E-Business
Nigerian Used Cars Industry
The automobile industry is highly technical, with technology and innovation at the forefront. The irony, however, is that, a lot of the auto mechanics relied upon to fix these cars are not upgrading their skills, as many of them often attempt to guess what the problem is, instead of diagnosing the car first.
I was recently with Etop Ikpe, Chief Executive Officer, Cars45.com, a platform that allows used vehicle owners to evaluate, buy and sell their cars in 45 minutes. It is a Startup, seeking to sanitize the used cars industry and we talked at length on this.
Etop is of the view that technology plays an important role in just about everything we engage in, these days.
He asserted that the fundamentals of technology is improvement. To him, technology is not only about being digital when it comes to the automobile industry.
He stated that technology includes how transmission improves, fuel efficiency, understanding the nature of the car and even, the cars understanding the issues that they have themselves because, cars are in a better position to know what is wrong with them than any other person.
Etop gave the example of a new car that was just produced which does not require you to open the engine compartment before the engine oil is gauged. The idea, he stated, is to allow the car to tell you when it needs its engine oil to be changed.
“That is how much technology has impacted the automobile industry, and these changes will continue to occur”, he stated.
Stating why he went for servicing used cars, Etop stated that he needed to do something else apart from eCommerce and also needed behavioural change. He stated that he also wanted to bring some social angle to what he was doing as an Entrepreneur in Africa, in order to solve challenges.
Etop opined that, in most developed countries that we admire so much, it was, in fact, the people of those countries that changed the societies for the better and not necessarily their governments.
“It is the people that really drive change, so, for me, I think that one of the things that we have to start doing is recognising the importance of our role as an Entrepreneur, and when you are doing something, there has to be a social angle where you’re actually going to solve a real problem”, he stated. “When you solve a real problem, it creates absolute, massive value within your environment and this has to be a thought around job provision”, he opined.
Etop stated that solving problems, identifying opportunities , taking up big challenges, are actually the driving forces behind all that he has been doing with Deal Dey, Konga and also with Cars45.com.
He stated that, currently as things are, where Nigerian auto mechanics do guess work most of the time, they do not seem to have a future.
He, therefore, advised that auto mechanics in Nigeria should upgrade themselves and Cars45.com is doing something to re-orientate them and show them the future in doing things properly in the automobile industry.
According to Etop, he does not consider driverless cars a threat to Cars45.com because, the two are not within the same circle.
He does not also see that much threats to the work of Cars45.com because he believes that the ecosystem in used cars is just being developed in Nigeria, providing value for everyone. Etop, in fact, thinks that Nigeria is currently very far from driverless cars because, first, we need to fix our roads, GPS, etc., before we can start talking of using driverless cars. He, however, stated that the technology needed for a driverless car to work in an African environment can actually come from Nigeria.
“I think that there are even some areas where you see very direct routes, so, who says that driverless cars can’t work for school shuttles and things like that”, he concluded.
CFA is the Founder, www.CFAtech.ng & Co-producer/Presenter,Tech Trends on Channels Television
E-Business
OADC Lagos Reinforces Commitment to Local Data Hosting and Digital Transformation @ NDPC’s National Privacy Week Summit

Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Lagos has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s data protection and digital transformation agenda through its sponsorship and active participation in the Nigeria Data Protection Commission’s (NDPC) National Privacy Week Summit.

The National Privacy Week Summit, organised by the NDPC, convened policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to promote data privacy awareness, strengthen compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), and advance conversations around data security, sovereignty, and responsible data governance.
As a sponsor of the event, OADC Lagos demonstrated its continued support for the Federal Government’s drive toward local data hosting and data domiciliation, which are increasingly critical to safeguarding sensitive information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Through its carrier-neutral, Tier III Design certified data centre in Lekki, Lagos, OADC provides secure, resilient, and compliant infrastructure that enables government institutions and private sector organisations to host and manage data locally while meeting international best practices.
Commenting on the engagement, Adesola Adesugba, Country Marketing Manager, Open Access Data Centres Nigeria, said: “We are proud to have supported the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through the National Privacy Week Summit and to stand alongside the government in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.
“Strengthening local data hosting and domiciliation is fundamental to national data sovereignty, improved security, and sustainable digital growth, and OADC Lagos remains committed to enabling this future.”
OADC’s participation at National Privacy Week Summit underscores its role as a trusted digital infrastructure partner to government and enterprise, supporting secure cloud connectivity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term development of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Open Access Data Centres is part of the WIOCC Group and operates open-access, world-class data centres across Africa, serving cloud providers, network operators, enterprises, and public sector institutions.
E-Business
Kaspersky Launches OT Calculator to Align Cybersecurity Investments with Business Goals

Kaspersky’s new online tool has been specially developed for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs associated with insufficient operational technology (OT) security.

