails filling our inboxes.

Lured by the potential of quick money, there is a likelihood of seeing more recruits into money-muling schemes, unintentionally encouraging the cybercrime ecosystem as enablers of fraudulent transactions, money laundering, and perhaps ransoms payments.

The interrelated nature of the cybercrime gig economy means that threat actors can easily make money from email compromise attacks. If they find a victim and succeed by compromising an enterprise device, they can market that access to bigger ransomware gangs. This gives structured groups of hackers more reach, hence feeding into the cybercrime ecosystem.

With increasing attacks against users, embedding security in all devices from the hardware will be significant to prevent, detect and recover from attacks.

Adopting a robust security culture is key for building resilience, however, only when combined with technology that decreases an organization’s attack interface.

A whole group of threats can be eradicated without relying on detection by isolating risky activities like malicious emails. Threat containment technologies in this case ensure that if a user opens a malicious link or attachment, the malware can’t infect any data.

With this model, businesses reduce the propensity of malicious attacks and protect employee interests without compromising their workflows.

2. Notorious hackers will invest in more attacks below the operating system

Until recently, firmware attacks were only used by sophisticated threat groups and countries. However, just last year, early signs revealed an increased interest and development of attacks below the operating system – from tools to hack BIOS passwords, to rootkits and trojans targeting device’s firmware.

Today, we now see firmware rootkits advertised relatively cheaply on cybercrime marketplaces.

As one would expect, sophisticated threat actors are always looking to stay one step ahead in terms of their attack capabilities.

Unfortunately, firmware security is frequently disregarded by organizations, giving room for adversaries to attack and exploit.

Access to the firmware level allows attackers to gain persistent control and hide below the operating system, making them very hard to detect – let alone remove and remediate.

As such, organizations and individuals must ensure they understand industry best practices and standards for device hardware and firmware security.

Additionally, organizations must further endeavour to understand and evaluate the latest technology readily available to protect, detect and recover from firmware attacks.

3. Remote access equipment will be on the forefront for attacks  

Session hijacking is anticipated. The year will witness a growth in popularity – where an attacker hijacks a remote access session to obtain an organisation’s sensitive data and systems.

The user is characteristically unsuspecting that anything malicious has happened and takes milliseconds to inject key sequences and issue commands that generate an alternative gateway for persistent access.

It works even if Privileged Access Management (PAM) systems employ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), such as smart cards.

When a malicious attack links to Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) running factories and industrial plants, there could also be a noticeable impact on operational readiness and safety – possibly cutting off access to energy or communication for entire areas.

The only way of preventing these kinds of attacks is breaking the attack chain and strong isolation technology, either through using a physically separate system, like a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW), or virtual separation, via hypervisor-based approaches.

4. Neglect print security at your risk in 2023 

Presently, print security is endangered by the constant tendency to be a neglected factor of the total cybersecurity environment and with more printers connected to corporate networks due to hybrid working, the risks keep increasing.

Institutions need to structure security policies and processes for monitoring and protecting print gadgets from attacks, at home and in the workplace.

The challenge is the risk telemetry coming from end points, including printers, is growing by the day. Consequently, we will see institutions concentrate investments on solutions and services delivery that provide functional intelligence rather than merely delivering more security data.

Tackling increasing threats 

This year, organisations must be intentional with their security approaches. Often, security glitches start at the endpoint, hence, by embedding protection in these devices, businesses can lessen the burden on their security unit.

Regardless of the threats institutions face in 2023, it is apparent that the tactics we deploy to protect devices and data has to change.

The key consideration here is strategic resource allocation, and the security teams need to recognise the specific areas of the business that are most susceptible to threats, and that would be most impacted in the event of a breach.

It is also vital to have a layered approach to security which will allow institutions to execute isolation, gain actionable intelligence, isolation and more, whilst helping to lessen their attack surface and maintain safety of key data.

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Brands all over the world have a big problem on their hands – dealing with the ugly menace of counterfeit products that are continually flooding the marketplace which are undermining original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) products.

The activities of these criminals, worsening by the day, undeniably affect the revenue of brands. But more worrisome for these brands, is the issue of lost consumer trust. In instances, they have been misled into believing that they were buying the original product, only for the product to break down or develop a fault sooner than expected.

In Nigeria, for instance, counterfeiting remains a concern for brands, especially for those in the pharmaceutical industry, with 13% – 15% of drugs in the country said to be fake, according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

As of January 2022, the prevalence rate of fake drugs was reportedly higher than the global average of 10% and contributes to a sizable number of deaths annually.

In one report, NAFDAC’s director of investigation and enforcement directorate, Kingsley Ejiofor, stated that the agency had seized 2 trillion-naira ($4.8 billion) worth of counterfeit drugs in the past three years.

Aside from pharmaceutical products, other prominent counterfeit items found in Nigeria are: food items, footwear, clothing, leather goods, automotive parts, optical media (CDs and DVDs), cosmetics, alcohol, and jewellery.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also shifted the landscape somewhat, with a greater number of people resorting to online shopping. Unfortunately, as brands embraced e-commerce, so did criminals.

Today, e-commerce platforms offer criminals the anonymity they need to sell products which they present as genuine goods.

Where face-to-face retail offers consumers the opportunity to identify fake products at the point of sale, making those selling the products, liable for the products they sell. With online sales, it becomes easy for illegitimate products to be passed off as original goods to global markets.

