E-Business
My Informal Retail Lessons during Easter

By Victor George
The last Easter holiday was a time off work and the rigour of traffic for residents of an ever busy city like Lagos. For me, it was also an opportunity to physically validate some of my virtual observations.

In the last three months, I’ve come across several contents talking about the ongoing e-commerce disruption in the informal retail sector. The stories are interesting to read. So I took time to gain some first-hand insight.
The retailer down my street has been a lifesaver on countless nights. Those who spend evening hours in Lagos traffic can relate. In front of her shop is an open space where guys gather for evening relaxation. She takes advantage of this gathering by offering chill beer services.
“As the thoughts of work resumption crept in on Easter Monday evening, I chose to relax at her shop with a bottle of beer. While she served the chill green bottle, I asked if she had also started ordering her goods online. “You mean to order what to sell online?,” she asked. “Of course, since you have a smartphone,” I responded.
Obviously, she hasn’t heard about the new trend. I’ve read how B2B e-commerce companies like Alerzo are refreshing market experience for retailers like her in tier 2 and 3 cities. I know that some other companies like them operate in other regions of the country and their target is mostly rural underserved communities.
“Iya-Iman, as we fondly call her, is one who likes having conversations with customers. She was interested in what prompted my question. “I thought people only buy what they need like phones, clothes and others online. Do you mean I can also buy all these things I sell online?,” she asked.
I told her she can, but she might not necessarily need it, as her place is not that far from the market. My response fetched me a lecture for the evening. “Yes, the market is not that far from here, but you men think going to the market is that easy. And it’s not everything we buy from the market. The beer you are drinking was not bought from the market.
We get it from distributors. And it’s not easy to get these things. At times, I have to book a week ahead. Even at that, when they come, they will say you can’t get everything you ordered,” she explained.
I noticed the displeasure in her voice. “Why is it so, is it on credit? Are you not paying for it?,” I asked. “You pay them on delivery. They don’t sell credit. If you argue too much, they will threaten to drive off, and you will be at a loss because there is no other way to get these drinks.
Another annoying thing is that they will mix up products for you, such that you will get like 80% of what you ordered and the rest will be a product that’s not moving well in the market. They know we have no choice but to accept. See, I still have 9 bottles of (name of beer product withheld) I have not been able to sell for close to three months now. Will I force customers to buy what they don’t like?
“The last time they wanted to add another three bottles for me, I refused, and they didn’t sell to me that day. Once they drive off, it will take another 7-8 days to restock. These days, due to ongoing Ramadan, they come twice a week because sales are not moving for them.
They even ask if you need this or that. But once this Ramadan is over, they become hostile again. It’s the same for both the beer and mineral (soft drink) dealers.” Our conversation, which was in pidgin and Yoruba, lasted for less than 20 minutes, but her responses conveyed the plight of several retailers in the area within the little time.
One big revelation in this is that a lot of gap is there for these e-commerce brands to fill with their services, even in major cities like Lagos. Another is that manufacturers are mostly unaware that this kind of gimmick is being applied in the sale of their products.
The market is huge and with enough space for healthy competition and collaborations. Retailers will be more than happy to embrace a platform that makes their business easier, safer and more profitable.
Iya-Iman is very much interested in shopping for her goods online, and I now have the task of helping her onboard this digital train. This will surely be the first question she asks when next I show up at her shop.
George, a tech enthusiast writes from Lagos.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

Galaxy Backbone (GBB) aligns with and celebrates the successful announcement by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the achievement of a Paperless Civil Service, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public sector reform and digital transformation agenda.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.
GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.
In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards—key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.
Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, Acting Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).
GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.
E-Business
Jumia CEO says Black Friday Signals Nigeria’s E-Commerce Maturity

At the close of 2025, Temidayo Ojo, the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, reflected on a year-end shopping season that points to the growing maturity of the country’s e-commerce market. “Black Friday is no longer a single, short-lived spike in activity,” he said.

“It has become a familiar, anticipated moment in the retail calendar, where consumers shop deliberately and with confidence.”
Preliminary KPIs for the two months ended November 30, 2025, show strong year-on-year growth in both orders and Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), with GMV growth outpacing order growth. This indicates that customers are placing fuller, more considered baskets rather than shopping in fragmented transactions. Nigeria ranked among Jumia Group’s better-performing markets, with engagement remaining steady throughout the Black Friday period rather than spiking briefly and tapering off.
A key factor behind this performance is the growing familiarity of consumers with online shopping. Customers are increasingly leveraging platform features such as saved carts, brand stores, and price comparison tools to plan purchases in advance. This trend suggests that digital commerce is becoming embedded in everyday habits rather than being viewed as a one-off event.
Ojo also highlighted the role of Jumia’s JForce network in connecting digital commerce to local communities. “Our agents are critical to ensuring that customers across Nigeria, including secondary cities and smaller communities, have access to variety, consistent pricing, and reliable delivery,” he said. “During peak periods like Black Friday, JForce agents can respond faster, serve more customers efficiently, and build stronger local relationships. This isn’t just a distribution channel—it’s a pathway to sustainable income and inclusion.”
Reflecting on the overall performance, the CEO concluded: “What we’re seeing this year-end is steady engagement across categories, stronger consumer confidence, and partners like our JForce agents benefiting from increased activity.
“It confirms that Nigeria’s e-commerce ecosystem is maturing, growing in a more structured and resilient way. As the December Holiday Sale continues, we expect these patterns of familiarity, trust, and participation to sustain momentum and drive both commerce and community impact across the country.”
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking

Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has been ranked first overall in the 2025 Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard.

This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s digital economy.
The ranking, conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), is the definitive benchmark for digital excellence and transparency across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, received the award during a ceremony in Abuja.
He described the feat as a validation of the agency’s“Nigeria First”data sovereignty strategy and its relentless pursuit of service excellence.
This recognition comes as the Federal Government intensifies its push to achieve a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025.
GBB has been the primary architect of this transition through its 1Gov Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, which now hosts the operations of almost all federal MDAs.
The award adds to a growing list of accolades for Galaxy Backbone in 2025, following its recent win of the “International Standard Excellence Award for Best IT Service Provider.”
As the central hub for government shared services, GBB’s performance serves as a blueprint for other agencies currently undergoing digital transformation.
With its expanded fiber-optic backbone now covering over 13 states and its secure cloud solutions, Galaxy Backbone remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s vision to become a leading digital nation by the end of the decade.
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