Connect with us

E-Business

Robust ERP Platforms Vital for African Companies’ Global Relevance- SAGE

Published

on

sage.jpg
Kindly share this post

As Africa’s mid-sized enterprises expand across the continent and other parts of the world, so should they look at putting in place enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms that will allow them to seamlessly manage multiple legislative environments, currencies and languages.

That’s the word from Keith Fenner, ‎senior vice-president of Sales, Sage ERP Africa & Sage ERP X3 AAMEA, Director and Head of Sage Middle East.

He said that mid-sized African companies are now aggressively looking for growth in other parts of the continent, and as they expand out of their home countries, their requirements from their business systems become more complex.

International expansion brings with it a range of challenges in terms of managing the laws, financial reporting requirements, and tax regulations of multiple countries, said Fenner.

In addition, companies suddenly find themselves needing to manage multiple currencies and languages in their businesses.

With French, English, Portuguese and other languages used for official business, companies need a multilingual platform. They also need one that can support the dozens of currencies used across Africa.

“Many companies in Africa are still running their businesses on home-grown legacy systems or even using manual processes,” said Fenner. “In many cases, they don’t have the appetite for the time, risk, and cost attached to rolling out a complex, high-end platform. For that reason, we’re seeing a lot of demand in the market for systems that can be rapidly deployed to address the growing pains of a company on a global expansion drive.”

He added that enterprises should be looking for alternatives to the monolithic ERP packages of the past, since the global environment demands that they evolve quickly in response to changing laws, regulations, and business conditions.

“Today’s enterprise applications must be flexible and modular to cater for the complexities of a global business,” says Fenner. Gartner puts it thus: “The automatic quest for on-premises, single instance, single mega-vendor ERP capabilities (i.e., monolithic ERP) is dead.”

Managing Different Tax Regimes

Fenner notes that one challenge lies in managing the different company and income tax regimes in place across Africa. Each country’s tax authority and treasury has different requirements in terms of financial reporting, return submissions, calculations, invoice formatting and data retention.

A company’s financial system thus needs to be flexible enough to support each country’s needs, while also making it simple to consolidate figures for the expenses and revenues across the global business. The payroll poses further challenges for businesses, said Fenner.

“For many of our clients, complying with payroll rules in different African countries has been a complex and time-consuming exercise,” he notes. “Really large companies can outsource management of the payroll to one of the large outsourcing firms that specialise in processing for multinational companies, but it’s not an affordable option for mid-sized companies.”

Alternatively, some have tried to make do with an ERP system from one of the traditional vendors. The trouble is that Africa – especially its smaller countries – isn’t a major focus for all of the world’s large software companies. The result is that support can be patchy and changes to cater for new laws and regulations are often made slowly.

Point Pain

Another option is to use a point solution, be it a custom-developed tool or a locally supported package. But integration of this system with the global ERP platform can be complicated and expensive, said Fenner.

This is where the new Sage HR Management platform comes into play.

Sage HR Management is fully localised for the needs of most major African markets and complies with all tax regulations and labour laws.

The package streamlines compliance and helps organisations to stay on top of a dynamic and changing HR landscape.

It is completely attuned to the nuances of different African countries, catering (for example) for the different demands of Nigeria’s federal and state tax authorities. “We’ve made it a point of staying at the forefront of HR and payroll legislative changes in Africa, and update our solutions in a timely manner for the latest laws and regulations in conjunction with government and local authorities,” said Fenner.

A Fluid Environment

Fenner notes that Africa’s regulatory and legal environment is in constant flux, with financial reporting standards, tax regulations, and industry legislation (for example, mining royalties or Mozambique’s New Petroleum Regime) constantly changing.

That means companies need flexible solutions that are kept up to date with the latest changes.

He recommends that organisations look for ERP platforms that allow for a choice of cloud and on-premises deployments so that the company can chose the solution that makes sense for each region or country.

Modern cloud-based systems make it relatively quick to get a new country up-and-running with a business system ready for local market conditions, yet able to provide consolidated reporting information for head-office.

“Such solutions are a credible alternative to the rigid ERP architectures of the past,” Fenner says. “They improve agility and simplify software management, free up IT resources and reduce costs, accelerate implementation and benefit from a faster delivery of new features and functions.”

He added, “Globalisation is forcing African enterprises to keep costs under control and increase efficiency, while boosting productivity. The right business solution gives them instant, real time access to business critical data, providing them with maximum control over their operations.”


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Comments

E-Business

Study Reveals Majority of IT Professionals Show Openness to Cyber Immunity

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly, with organisations seeking more robust ways to protect their digital assets. A recent global study conducted by Kaspersky reveals a growing shift toward proactive security strategies, particularly the adoption of Secure by Design development and Cyber Immunity – an innovative approach that embeds resilience directly into system architecture.

The study highlights that 90% of cybersecurity professionals surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region are familiar with Secure by Design development. This methodology integrates security into the very fabric of a system from its inception, rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Such an approach is already employed in high-stakes industries like aerospace, where security cannot be bolted on later – it must be intrinsic. Despite its advantages, however, adoption has been slow due to challenges related to standardisation and cost.

Cyber Immunity is the next frontier in cybersecurity

Building on Secure by Design principles, Cyber Immunity takes cybersecurity a step further by creating systems that inherently resist attacks without the need for constant patching or additional security layers. The study reveals that most experts are familiar with Cyber Immunity but interpret it differently.

