The federal government is set to introduce regulations to guide e-commerce operations and implement cyber insurance for users in Nigeria. This plan is part of the draft National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill currently before the National Assembly, as seen by TechDigest.

Section 40 of the Bill states, “The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in consultation with the regulatory agency shall develop and issue regulations including provisions on cyber insurance to improve security in electronic commerce.”

The “regulatory agency” referred to in the Bill is the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Sponsored by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, the Bill is currently undergoing public engagement, according to the Ministry.

The Bill also outlines specific guidelines for e-commerce platforms. Section 39 mandates that e-commerce platforms provide accurate, clear, and accessible information about their operations, including legal names, addresses, and contact details.

It also requires clear descriptions of goods and services, as well as concise and comprehensive terms and conditions for transactions.

The proposed regulations, if passed into law, will impose stringent requirements on popular e-commerce platforms like Jumia and Konga, as well as smaller players in the industry.

During a recent media engagement in Abuja, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasized the Bill’s potential to provide a legal framework and accelerate the digital economy agenda. “This bill will accelerate the progress in our digital economy because there is no clear legislation in that space,” said Tijani.

“We believe that the bill will support the growth and transformation of Nigeria’s economy through the application and the use of this technology in all facets of life in Nigeria. It will create the enabling environment for fair competition, and promote innovation, growth, and competitiveness for the Nigerian economy.”

The Bill, once passed, will be implemented across all six geopolitical zones of the country. NITDA Director-General Malam Kashifu Inuwa added that the Bill would enhance the use of the digital economy across both government and private sectors in Nigeria.

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TECH DIGEST- In a bold stride towards national development, the Nigerian Federal Government has set its sights on equipping one million citizens with vital technical skills by the year 2025. This announcement was unveiled by Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy. He revealed that the groundwork for this transformative initiative was set in motion with a pivotal meeting that took place on Tuesday.

Bringing together key figures in the tech industry, the session was the inaugural step in a series of strategic discussions aimed at harnessing innovative strategies to achieve this remarkable goal.

READ ALSO: AI will change cybersecurity – Expert 

Dr. Tijani emphasized that these engagements are designed to tap into the wealth of expertise and creativity existing within the nation’s tech ecosystem. The government’s resolute objective is to harvest the most effective solutions from within its own ranks, fostering a collaborative environment where the collective prowess of stakeholders can propel the nation towards this ambitious target.

Via his X handle, the Minister extended a clarion call to all Nigerians interested in contributing to this momentous endeavor. Encouraging active participation, he posted, “As we work towards our target of training 1 million people in technical skills by 2025, we’d love to know how you can get involved.”

This proactive move is intrinsically tied to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to revolutionizing job creation through the tech sector. The President has laid out a visionary blueprint to generate one million jobs within the first two years of his administration, firmly placing technology at the heart of this endeavor. His campaign manifesto articulates a comprehensive strategy, encompassing initiatives to empower existing tech-savvy youth, introducing intervention programs in the ICT Industry, and catalyzing growth and diversification through new technologies.

President Tinubu’s approach underscores the transformative potential of investing in the ICT sector and the digital economy. By tapping into these domains, the nation can spur local industries, elevate competitiveness, augment productivity, and impart millions of Nigerians with coveted skills that translate into enduring job opportunities and sustainable wealth creation.

Envisioning a tech-powered future, President Tinubu has expressed a keen interest in harnessing cutting-edge innovations such as blockchain technology. Noting its robust security and accountability features, he foresees it streamlining daily transactions, fostering convenience, and opening avenues for new employment opportunities while fostering financial inclusion.

His administration’s focus extends to several key areas including ICT-enabled outsourcing, innovation and entrepreneurship, e-commerce, and tech manufacturing. These strategic sectors are poised to generate a surge in technology-driven employment opportunities for Nigerian citizens.