By offering detailed financial forecasts, the calculator empowers senior management to make well-informed decisions regarding security investments.
Industrial organisations increasingly depend on interconnected systems, elevating cybersecurity to a critical factor in business resilience and profitability.
According to VDC Research, over 60% of industrial companies last year reported that cybersecurity breaches had led to significant costs. Despite this, a persistent disconnect remains between security teams and executive leadership as security professionals focus on minimising risk, while executives must balance cybersecurity concerns with broader business objectives. This misalignment often results in competing priorities and underfunded security initiatives.
To bridge this gap, Kaspersky has launched the OT Cybersecurity Savings Calculator, an innovative online tool designed specifically for industrial organisations to assess the potential costs of inadequate operational technology (OT) security¹.
The primary aim of this tool is to translate cyber risks into tangible financial metrics and support strategic discussions around priorities and budget allocation. By entering details such as their sector, sub-sector, region, company size, breach history, and existing cybersecurity measures, organisations can estimate their potential cost savings and receive customised, actionable recommendations.
The calculator benchmarks performance against industry peers and highlights the company’s position within the current threat landscape.
“We believe this calculator is a powerful resource for transforming complex cyber risk data into straightforward financial insights. It enables OT leaders, security professionals, and executive teams to develop clear, data-driven business cases and recognise the value of cybersecurity investments. With actionable guidance, it promotes a comprehensive approach to resource management and strengthens overall organisational resilience,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product line at Kaspersky.
E-Business
Local App Developers Rake $1m in Sales in 2025- NOTAP

National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said Nigerian software developers have reached significant milestones with locally made applications generating over one million Dollar in sales across domestic and regional markets.

Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general of NOTAP, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.
Amadiobi said the development signified the growing strength of Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem and how local innovation powers digital growth.
She said it was also a direct outcome of targeted support initiatives led by NOTAP.
She added that the initiative helped to build capacity, protect intellectual property, and connect developers to market opportunities.
According to the NOTAP boss, the journey from concept to impact started with understanding and securing intellectual property (IP) rights, a step many local innovators missed.
“Whether it’s a literary work, a laboratory invention, or a creative digital product, the process of bringing an idea to life demands immense time, skill, and dedication.
“An innovator might wake up with a solution to a pressing problem; spend months testing and refining it and achieve remarkable results; so it is their fundamental right to patent that creation and claim ownership.
“Without this protection, someone else could easily replicate their work; patent it in their name; and legally control what was built with Nigerian brainpower,” she said.
Amadiobi said that the challenge was compounded by widespread digital piracy and counterfeiting, which hit the ICT sector hardest.
“From copied software applications to replicated content on social platforms like TikTok, unauthorised duplication has become a major barrier to growth.
“We see talented young creators develop unique digital content or tools, only to watch others rebrand and profit from their work within weeks,” she said.
The DG noted that most popular online personalities with distinctive styles often don’t realise they could protect their original contributions through IP registration.
She said that to address these gaps and unlock the value of Nigerian innovation, NOTAP implemented a multi-pronged strategy,- a cornerstone initiative – which is the Local Vendor Policy.
“The Local Vendor Policy mandates that foreign technology firms entering Nigeria partner with domestic counterparts,’’ she said.
Amadiobi said that among the performing apps are solutions addressing critical local challenges such as a mobile health platform that now serves 750,000 users across six states.
“There is also the agricultural marketplace connecting smallholder farmers to buyers; and an educational tool that has been adopted by 200 schools to improve learning outcomes,” she said.
She added that the apps were developed by teams that gained skills and resources through NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy.
According to her, the policy requires foreign technology firms operating in Nigeria to allocate a portion of their technical service fees to local partners.
“Three years ago, many of these developers were only providing support services to foreign companies.
“But today, they are building their own products that compete globally. 60 per cent of last year’s sales came from other African countries, showing our developers can lead on the continent,” she said.
The D-G explained that the one million dollar figure represented sales from over 50 locally developed apps, with individual developers earning between 5,000 dollars and 80,000 dollars from their products.
“Looking ahead, NOTAP aims to double these sales figures by 2027, with plans to expand support to developers focusing on fintech, renewable energy management, and climate adaptation tools.
“These are the sectors identified as high-growth opportunities for Nigerian innovation,’’ Amadiobi said
Telecom2 days agoTelecom Operators Invest Over $1Bn on 2,850 New Sites in 2025 – NCC
E-Financial2 days agoIf Capital is the Answer, What Exactly is the Problem with First Holdco
E-Financial2 days agoAmaanah Finance to Unveils Non-Interest Banking Services Today
General News2 days agoFirst Trustees to Host 8th Islamic Estate Planning Clinic in Abuja
News2 days agoNSCDC Hands over Fake Crypto Currency Trader to EFCC
News2 days agoAlakija’s Flourish Africa Provides N300m Grants for Women Entrepreneurs
General News2 days agoSecurity Forces Probe Use of Drones by Terrorists
E-Financial1 day agoAccidental Billionaire Opts for Jail Instead of Returning Money Credited Him by Mistake













