AI Data Centres “Unfair” in Climate Sustainability
also ft; West African Informal Academies Training Scammers
CybAfriqué is a space for news and analysis on cyber, data, and information security on the African continent.
AI Data Centres affect the climate negatively. As much as data centres are relevant to cyber security conversations, their industrial components produce life-threatening emissions, and they can be lethal. Today’s edition also focuses on sextortion crimes rampant in West Africa particularly Ghana and Nigeria.
HIGHLIGHTS
AI Data Centres “Unfair” in Climate Sustainability
There are over 100 traditional data centres in Africa, many of which are owned by ‘big techs’. Like anywhere in the world, ‘AI’ data centres are generally and relatively new but they are also spreading to Africa and creating an urgency for more traditional data centres.
Thanks to artificial intelligence, there are now traditional and AI-modelled data centres. Unlike traditional data centres, AI data centres have more promising abilities than basic storage, network and computing functions. This also means that compared to existing data centre infrastructures, AI data centres demand more capacity to effectively deliver on their potential.
AI is increasingly popular in Africa and the continent's market is experiencing unprecedented growth where most people are getting acquainted with the internet for the first time—there is just a lot of revenue to tap from the ‘developing’ market. Africa's imminent problem is harnessing indigenous technologies, not only for competition but to earn (rightfully) from its technologies. There are only a few indigenous data centre operators who are struggling to scale in chosen African markets. Most local businesses host their data in foreign-owned data centres.
Meanwhile, foreign companies and multinationals are exploring Africa. African governments and investors feel compensated by the idea that the continent is maturing and cannot be ignored but at a very unfair risk. However, AI companies such as Meta, Google, ChatGPT, Amazon etc use up energy that could power more than eleven high electricity-consuming countries quarterly. These companies emit carbon that pose significant challenges affecting climate sustainability.
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin also use more electricity. The New York Times states that: “The process of creating Bitcoin to spend or trade consumes around 91 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, more than is used by Finland, a nation of about 5.5 million.”
Source: IMF
West African Informal Academies Training Scammers
In West Africa, ‘informal academies’, also known as ‘hustle kingdoms’, are hubs training people on how to scam, including online romance and business email compromise.
Prominently operating in Ghana by “Sakawa boys” and Nigeria by “Yahoo boys”, these scammers claim to fight against colonial injustices, making an explanation for aiming Western targets—colonialists. This article points out that these scammers sometimes work with criminals in Western countries. While Nigerian scammers are linked to Black Axe, Ghanaian fraudsters are (mostly) not connected with any organised crime groups. They, however, employ the sextortion tactic, contributing to a rise in fake digital identities.
A report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) notes that the victims are typically males aged 14 to 17. In just two years, the sextortion rate grew by over 200 per cent from 2021 according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Apart from West African cybercriminals, Southeast Asian offenders are also identified to be involved in sextortion crimes.
In our previous edition, we highlighted how human traffickers in Southeast Asia are luring Africans with fake jobs only to be forced to scam people and be (sexually) abused.
ICYMI: Human Trafficking-induced Cyber Fraud in Southeast Asia
FEATURES
In Nigeria, the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) reported 11,532 cases of Mobile and POS fraud in Q2 2024 which cost N56.3 billion.
HEADLINES
Lagos Leverages Blockchain Technology to Combat Land Fraud - TechinAfrica
CBN reduces cybersecurity levy from 0.5 per cent to 0.005 per cent - Business Day
TikTok Enhances Safety Measures in Africa Amid Growing User Community - TechinAfrica
WhatsApp pinned for non-compliance with privacy rules in South Africa - Africa Cybersecurity Magazine
Zimbabwean Telcos Face Fines of Over $5,000 for Poor Network Service - Regtech Africa
UNDP and partners sign agreement to train 2,400 young Africans in cybersecurity - Africa Cybersecurity Magazine
International Day of Police Cooperation: Cybercrime issues at the heart of discussions - Africa Cybersecurity Magazine
Spanish Police Arrest Hacker Wanted by Morocco for Cyber Fraud - Morocco World News
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OPPORTUNITIES
ITWeb Cloud and Data Summit 2024 | Bryanston, 2021, South Africa | 31 October, 2024
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