E-Business
Ericsson Releases 10 Hot Consumer Trends 2014
With 2013 winding up, Ericsson ConsumerLab has identified the hottest consumer trends for 2014 and beyond. For more than 15 years, ConsumerLab has conducted research to explore people’s values, behaviors and ways of using ICT products and services.
Its global research program is based on annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities.
Michael Björn, head of research at ConsumerLab, said: “The most important trend we see is the mass demand for apps and services across all industries and societal sectors – which has the potential to fundamentally change everyday life.”
1. Apps change society. The fast global uptake of smartphones has completely changed the way we communicate and use the internet. Now we enter a new phase of rapidly-diversifying smartphone use – and people are looking for apps across all sectors of society. This includes everything from shopping and daycare to communication with authorities, and transportation. Apps are becoming more important than what phone you use.
2. Your body is the new password. Sites are demanding longer passwords with a mixture of numbers, letters and symbols – almost impossible to remember. This is leading to growing interest in biometric alternatives. For example, our research found that 52 percent of smartphone users want to use their fingerprints instead of passwords and 48 percent are interested in using eye-recognition to unlock their screen. A total of 74 percent believe that biometric smartphones will become mainstream during 2014.
3. The quantified self. Blood pressure, pulse and steps are just some examples of how we want to measure ourselves with mobile devices, using personally-generated data. You only need to start an app to track your activities and get to know yourself better. A total of 40 percent of smartphone users want their phone to log all of their physical activities and 56 percent would like to monitor their blood pressure and pulse using a ring.
4. Internet expected everywhere. Internet experience has been falling behind voice; smartphone users are realizing that the signal bars on their phone no longer provide reliable guidance, since a signal that is adequate for a voice call may not be good enough for internet services. Our research found that the lowest satisfaction is with the internet quality experienced on the subway.
5. Smartphones reduce the digital divide. Internet access on a global scale is still inadequately and unequally distributed, giving rise to what is referred to as the digital divide. The advent of cheaper smartphones means that consumers no longer need costly computing devices to access internet services. A total of 51 percent of consumers globally feel that their mobile phone is the most important piece of technology – and for many it is becoming the primary device for internet use.
6. Online benefits outweigh concerns – As the internet becomes an integrated part of our daily lives, the risks associated with being connected are becoming more apparent. 56 percent of daily internet users are concerned about privacy issues. However, only 4 percent say that they would actually use the internet less. Instead, consumers apply strategies to minimize risk such as being more cautious about the type of personal information they provide.
7. Video on command. Despite having greater media choice, we seem less prone to choose what we watch ourselves. In fact, our friends are particularly influential when it comes to viewing video material. We found that 38 percent of respondents say they watch video clips recommended by their friends at least several times weekly. Our friends have almost as much impact on our blog-reading and music-listening habits too.
8. Making my data visible. A total of 48 percent of consumers use apps to better understand their data consumption. While 41 percent just want to know how much data they use, 33 percent want to make sure they are billed correctly and 31 percent don’t want to exceed their operator’s data cap. Research also revealed that 37 percent of smartphone owners regularly use apps to test their connection speed.
9. Sensors in everyday places. As interactive internet services are now commonplace, consumers are increasingly expecting our physical surroundings to be equally responsive. By the end of 2016, around 60 percent of smartphone owners believe that sensors will be used in everything from healthcare and public transport, to cars, homes and our places of work.
10. Play, pause, resume elsewhere. As 19 percent of total streamed time is spent on phones or tablets, consumers are increasingly shifting the locations where they watch TV to suit their daily lives. For example they might start viewing content at home, pause it, and resume watching during their commute to work. When changing places, it can also make sense to switch device.
TeKnowledge and Equinix announced a partnership to accelerate secure hybrid and multi-cloud adoption and enable AI-ready digital infrastructure across the region.
Nigeria’s digital transformation is accelerating rapidly, with the digital economy being a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
As demand for cloud services, AI adoption, digital payments and data-driven innovation continues to accelerate across West Africa, the partnership is positioned to advance the region’s digital transformation.