As a result, brands like HP, renowned for producing print cartridges for customers around the world, must act fast to stop the spread of fake goods universally, both online and offline.

The biggest profit margins for these crooks lie in the commercial market, but they have also been targeting the consumer market.

Understanding that consumers like a discount, something that is even more true with the rising cost of living, drives customers to look for cheaper deals. In the end, most of these consumers are tricked into buying counterfeits they thought were genuine.

E-commerce requires new tactics

At HP, our strategy for investigating fake products usually entails looking at the entire commercial and retail supply chain, beginning from physical locations to online platforms. This allows us to be able to trace from stores to a distributor, and upwards to the producer.

This strategy tactic has proven beneficial as we saw that between November 2020 and October 2021, HP seized 3.5 million fake print products, including completed goods and component parts, circulating in several regions including in EMEA, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

The growth of e-commerce means that we will need a wider set of tools, tactics and allies. A great percentage of fake-print products are traded in online marketplaces, and HP has been liaising with these platforms and other third-party groups to help spot counterfeit goods, confiscate them, and find their source.

For instance, HP usually carries out virtual Customer Delivery Inspections (CDIs) and Channel Partner Protection Audits (CPPAs). In FY21 alone, we conducted 1,191 CPPAs, representing an 11% increase on FY20.

These virtual checks and reviews have helped the HP Anti-Counterfeit and Fraud (ACF) team in finding and delisting over 224,000 illegitimate HP online offers globally; and we are doubling down, increasing the number of online delisting’s by 19% every year.

Additionally, HP continues to use dynamic security, which ensures chips within our products are kept updated with information that helps customers verify our product’s authenticity.

Why it is important

The anti-counterfeit war requires collaboration with several parties and joint efforts prove to be very effective. Recently, there has been stronger calls for collaboration amongst relevant stakeholders across all supply chains, to join the fight against counterfeit products in Nigeria.

Indeed, it is in everyone’s best interest to stop the use of counterfeit print products. For instance, HP printers work at their optimal levels when genuine print products are used rather than fake ones.

There are however bigger concerns – where fraudulent businesses are not concerned about the working conditions and welfare of their workers. Patronising genuine goods is an important way of supporting fair working conditions for workers around the world.

Buying original products also shows one’s commitment to protecting the environment. HP has created over 3.9 billion original HP ink and toner cartridges mainly from recycled plastic.

Currently, more than 80% of Original HP ink cartridges and 100% of Original HP toner cartridges are made with recycled content.

With the HP Planet Partners, HP’s return and recycling programme, the company has recycled more than 875 million cartridges since the programme began nearly 30 years ago, with expansion to 68 countries around the globe.

Patronising genuine products encourages these kinds of efforts and increases the number of sustainable cartridges in circulation.

For us at HP, we are encouraged and remain committed to halt the manufacturing of counterfeit products at source. We are also on a drive to educate consumers, the main victim in all this, about the need to report any fake products they come across.

It is a collective responsibility that involves all, from manufacturers all the way to the consumers themselves – to discourage the cycle of counterfeit goods and manipulative criminal activities.

We encourage all HP customers to always look out for the holographic security label on their product box, scan the QR code to check if it’s a genuine or not– and report if it’s a counterfeit.

Given the significant growth of small and medium-sizes businesses in recent years, HP’s latest innovations and intuitive features in the LaserJet Tank series better support the next-generation of entrepreneurs and business owners by streamlining print management.

“Small business has grown tremendously over the past two years and at HP, we’re uniquely positioned to meet the evolving needs of these customers with the introduction of the HP LaserJet Tank Printer series, featuring the revolutionary, refillable LaserJet tank,” says MD, Emmanuel Asika, Country Head, HP Nigeria.

“The HP LaserJet Tank Printer is a premier offering combining incredible performance with hassle-free print management. This addition to our LaserJet series, with comprehensive features, underscores our commitment to helping small businesses thrive through efficient, easy-to-use solutions,” the MD said.

For those with high-volume printing needs, the HP LaserJet Tank series feature automatic duplex printing, a 40-sheet auto document feed support and a 50,000-page long-life imaging drum to ensure consistent, exceptional printing, even with daily use.

Users can also seamlessly connect using the best-in-class HP Smart app which enables employees to print remotely from their mobile device plus access advanced scanning features with Smart Advance.

Advanced security features, supported by HP Wolf Essential secure, are also incorporated throughout to ensure sensitive data stays protected. 

HP Laser Jet Tank Printer series have extended warranty to 3 years upon registration.

One of its key features that makes it unique is that it the only cartridge free laser printer, with a mess-free toner refill solution, requiring just 15 seconds of attention.

It also comes with an ability to print up to 5,000 pages with the pre-filled Original HP Toner, plus save on refills with ultra-high yield HP Toner Reload Kit.

The new HP LaserJet Tank Printer series is very durable with sustainability in mind, a feature that has earned it an Energy Star certification and Epeat Silver designation.

The HP Toner Reload Kit saves up to 90% waste and comes with an optimized tank design of up to 17% smaller size even with auto two-sided printing plus life-long imaging drum.

The printer series which comes with HP Wolf Essential security, provides seamless experience for powerful productivity needs, including double-sided printing at fast speed with 40-sheet automatic document feeder support, reliable wireless connectivity, and best-in-class HP Smart App with Smart Advance scanning features.