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Uninterrupted Power Supply and the Tech Ecosystem

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Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, presenter of Tech Trends on Channels Television
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One of the most frustrating experiences earliest stage startups would be dealing with at the moment is most likely power supply. This is why many of them use the option of hubs and co-working spaces rather than renting their own office.

In my case, I may have been pretty successful in my craft but one behind-the-scene question is, would the situation have been different if I had not diverted funds meant for a car to acquire an inverter?

Without knowing it then, now I realize that move was the game changer for me, it meant I could stay in the trenches a little longer without the heavy burden of fueling a generator but the reality is that how many startups can truly afford to acquire an inverter especially those who are struggling to survive or reside far from hubs?

In my opinion, there can be no technological advancement or innovation without steady power supply and in the same vein, no power or electricity ecosystem (generation, distribution, billing or what have you) without modern technology – it is absolutely impossible in both cases, they are partners in progress.

The world will be forever grateful to Thomas Edison for Electricity because it became the fulcrum on which many other inventions, chief of which is the technology revolution (that has now turned the world into a global village) grew. Today, within the twinkling of an eye, you can transact and close business deals with anyone, anywhere in the world, without leaving the comfort of your home or office and its all thanks to technology.

Beyond what we now call the startup ecosystem, is the SME sector already employing millions of people and has the capacity to accommodate a lot more from Welding workshops, Barbing saloons, Hair dressing saloons, Internet Café, Fashion designers, Cold room operators and lots more.

All of these guys will contribute to economic growth one way or the other, if they have access to stable power supply to run their businesses seamlessly.

Also, and importantly too, manufacturing will once again boom in Nigeria as factories will be able to run their machines at cheaper electricity rates compared to the exorbitant cost of running them presently on diesel generators. This means that there will be a reduction in the cost of production.

A reduction in the cost of production will drive the prices of produced goods down, thus, making them affordable to the average Nigerian.

Further benefits of fixing the electricity issue in Nigeria is that, as reduction in production costs drives down prices, our products will be able to compete for export, especially in our immediate African market. This can, indeed, be the beginning of Nigeria earning serious foreign exchange from exports.

Exports earnings can improve the strength of the Naira against stronger currencies like the Dollar and save us from the present foreign exchange imbroglio we find ourselves.

From what I understand, those who invested in the power sector are more or less cash-strapped and therefore not able to invest in the process of replacing all the rusty and old equipments. One is tempted to ask; what did the Disco’s think they were buying into when they were bidding for the aspect of PHCN which they bought? Did they inspect the equipment they were buying at all? Did they price down the old equipment they were buying into when they bought, knowing that they have to invest in better equipment? Why should it now be the electricity consumers that should indirectly be funding the Fixed Asset side of the Balance Sheet of the Disco’s by financing their equipment purchase through the continued estimated billing strategy and proposed increase in tariffs? All these questions are begging for answers but I’d leave them for another day.

The truth is that no nation can be truly economically viable if its electricity sector is in the kind of crisis that ours is. I believe laws backing the electricity sector has to be knocked down further allowing more businesses generate and sell excess power to their neighbourhoods. I hear from the grapevine of a Nigerian ranch owner in a particular State in the US, who, not only generates electricity for his entire ranch estate, but sells the excess generation to the State! No wonder the difference is clear with the standard of living over there, compared to what obtains here. The government can take a cue from this and allow any of our brilliant Engineers who is capable to generate electricity have a soft landing. The more, the merrier.

The issue of alternative sources of electricity should also not be discountenanced in seeking to solve the electricity crisis in Nigeria. Technology has provided various other options, such as wind, solar and many more. The government should look at each community and see how best they can be helped to benefit from these alternative sources of electricity, thus, by-passing the Discos.

I expect to see positive changes in the direction of improving the supply of electricity, albeit with the supply of preferable, prepaid (smart) meters, in the nearest future otherwise our Tech ecosystem and other businesses will crawl forever.

So the question is, can we develop our tech ecosystem without uninterrupted power supply?

Yes, I know power may have improved considerably in certain parts of the country but how are we sure it is not a fluke brought about by the rainy season? If you are old enough, then you may have heard this excuse every now and again. Only time will tell though!

CFA is the Founder, www.techsmart.ng and Co-producer/Presenter, Tech Trends on Channels Television

 

 


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E-Business

Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

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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.


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Jumia CEO says Black Friday Signals Nigeria’s E-Commerce Maturity

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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.”


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Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking

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

Galaxy Backbone Tops FG's Website Performance Ranking

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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