By combining Equinix’s in-country and global data centre infrastructure and secure interconnection capabilities with TeKnowledge’s expertise in designing, deploying and managing AI, data, customer experience and cybersecurity solutions, organisations can accelerate innovation while maintaining data residency and sovereignty requirements.
Together, the organisations empower enterprises and government institutions to bridge the gap between digital ambition and execution through secure, high-performance digital environments built on local infrastructure and delivered by local talent.
Speaking, CEO and President, TeKnowledge, Aileen Allkins, said: “Organisations across Africa are increasingly looking to modernise their infrastructure while maintaining the performance, security, and compliance required to support growth.
Through our partnership with Equinix, we are combining world-class digital infrastructure with deep local expertise to help customers accelerate cloud adoption, strengthen resilience, and unlock new opportunities through AI and emerging technologies.”
Managing Director of Equinix West Africa, Wole Abu, expressed delight at partnering with TeKnowledge to bring together Equinix’s globally interconnected platform, spanning over 280 data centres and 10,000 customers worldwide.
Uche Chigbo, coordinating director of Operations, National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), has said the newly enacted NIMC Act strengthens data protection and privacy, expands identity coverage to include everyone in Nigeria and Nigerians in the diaspora, and provides the legal framework for a secure and trusted digital identity ecosystem.
She said the new law replaces the 2007 NIMC Act, which had become outdated due to rapid technological advancements, evolving cybersecurity threats, the growth of the digital economy, and the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
According to her, the updated legislation better positions the Commission to deliver Nigeria’s digital identity agenda and improve access to government and private sector services.
“The Act itself has taken in a whole lot of things to make sure that NIMC is well-positioned to be able to deliver on the identity agenda and program of Nigeria. The area of universal coverage was expanded within the Act so that NIMC can enroll everybody that is within the soil of Nigeria—male, female, children, whether they are IDPs or orphans or whatever it is, and even Nigerians in diaspora.
“There is quite a lot within the Act that over the few days and weeks, even with my Director-General’s courtesy visit, we are trying to sensitize and educate the general public, and also bring awareness to this new Act so that people will know what are the rights that exist within it, what are the obligations, what are the stronger enforcement and penalties that has also been expanded within the Act, and then what are also the regulatory autonomy that has been given to NIMC to make sure that they drive the digital identity ecosystem in Nigeria,” she explained.
“There’s a lot of provisions and changes with the new Act. Um, the NIMC 2007 Act has been operating for close to 19 years now. So, we can see that, um, you can actually say it’s almost obsolete. And then with a lot of technological advancements in the world now, with the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, and then with also a lot of evolving security challenges, cybersecurity challenges, as well as the ever-growing digital economy, it became very necessary that a comprehensive review of the NIMC Act should be done.
So, that 2007 Act has been repealed and a new NIMC 2026 Act is in place,” she explained.
Chigbo clarified that the National Identification Number (NIN) is Nigeria’s unique identifier and the only valid means of identification for accessing government services.
She added that it enables secure identity verification and improves access to services.
“NIN has been designated as the unique identifier in Nigeria and then by the government of Nigeria establishing it as the only valid means of identification for assessing government services. So, NIN, it’s positioned to be a valuable tool for empowering citizens and legal residents to facilitate access to service delivery in Nigeria. And it’s also a tool for people to be able to prove their identity as they go about their daily businesses,” she said.
Speaking on identity harmonisation across government agencies, Chigbo said NIMC is integrating identity databases to enable Nigerians to access services seamlessly using the National Identification Number (NIN), while other agencies continue to issue functional identities for specific purposes.
“There’s a distinction between a foundational identity and a functional identity. NIMC provides the foundational identity, which answers the question, ‘Who are you?’ Are you a Nigerian or a legal resident? Who are you? That’s what NIMC is providing. All these other agencies that you have mentioned, they provide functional ID, which is an ID that relies on the foundational ID, where they have established who you are and then they are now trying to answer the question, ‘Are you now eligible to have these services? Are you now eligible to benefit from this transaction or scheme?’ So, those are two different distinctions.”
However, Chigbo said NIMC’s mandate is to harmonise and integrate identity systems across government, with the amended Act designating the Commission as the sole repository for biometric data.
“However, NIMC mandate is to make sure that we harmonize and integrate with all these agencies so that you’re one and the same person in any of the databases or registries that you have. The Act that has been expanded and amended also positions NIMC as the only repository for biometric data capture so that we can have effective identity management and coordination in Nigeria.
“So, that harmonization is already happening, the integration is already happening,” she stated.
She also disclosed that NIMC has introduced an online modification portal that allows Nigerians to begin the process of correcting or updating their personal information from the comfort of their homes or offices.
“But also, NIMC we have a modification portal that enables you to sit in the comfort of your home or office to be able to start the process of correction or updates of your data. We already have a self-service modification portal that allows you to make corrections,” she disclosed.
On the cost of obtaining a NIN, Chigbo clarified that enrolment and issuance of the National Identification Number are free.
She, however, noted that some other identity-related services attract approved fees, which are published on the NIMC website and paid electronically through the government Remita platform.
“Enrollment for the issuance of the National Identification Number, NIN, is free. There are other services, identity services that NIMC provide. Those ones have their charges, and those fees and charges are publicized on the NIMC website so that people can see what those charges are. And NIMC does not collect cash. Our transactions and the charges are paid electronically through the government Remita platform,” she said.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained Nigeria’s economic growth forecast at 4.1 per cent for 2026, while warning that rising prices of essential goods could worsen poverty and food insecurity in the country.
IMF
The IMF made the projection in its July 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update, released on Wednesday.
According to the report, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow by 4.1 per cent in 2026 and improve to 4.3 per cent in 2027, with both forecasts unchanged from the Fund’s April outlook.
The IMF also maintained its growth projections for sub-Saharan Africa at 4.3 per cent in 2026 and 4.5 per cent in 2027.
The Fund said Nigeria’s economic outlook continued to benefit from improved macroeconomic stability and favourable terms of trade but cautioned that the rising cost of essential commodities remained a major concern.
“Nigeria is supported by improved macroeconomic stability and favourable terms-of-trade effects, though higher prices for essentials are expected to further aggravate poverty and food insecurity,” the report stated.
The IMF noted that economic performance across sub-Saharan Africa would remain uneven, reflecting differences in policy implementation, reform progress and countries’ exposure to external shocks.
It added that oil-importing and non-resource-intensive economies would likely face increased pressure from rising food and energy prices, while some larger economies continued to benefit from earlier macroeconomic reforms.
Globally, the IMF revised its 2026 growth forecast downward to 3.0 per cent from the 3.1 per cent projected in April but raised its 2027 forecast to 3.4 per cent.
According to the Fund, the downgrade for 2026 reflects the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, although stronger demand driven by advances in artificial intelligence and technology adoption has helped cushion some of the adverse effects.
Despite the resilience of the global economy, the IMF warned that risks remained tilted to the downside.
It identified renewed trade tensions, geopolitical conflicts and tighter global financial conditions as key threats to economic growth.
The Fund urged governments to rebuild fiscal buffers through credible fiscal consolidation, improved revenue mobilisation, stronger tax administration, efficient public spending and increased investment in infrastructure, skills development and targeted social protection programmes.
It also advised commodity-exporting countries to avoid excessive public spending during periods of high commodity prices.
“Economies benefiting from commodity windfalls and the upturn in the global technology cycle should avoid procyclical spending and save or redeploy gains within a credible medium-term fiscal framework anchored in debt sustainability,” the report stated.
The IMF further called on policymakers to accelerate structural reforms aimed at boosting productivity, strengthening labour markets, expanding digital and physical infrastructure, promoting predictable trade policies and enhancing international cooperation to support sustainable economic growth.
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