When asked what they associate with the term, 64% of respondents in the META region linked it to Secure by Design systems that remain resilient under attack, while 56% viewed it as a combination of technology and policy measures that block cybercriminal access. Another 48% connected it to highly skilled cybersecurity teams, indicating that while awareness is high, a unified understanding is still developing.

The growing demand for proactive security

One of the most striking findings is the optimism surrounding inherently secure systems. Over half of respondents in the META region (63%) believe it is already possible or definitely achievable to design systems capable of withstanding cyberattacks without relying on additional security solutions.

Another 32% think it might be possible, reflecting openness to this idea despite some uncertainty. This shift in mindset aligns with a broader industry trend: traditional reactive security measures are no longer sufficient.

With AI-powered threats and increasingly sophisticated attacks, organisations need solutions that do more than just detect breaches—they must prevent them by design.

Integrating Cyber Immunity into security strategies

The study emphasises that resilience, expertise, and flexibility will define the next generation of cybersecurity. While Secure by Design provides the methodology, Cyber Immunity represents the ultimate goal—systems so robust that they minimise reliance on external defences.

“For companies looking ahead, Cyber Immunity offers more than just protection — it brings clear business benefits. When systems are built to be secure from the ground up, there’s less need for constant updates, patches, and extra security tools. That means fewer costs, less strain on IT teams, and stronger, more reliable protection over time,” said Dmitry Lukiyan, Head of KasperskyOS Business Unit.

Most importantly in today’s threat landscape, Cyber Immunity offers robust protection against next-generation challenges — including AI-driven attacks capable of outmaneuvering traditional security measures.

When security becomes an intrinsic property of system architecture rather than an external addition, businesses gain more than just protection—they secure a competitive market advantage.

This proactive approach future-proofs critical infrastructure, enabling organisations to operate confidently even as threats evolve. It transforms cybersecurity from a defensive necessity into a strategic differentiator that accelerates digital transformation while mitigating risk.

As the cybersecurity environment becomes more complex, Cyber Immunity is emerging as a vital strategy. Organisations that adopt it now will not only enhance their protection but also position themselves ahead of the curve in an increasingly volatile digital world.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Konga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce platform, has launched its inaugural 2026 shopping campaign, Konga Jara, offering 25 per cent discount on Starlink internet kits alongside free nationwide delivery.

Konga launches Jara sales with 25% discount on Starlink kits, free delivery

Konga

The campaign, drawing from the Nigerian concept of “jara” — the extra value traders add to purchases — aims to deliver exceptional deals across categories, helping shoppers turn new year aspirations into reality through affordable technology and value-driven shopping.

To qualify for the Starlink discount, customers must purchase kits on Konga.com, activate them at starlink.com/activate, and email activation details to [email protected] for verification against Starlink’s records. Discounts are subject to terms and conditions.

Konga said spotlighting Starlink underscores reliable internet’s role in Nigeria’s digital economy, supporting work, learning, entrepreneurship and communication for households and businesses.

Mr Onochie Melvin, Head of Commercial Planning at Konga, said: “We listened carefully to what Nigerians said they needed to truly kickstart 2026 on the right footing. Reliable internet connectivity emerged as the foundation upon which other aspirations depend.”

He added: “Students need it for online learning, entrepreneurs need it to scale digital businesses, and professionals rely on it for remote work. This Starlink offer is not just about selling products; it is about removing barriers that prevent Nigerians from fully participating in the digital economy.”

Beyond connectivity, Konga Jara provides genuine products from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with transparent pricing, warranties and authenticity guarantees.

As a composite e-commerce ecosystem, Konga integrates shopping, payments and logistics for seamless nationwide access, with exclusive deals shared via its social media channels throughout the campaign.

Shoppers can explore offers at www.konga.com and follow Konga’s official pages for updates across the Konga Group.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

E-Business

Firm Identifies Global Scam Activity Linked to the Release of Avatar 3

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The premiere of Avatar 3 has taken place in several countries and has been accompanied by a noticeable increase in online interest. Amid the heightened attention surrounding the release, Kaspersky experts identified an increase in cyber-scam campaigns that exploit the movie’s launch and users’ desire to watch it online. The fraudulent websites target users across multiple regions, indicating attempts by attackers to reach a global audience.

The scam operates as follows: cybercriminals create suspicious websites that offer online access to the Avatar 3 movie. Attackers place particular emphasis on localisation, publishing the sites in multiple languages to attract users from different countries. However, the translations are often poorly executed and contain grammatical errors and inconsistencies, which may serve as indicators of fraudulent activity.

When users attempt to start the video, they are presented with a fake media player and prompted to register in order to obtain “full” or “unlimited” access to the film. As part of the registration process, users are asked to provide personal information, including an email address and mobile phone number.

At later stages, scammers may request additional data, including payment details, under the guise of activating a “free trial.” This creates risks of credential compromise, particularly if users reuse passwords across multiple services, and may also lead to financial losses.

“Cybercriminals consistently exploit major movie premieres to capture users’ attention and increase the effectiveness of their schemes. We advise accessing films only through official platforms and exercising caution when encountering websites that request personal or payment information. It is also important to use reliable security solutions to protect all devices, including mobiles,” comments Olga Altukhova, Senior web content analyst at Kaspersky.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending