E-Commerce and Cybercrime in Africa
- Post by: Frank Biananna
- March 22, 2022
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Presenter: Dr. Obi Ogbanufe, Assistant Professor of Information Technology and Decision Sciences at the University of North Texas.
Date: March 29, 2022, 3:00pm GMT
Abstract: The e-commerce industry in Africa is estimated to reach USD 75 billion by 2025 (GFCE 2021). However, there is a surge in cybercrime (e.g., phishing, online scams, cryptocurrency scams, ransomware) due partly to the expansive growth in mobile internet, 60% of the population being under 25 years old, and the global pandemic. The consequences of cybercrime impact not just individuals but organizations and are expected to undermine the e-commerce progress in Africa. Hence, there is a growing interest in increasing our understanding of the cybercrime landscape in Africa and building tools and capabilities to disrupt these activities. This study aims to analyze cybercrime markets (Darknet) to understand their networks and activities, which will fill a literature gap and contribute to the overall knowledge of how to address cybercrime in Africa.
Bio: Dr. Obi Ogbanufe is an Assistant Professor of Information Technology and Decision Sciences at the University of North Texas. Dr. Ogbanufe holds a Bachelor’s of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering. She also earned a Master’s of Science in Systems Engineering and Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Ph.D. in Business Computer Information Systems from the University of North Texas. She is a recipient of the NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service award.
Before her academic appointment, Dr. Ogbanufe has had several years of professional experience where she worked on issues related to information security, business analytics, database engineering, and program management. She also worked as an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Ogbanufe’s interests in STEM career development have led to some published books on technical recruiting.
Her research interests include information security, machine learning, text mining, risk management, and smart devices. Her research has been published in academic journals such as Information Systems Journal, The Data Base for Advances in Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, etc.