President Tinubu aptly encapsulates his vision in stating that digital products and services possess the potential to catalyze new jobs and usher in a wave of economic diversification. In a time marked by rapid technological advancements, his foresight aligns with the undeniable trajectory of global economies shifting towards tech-centric models of growth and prosperity.

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TECHDIGEST – The information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Nigeria has seen significant growth and development in recent years. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the sector contributed 18.44 per cent to the nation’s GDP in the second quarter of 2022. Experts argue that the country’s youth-dominated 210 million-strong population is driving demand for ICT products and services.

The government has made significant efforts to promote the development of the ICT sector and increase access to ICT infrastructure and services. This has included initiatives such as the National Broadband Plan, which aims to increase broadband penetration in the country, and the National eGovernment Master Plan, which aims to increase the use of ICT in government operations and services.

Of course, there are several challenges that the Nigerian ICT sector faces, including a lack of reliable and affordable electricity, multiple taxations, regulatory bottlenecks, limited access to ICT infrastructure in rural areas, and a dearth of skilled ICT professionals. Despite these challenges, the sector has continued to grow with the potential to play a significant role in the country’s economic development.

READ ALSO: FG Moves To Transform Nigeria into Hub For Talent, Innovation

Looking ahead into 2023, here are potential trends that may shape the development of ICT in the new year.

Increased adoption of cloud computing

As businesses in Nigeria look to reduce costs and improve efficiency, many will turn to cloud computing solutions to store and process data. There are a growing number of important players in this space including Rack Centre, Cloudflex Computing Services Limited, and Layer3Cloud among others.

Growth of the e-commerce industry

Nigeria’s large and rapidly growing population and the adoption of mobile devices and internet access has made e-commerce more accessible. With improvements in electronic payment and logistics sectors, the growth trend is likely to continue into the coming years. Konga, Jumia and Jiji continue to show what is possible in this space.

Expansion of mobile broadband

The proliferation of mobile broadband is expected to continue in Nigeria, driven by the increasing demand for data services and the roll-out of 4G and 5G networks. The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) in 2021 granted 5G licenses to MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications with Airtel joining the party this December. MTN is known to have rolled out services in certain cities. Next year holds promises of more roll-outs and improved access to 5G services in general.

Rise of fintech

The fintech industry in Nigeria has seen significant growth in recent years, and this trend is likely to continue as more people turn to digital financial services. Reports suggest that there are over 200 fintech firms in Nigeria rapidly helping to bridge the financial inclusion gap. The fintech ecosystem covers businesses focused on mobile payments, digital banking, merchant solutions and personal finance among others. Interswitch, Flutterwave, Paystack, PiggyVest, Paga, and E-tranzact are some of the biggest players in this space.

Increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI)

The use of AI in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture, is expected to increase in Nigeria as the country looks to leverage technology to solve problems and improve services. The early players here include Lare Ayoola’s IoT Africa Networks Limited, Kobo360 and Data Scientists Network.

Growth of the outsourcing industry

Nigeria’s highly educated workforce and lower labour costs make it an attractive destination for outsourcing. This trend is likely to continue as companies look to outsource certain business functions to save costs, improve productivity and boost profitability. Renda, Philip Outsourcing, and Workforce Group are leading players in this space.

Increased adoption of digital skills

As the ICT sector continues to grow, there will be greater demand for individuals with digital skills. This trend is likely to drive the development of training programs and initiatives to help people acquire the necessary skills. Governments at different levels are making tremendous efforts in this space. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through its subsidiary, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (NCAIR) is training one million developers with a focus on Python for Machine Learning and Data Science. The Lagos State government has also commenced the second phase of the Eko Digital programme which aims to empower one million youths in the state with cybersecurity skills. Numerous other initiatives are ongoing in the private sector space.

ICT will remain a significant proportion of the economy in the foreseeable future. Human capacity development and infrastructure deployment will however, dominate the ICT space in 2023.

Happy New Year in Advance!

•Eromosele, a corporate communication professional and public affairs analyst lives in Lagos.

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TECHDIGEST – Nigeria is said to have produced over 2000 digital innovation companies, which have subsequently invented some 384-technology products. The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa, which disclosed this, said these companies, which are largely startups raised over $2 billion in venture capital funding in 2021 alone.

As such, Inuwa said the digitisation policy drive of the Federal Government as contained in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) is impacting positively in corporate governance, Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Customer (B2C), and Business-to-Government (B2G) relationships.

Inuwa stated this while delivering a good will message at the Validation Workshop for the National e-Commerce Policy and Strategy by the National Advisory Committee, on Electronic Commerce and Digital Economy (NACEDE), which took place in Abuja.

He said digital economic sector, which is a super-set of e-commerce, remains key to Nigeria’s economic recovery in the post-COVID era, deploying new technological innovations, such as e-commerce platforms, including social media-enabled trading handles, and ensuring rapid uptake of e-commerce for economic growth and competitiveness.

“Nigeria is experiencing the positive impact of e-commerce activities due to the growing increase in access to the Internet and related IT tools and services. The contributions of the telecommunications sector to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was an average15 per cent in July 2022 and experienced 44.5 per cent broadband penetration with active Internet subscriptions that peaked at 151 million,” Inuwa said.

READ ALSO: UNICEF, Airtel, Partner To Connect Over 300,000 Students To Digital Learning

The DG, who was represented by the Acting Director, Digital Economy and Development Department, Salisu Kaka, further said, “we have approximately 2000 digital innovation companies with 384 products in Nigeria. These Startups have raised over $2 billion in venture capital funding in 2021 alone. With an estimated 89,000 developers representing 12 per cent of the African developers’ population, Nigeria’s e-commerce market size is about $17 billion. There is yearly spending of about $12 billion in 2022, and this is projected to reach $75 billion by 2025.

“Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) appear to be the major beneficiaries of the concept of e-commerce as it enabled MSMEs to operate in the global marketplace. MSMEs can now participate in regional businesses and enjoys social, economic, and cultural networks seamlessly across international boundaries.

“Global corporations now operate with much consistency while MSMEs experience enhanced participation in international value chains, increased market access and reach improved internal and external market efficiency, and lower transaction costs,” he noted.

He also said that there is a need to maintain the tide and optimise the benefit of technology and e-commerce, which have necessitated Nigeria to have a robust national e-commerce policy and strategy.

“Additionally, Nigeria is a signatory to bilateral, regional, continental, and global treaties on trade and trade-related activities. Having a national policy that recognized these treaties is necessary for the mutual benefit of member nations.

“The policy will help us as a nation to make use of trade agreements that facilitate e-commerce for national benefits and avoid possible distortions that could jeopardize the optimization of the opportunities in e-commerce and hinders the growth of our businesses.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Muhammad Buhari, through the supervision of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. Prof. Isa Pantami is keen on ensuring developments in Nigeria’s Digital Economy sector. I believe that e-commerce policy is central to these developments”, he added.

The Chairman of NACEDE, Suleiman Adebayo Audu, Director of the Commodities and Export Department, at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in his earlier remarks stated that taking advantage of the Digital Economy will boost the growth of e-Commerce across the country thereby bringing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and grow the economy.

Adebayo averred that this policy document represented the priority of the Federal Government, the workshop will provide an avenue for inclusiveness of citizens to partake in the decision-making, and contributes ideas, initiatives, and critics that will be beneficial to the policy document before the full implementation for the benefit of the country.

The policy document will be compiled as part of the scorecard of the present administration, which will boost the operations of e-Commerce across the country.

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TECHDIGEST- The Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) operational readiness for e-commerce has been made public by the Federal Government, which will help the postal industry in Africa run more smoothly.

On Tuesday in Abuja, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) announced its operational readiness for the e-commerce (ORE-3)- Startup Project workshop for the Africa area. The announcement was made by Prof. Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications & Digital Economy.

Pantami, who was represented by Mr. Mainasara Abubakar of the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), said the training was required because the conventional postal business is changing so quickly.

READALSO: NIMC: NIN Mandatory to Access all Government Services

“The advent of the digital economy and the navigation of consumers’ demand among multiple communication channels are key factors changing the way Postal business is conducted. These, therefore, make innovation a critically important option for business survival and prosperity,” he said.

According to him, digitization has given the postal service sector, a crucial component of infrastructure, a broader dimension. He contends that the post may make a considerable contribution to social and economic advancement, the creation of jobs, and the alleviation of poverty provided that postal reforms implemented by governments are founded on sound financial analysis.

The training was arranged, according to Rt Hon Adepoju Sunday, CEO of NIPOST and Postmaster General of the Federation, to ensure that the African postal administration can compete with other postal organisations around the world. Sunday also expressed appreciation for the help in hosting the training that NIPOST received from the UPU and Pan African Postal Union (PAPU).

According to him: “This workshop evaluates the operational readiness for e-commerce 3 and remuneration by African postal administrations. And to establish the need to take decisions and make policies that will accelerate positive reforms towards ital readiness for e-commerce.” He also said digitalization is changing supply chains and how customers buy online.

“These innovations are fostering considerable changes in posts’ strategic objectives by requiring them to reevaluate their predictability, transparency, security, and efficiency to meet new customer requirements,” he said.

The representative of the DG of UPU, Mr Amadou Amadou said the workshop was borne out of the successful implementation of past regional operational efficiency and e-commerce projects 1 and 2. He said the UPU will implement the operational efficiency and e-commerce project 3 during 2022 – 2025.

“The project aims to assist postal formations in modernizing their operational processes and using available IT standardized tools and last-mile delivery systems to implement functional solutions that meet regulatory and operational requirements.

“In this context, the UPU International Bureau has developed capacity building and technical assistance projects to coordinate and improve the digital capacity and capability of the post. The integrated approach of these projects aims to help postal administrations modernize digital tools and implement digital solutions, which meet e-commerce requirements,” he said.

According to him, successful implementation of the project will contribute to further growth of the e-commerce market by improving their last-mile delivery reliability and providing consumers with increased visibility. “This is achievable through message exchanges and more customer-oriented solutions. The focus of the project will be on improving efficiency and e-commerce development hence the title of the project “Operational Efficiency and E-commerce Development”,” he said.

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TECHDIGEST – The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa CCIE has said that the digitisation policy drive of the Federal Government as contained in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) is impacting positively in corporate governance, Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Customer (B2C), and Business-to-Government (B2G) relationships. 

Inuwa stated this while delivering a good will message at the Validation Workshop for the National e-Commerce Policy and Strategy by the National Advisory Committee, on Electronic Commerce and Digital Economy (NACEDE), which took place in Abuja.

He said, Digital Economic sector, which is a super-set of e-commerce, remains key to Nigeria’s economic recovery in the post-COVID era, deploying new technological innovations, such as e-commerce platforms, including social media-enabled trading handles, and ensuring rapid uptake of e-commerce for economic growth and competitiveness.

READ ALSO: NITDA Engages Imo State ICT Stakeholders On Digitization, Entrepreneurship Evolution

“Nigeria is experiencing the positive impact of e-commerce activities due to the growing increase in access to the Internet and related IT tools and services. The contributions of the telecommunications sector to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was an average15% in July 2022 and experienced 44.5% broadband penetration with active internet subscriptions that peaked at 151 million,” Inuwa said.

The DG who was represented by Engineer Salisu Kaka, Acting Director, Digital Economy and Developement Department, further said, “we have approximately 2000 digital innovation companies with 384 products in Nigeria. These Startups have raised over $2 billion in venture capital funding in 2021 alone. With an estimated 89,000 developers representing 12% of the African developers’ population, Nigeria’s e-commerce market size is about $17 billion. There is annual spending of about $12 billion in 2022, and this is projected to reach $75 billion by 2025.”

“Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) appear to be the major beneficiaries of the concept of e-commerce as it enabled MSMEs to operate in the global marketplace. MSMEs can now participate in regional businesses and enjoys social, economic, and cultural networks seamlessly across international boundaries.

“Global corporations now operate with much consistency while MSMEs experience enhanced participation in international value chains, increased market access and reach improved internal and external market efficiency, and lower transaction costs,” he noted.

He also said that there is a need to maintain the tide and optimize the benefit of technology and e-commerce, which have necessitated Nigeria to have a robust national e-commerce policy and strategy.

“Additionally, Nigeria is a signatory to bilateral, regional, continental, and global treaties on trade and trade-related activities. Having a national policy that recognized these treaties is necessary for the mutual benefit of member nations.

“The policy will help us as a nation to make use of trade agreements that facilitate e-commerce for national benefits and avoid possible distortions that could jeopardize the optimization of the opportunities in e-commerce and hinders the growth of our businesses.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Muhammad Buhari (GCFR), through the supervision of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is keen on ensuring developments in Nigeria’s Digital Economy sector. I believe that e-commerce policy is central to these developments”, he added.

The Chairman of NACEDE, Mr. Suleman Adebayo Audu, Director of the Commodities and Export Department, at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in his earlier remarks stated that taking advantage of the Digital Economy will boost the growth of e-Commerce across the country thereby bringing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and grow the economy.

Adebayo averred that this policy document represented the priority of the Federal Government, the workshop will provide an avenue for inclusiveness of citizens to partake in the decision-making, and contributes ideas, initiatives, and critics that will be beneficial to the policy document before the full implementation for the benefit of the country.

The policy document will be compiled as part of the scorecard of the present administration which will boost the operations of e-Commerce across the country.
The workshop organised by the Agency in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment (FMITI), aimed at providing a platform to review, deliberate, and contribute towards the full implementation of the policy document.

NITDA in collaboration with the Trade Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), have jointly worked to produce the draft National E-Commerce Policy and Strategy document for Nigeria. The work is part of the Nigerian Government’s efforts to meet the ECOWAS, AU, and the global requirements for trade development in general and e-commerce in particular.

The post How Digitalization Policy Drive Impact Country Positively – NITDA Boss appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – With the rate at which people are now adopting e-commerce as transaction model, the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has revealed that it is working with other stakeholders to formulate the National Policy on e-Commerce which seeks to regulate and protect both the buyers and the sellers while transacting business online.

This disclosure was made by the Agency’s Director, Standards, Guidelines and Framework, Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi at 2nd Day of the Consumer Protection Forum with the theme, “Enabling the e-Commerce Services Driven Economy: Opportunities for Consumers, Challenges and Way Forward in Nigeria”.      

According to the Director, NITDA wants to make sure that there is a regulation in place that would ensure all players in the industry are protected and not ‘shortchanged,’ adding that “if there is no regulation in the industry, there would be chaos and that’s what NITDA is trying to avoid.”

He said, “over the past months, NITDA, in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, has been trying to put together the National Policy on eCommerce. We have had several engagements with other stakeholders and this is one of them. We want to have your opinions on what exactly you want from this so we can incorporate them in order to have a comprehensive and robust policy.”

READ ALSO: NITDA Calls for Stakeholder Engagement on National Data Strategy

He opined that the outbreak of COVID-19 has shifted people’s attention to e-commerce which has been hitherto not gaining the expected traction.

He said, “You can agree with me that the e-commerce sector really boomed in 2020. Since then, globally, we have realised the potentials and everybody is striving to make sure that they have their own bit of the game.”

While disclosing the current market value of e-commerce in Nigeria which he said stands at 13billion USD, Mr. Olawunmi said by 2025 the market value is expected to be around 75 billion USD and with over 3 million jobs created.  He urged Nigerians to embrace e-commerce as government is doing all it could do to develop all the enablers of the sector. 

He said, “Within the past two or three years, we have seen startups that were developed and blossomed through e-Commerce. Without e-Commerce, they might not have been able to do what they have done. Some of them were bought over by foreign companies. e-Commerce actually provides a way of limiting barriers that are presented by geographical limitations. So, you can be here and doing business to anywhere in the world.”

Mr. Kenny Omodara, one of the resource persons for the session on the Overview of the e-Commerce, noted that formulating a policy for e-commerce is crucial to the development of the industry because it will give confidence and encourage online transaction.

According to him, most of the enablers for a thriving e-commerce industry have been taken care of by the government and encouraged Nigerians to embrace it. He said Nigeria is the leading African market in e-commerce because of its population demography, broadband penetration and the number of internet users. 

Another facilitator, Mr. Desmond Idu Odaiche of Yorkshel Business Consult applauded the government for some of the regulations it has put in place before which he maintained would help the industry to thrive. 

He underscored the importance of logistics, payment platform and commerce (goods) as critical components of the e-commerce industry. He explained some of the issues that could limit the potential of e-commerce to include poor labelling, failure to pay custom duty and taxes, unavailability of electronic payment and non-disclosure or improper disclosure of goods. 

One of the participants at the session, Mr. Ernest Paul from the National Salary, Income and Wages Commission advocated for punitive measure to strengthening e-commerce transaction. “There must be anti-trust policy in for e-commerce if we want to encourage it. Penalty should be attached as sanction for whoever that breach the agreement,” he said.    

The participants harped on the security of the online transaction and called on NITDA to form synergy with other agencies of government to harmonise different policies that could guarantee effective e-commerce policy for the country.

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TECHDIGEST – Amazon continues to be the undisputed leading online marketplace. According to the numbers presented by SafeBettingSites.com, the American e-commerce platform attracts 5.6 billion customer visits every month. The United States and Europe are significant contributors to Amazon’s numbers.

EBay Second Biggest Marketplace With 3 Billion Visits

From an eCommerce giant, Amazon has evolved into an information technology company in recent years. However, its grip on the online market hasn’t loosened. According to the numbers available on Statista.com, Amazon attracted 5.7 billion visits per month during the month of July.

The second most popular online shopping platform also comes from the United States in, eBay. Initially founded in 1995, the company attracted almost 3 billion monthly views in July.

The rest of the companies are far behind the top two names in the competition. Singapore-based Shopee was the third-most-popular eCommerce platform globally, with 631.2 million visits monthly. Shopee, founded in 2015, majorly serves the Southeast Asian market.

READ ALSO: Akabueze: Why Insist On Punishing Citizens With Telecom Tax By Fom Gyem

Japanese online retailer Rakuten was not far behind with 590.8 million monthly visits. Chinese retail giant Alibaba has struggled in recent years. However, its online retail arm, AliExpress, is still the world’s fifth most popular online marketplace. AliExpress attracted 526.4 million visits.

Only two of the remaining names on the list originate from the United States. Walmart’s online store is sixth with 514 million monthly visits, and Etsy is eighth with 397.5 million visits.

Argentinian company Marcado Libre is the seventh most popular online shopping platform globally. It attracted 447 million visits in July.

Alibaba’s Taobao is ninth on the list, with 333.1 million visits. Russia-based Wildberries complete the top ten with 279.8 million visits.

Amazon Dominates The US And European Market

When we look at numbers from different geographical regions, Amazon leads the market in the US, the UK, and Europe.

In the United States, Amazon received 2.7 billion visits to be the most popular platform in the country. Furthermore, Amazon received 1070 million visits in Europe and 400 million visits in the UK. eBay is the second most popular platform in all three markets.

Taobao is the most popular platform in China, with 333.1 million visits. Pinduoduo follows it in the second spot. Mercado Libre is the most popular platform in the Latin American market, with 447 million visits from the region. China-based AliExpress is the second-most popular online shopping platform in Latin America.

You can read the entire report with additional statistics and information at: safebettingsites.com

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TECHDIGEST – In a bid to empower small and medium-scale enterprises operating in the country and improve their visibility in the e-commerce space, Nigeria’s creative maestro and renowned tech entrepreneur, Dr Babangida Ruma has launched a Nigerian e-commerce portal www.shopi.ng.

