E-Business
Gowu, TICON President says Africa’s Data Revolution Must Drive Climate Finance Transparency

Amid global climate negotiations, as we move closer to implementing the Baku to Belém Roadmap with COP30 being held this month, Africa finds itself at a critical juncture.

David Gowu, President of Technology Information Confederation Africa (TICON Africa) said, the continent must not only secure its share of what is projected to be a $1.3 trillion climate investment pipeline, but also prove it is worthy of this financing.
This is key when the Roadmap requires that funding be used effectively, transparently, and in an equitable manner. None of this money can be wasted at a time when Africa urgently requires assistance in limiting the adverse effects of climate change.
If climate finance transparency is the backbone of the Baku to Belém Roadmap, then African technology companies must be its vital organs, tracking climate investment from disbursement to measurable climate outcomes through the intelligent use of data.
Across the continent, businesses are deploying artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and data analytics – from precision agriculture in Kenya to forest-monitoring systems in the Congo Basin. These examples show that the technological capability already exists.
Despite this, Africa’s tech sector remains largely sidelined from building the public sector technology and capability needed to track and report climate investment impact.
While African startups build innovative monitoring solutions, they’re rarely commissioned to create the government tracking systems that could address corruption, the very issue that sees billions in climate finance lost to misappropriation across the globe each year. The result is a persistent data gap that limits access to finance, weakens accountability, and undermines global transparency goals.
Africa needs to ensure that any use of climate finance is beyond reproach.
Why data matters
Data, when turned into information, transforms investment into outcome. It enables us to see whether money is being used effectively and whether promises are being kept. This is key for good governance – something Africa has been criticised for lacking.
When we have these insights, climate finance becomes measurable, comparable, and verifiable, building the trust required for long-term financing partnerships.
African countries contribute minimally to global carbon emissions, yet they are highly vulnerable to climate change. The effects include increased water stress, reduced agricultural yields, and heightened inequality. Millions have been displaced by drought, floods, and crop failures – all because the globe is getting too hot, too fast.
For Africa to reach Net Zero, we will need around $2.8 trillion – and that figure is already out of date. The African Development Bank Group estimates corruption amounts to around $10 billion, which is money lost to healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Many observers believe the true figure is much higher.
There is a solution. We can use Africa’s skilled data scientists and expert software developers to track financial flows and help reduce the money leaving our shores each year. In doing so, we strengthen governance through transparency, accountability, and data-driven oversight, which is a safeguard for Africa’s climate future.
African solutions for African challenges
Moreover, data helps us identify where urgent intervention will make the greatest difference and lift communities out of crisis. Why not use the talent already available on the continent? This will create much-needed jobs while skilling up the next generation of data scientists.
Africa already has AI-driven climate models and satellite-enabled monitoring of forests and farmlands. These are powerful examples of what’s possible when local expertise meets local context.
African companies are proving that technology built on the continent can solve global problems. Let’s harness the skills we have at home to ensure money is used as intended and directed where it’s most needed.
African data scientists bring two critical advantages: technical capability and on-the-ground knowledge. They understand local realities, governance structures, and community needs in ways external actors cannot. They know which regions face the most urgent threats and where funding will have the greatest impact.
This combination of technical sophistication and contextual intelligence is exactly what the transparency challenge demands. It is also how we will demonstrate good governance through measurable impact.
A matter of urgency
The Baku to Belém Roadmap created the framework for coordinated international action. Now African innovation must fill it with substance.
International donors and multilateral institutions should prioritise partnerships with African technology companies when building climate finance tracking infrastructure.
African governments must recognise their domestic tech sectors as strategic climate assets, investing in digital public infrastructure that supports transparent climate governance.
And African companies should step forward with confidence, knowing that their locally developed solutions can meet and even set global standards.
The technology exists. The talent exists. The urgency is undeniable.
Africa can lead the world in climate finance transparency, if we choose to trust our own capabilities and act with the speed this moment demands.
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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