Broadcasting
Cracking the Code – Unravelling the Complexities of Omnichannel Communication Excellence in the Retail Space
By James Gachie, Industry Lead at Infobip
Implementing an effective omnichannel communication strategy can provide retailers with a distinct edge in the competitive market, but the move can also present significant challenges for businesses operating within the ever-changing landscape of modern retail.
To overcome these hurdles and unlock the full potential of their omnichannel strategies, retailers should look to partner with the right communication technology specialist, invest in the appropriate technology and continually adapt to shifting customer expectation.
Omnichannel communication refers to a customer-centric approach that allows enterprises to integrate various channels and touchpoints to provide a seamless and consistent experience across all interactions with the customer.
A successful omnichannel communication strategy starts with integrating channels, meaning that a retailer must ensure that all communication channels are interconnected, working together to provide a synchronised experience for the customers. Secondly, it requires personalisation and contextualisation, which entails leveraging customer insights to deliver tailored recommendations and offers. In addition, customer engagements need to be contextualised, meaningful and targeted.
Lastly, an effective omnichannel approach must include aspects of data integration and analytics to guide decision-making regarding ongoing customer engagements. Data collected from various channels and touchpoints should be integrated into a single platform, enabling the organisation to invest wisely in the channels that exhibit the highest growth and yield the best results.
Difficult to achieve
Attaining a comprehensive omnichannel strategy is often difficult to achieve, due to the high technological complexities involved in its implementation, often becoming a major stumbling block for many businesses. For example, integrating multiple communication channels and touchpoints can be technically complex, especially in environments where multiple vendors offers different channels. However, by partnering with the appropriate communication technology partner, organisations can access a unified platform and comprehensive overview for all customer interactions across various channels, thereby simplifying the process and mitigating complexities.
Another common challenge around omnichannel implementation is that of data management and integration. For an omnichannel communication strategy to work, a company must rely on effective data management across various channels. Unfortunately, this is no easy task when coupled with the need to meet data privacy, accuracy and consistency requirements.
To implement an omnichannel communication strategy, a retailer must assess its current systems and infrastructure to identify the gaps and mutations that may hinder a seamless integration. From there, they should deploy a unified commerce platform that will act as a central hub for managing and integrating various channels and touchpoints and cross channel data synchronisation.
By synchronising customer data, organisations can establish a singular, reliable customer database that relies on first-party data to build detailed customer profiles that enables communication that is personalised and contextualised. Integration of customer data from various touchpoints further enables segmentation and customer profiling based on diverse metrics, including gender, geographical location, and age, for example.
Evolving customer expectations
However, retailers must also ensure that they stay ahead of evolving customer expectations and adapt their strategies to deliver consistent and personalised experiences across different channels in their omnichannel communication strategy. This is where personalisation at scale or hyper personalisation comes into play.
By leveraging customer data for segmentation and customer profiling, retailers can deliver a personalised experience and provide product recommendations, promotions and messaging targeted at either individual customers or segments. To achieve this at scale, companies will need to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, which will not only ensure that the messages reach the right individuals, but also keep profiles updated by constantly tracking customer behaviour.
To successfully implement an omnichannel communication strategy, companies should explore partnerships and collaboration, mainly because building these tools and solutions is not the core business of retailers. At the same time, retailers should also embrace cloud solutions that will allow them to scale, to be flexible and to assimilate integration across their existing solutions.
As the retail landscape moves towards conversational everything – marking, support, experience, and commerce – an experienced partner is key to supporting retailers to deliver personalised customer engagements, implement communication strategies and capitalise on the growth of conversational formats.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
Nigeria’s N58.18trn Budget and Rising Cost of Deficit Governance
Nnaemeka Ani – The Architect of ‘Code and Courage’
MTN Nigeria Appreciates Partners, Customers at Lagos Prestige Experience
InsomniaQ Spotlights African Creativity in Lagos
T2 Backs Youth Excellence as NCBC Wins Bosun Tijani Foundation Basketball Tournament
Nigeria Records Highest Weekly Cyberattacks in Africa — Report
Cyber Tsunami Hits Nigeria as Breaches Surge 1,047%, esentry Q3 Report Reveals
Financial Sector Faced AI, Blockchain and Organised Crime Threats in 2025 – Report
Minister Claims Bandits Exploit Poor Network, Bounce Calls Off Multiple Towers
Report Reveals Half of 2025’s Compromised Passwords were Already Leaked
News3 days agoHow Moniepoint’s Founders, Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike are Redefining African Tech and Finance
Telecom1 day agoGoogle Finally Allows Users to Change Gmail Address, Keeps Data and Services Intact
News1 day agoInsomniaQ Spotlights African Creativity in Lagos
General News1 day agoT2 Backs Youth Excellence as NCBC Wins Bosun Tijani Foundation Basketball Tournament
E-Financial6 hours agoNigeria’s N58.18trn Budget and Rising Cost of Deficit Governance
Telecom6 hours agoNnaemeka Ani – The Architect of ‘Code and Courage’
Telecom6 hours agoMTN Nigeria Appreciates Partners, Customers at Lagos Prestige Experience