Shopi Market Hub, a subsidiary of Mr Ruma’s startup brainchild – Opportunities Hub (OHUB) – is a free first-of-a-kind secure e-commerce and business directory platform where businesses can enlist, promote, and sell their products and services online.

Speaking on the prospects of the initiative, Mr Ruma in a virtual ceremonial unveiling told the press that the platform enables customers to receive free web pages with e-commerce tools, unique Shopi Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Market Hub website address, personalized online storefront, shopping cart with no consignment fee, inventory payment gateway, as well as order and inquiry notifications.

“This platform is open to small and medium business owners from every sector of the economy that have registered businesses in Nigeria,” founder, Ruma enthused.

READ ALSO: Meet Katsina-Based “Creative Meastro” Tackling Nigeria’s Unemployment, Social Crisis With Digital Solutions

Speaking further, he noted that the e-commerce and business directory portal is part of his strategy to empower and support Nigerian SMEs and also contribute to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.

“The web portal and mobile App platform is designed to enable Nigerian entrepreneurs to migrate their businesses online and take advantage of the vast international and local sales opportunities within the e-commerce space.

“SME owners will also have access to a wide variety of business tools that will enhance profitability as well as a community that will allow them to forge relationships with other business owners,” He explains.

Reflecting on the idea that inspired the initiative, Ruma explains that the challenging economic conditions especially for SMEs in the country has made it imperative for this integral sector of the economy to gets all the support it needs to drive growth and development.

“With the introduction of the Shopi SME Market Hub, Shopi has provided SMEs an e-commerce platform that allows small and medium business owners to create and maintain an online presence and expand their business frontiers to new markets and millions of buyers that are online for free,” he said.

OHUB – Shopi’s mother company – is a hybrid digital technology platform that provides access to lifelong learning opportunities for potential young and existing African leaders, connecting them with curated freemium access to avalanche of internship, exchange programs, job shadowing, job placement, grants, and research funding opportunities.

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TECHDIGEST – Kwik is expanding its offer of digital services with the launch of KwikStore this week – adding yet another exciting service to the already sensational offer it brings to African business owners and social vendors.

KwikStore is a free e-commerce storefront solution that allows any African business owner, merchant, social vendor entrepreneurs and SMEs to create their own online stores literally in 5 minutes without any technical knowledge and to run his or her business directly from a smartphone

Social vendors can link their KwikStores to their social media accounts, automating the sale, fulfilment, inventory management and delivery process, giving them the possibility to focus on sales and marketing. KwikStore is a free-to-use feature of the Kwik Delivery app and requires no down payment nor service charge apart from standard payment gateway fees.

Merchants can fully customize their KwikStore to their brand. Once an order is approved by the merchant, payment is processed automatically through payment partners and a Kwik rider is automatically dispatched to the pickup location; or the order can be picked up directly by the customer.

KwikStore requires a Kwik account but can be used independently of the Kwik Delivery platform, allowing merchants to use the delivery solution of their choice or to sell anywhere in Africa, in areas not yet covered by the Kwik Delivery platform.

READ ALSO: Finally, NITDA Issues Code of Practice for Online Platforms Operating in Nigeria

“KwikStore is a milestone in establishing Kwik as the one-stop-shop for African merchants to run and grow their business from their smartphone” declared Romain POIROT-LELLIG, Founder & CEO of Kwik.
“We will continue to expand our offer of innovative digital services focused on enabling African merchants to grow their business with all the benefits that technology brings.”

“We are very proud to have developed KwikStore in Nigeria with our growing software development team” declares Olivier DECROCK, Cofounder & CTO of Kwik. “Kwik is strongly committed to build its development capacity in the country.”

Kwik was founded in 2018 to provide groundbreaking online services to African merchants in the fields of delivery, fulfilment, and payment.

Source: Techeconomy.ng

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