E-Business
Africa in Danger of Digital Disruption- Ekeh
Serial digital entrepreneur and Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh has raised the alarm over an impending digital disruption in Africa occasioned by the challenges of mass unemployment and the failure of most African states to match the rapid pace of digital evolution.
He made this call during a breakfast talk with select entrepreneurs from Africa and Asia in Dubai Marina on Sunday.
Ekeh, a renowned digital enthusiast and global advisor to Microsoft, disclosed that Africa has barely 13 and a half years to avert the impending disruption which may throw the continent into the proverbial Dark Ages.
“19 years ago, I had warned on the need for Nigerians and Africa, as a whole, to wake up from a self-imposed slumber and follow the pace of digital evolution. How? By creating resources that will empower more ventures for employment of our teeming youthful population. This is essential because the rise of computing and the coming age of super-computers is bound to take many jobs away while making others redundant.
“This warning was largely unheeded as only a few paid attention. As at today you have over A million high tech incubation centers in Asia alone while Africa has less than 500 and must of them less equipped and politically driven. But we are beginning to see the consequences today.
Unemployment is rife and has transformed into a major problem confronting many African economies with no concrete solution in sight. With the global pace of advancements in ICT, the situation is bound to worsen. Many more hands and jobs will be displaced by technology and the failure to expand and create more industries to accommodate these losses will be felt more harshly,” he posited.
Ekeh’s position was echoed in a recent presentation by Luc Cortebeeck, Vice-President, Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) who mentioned new technology as one of the major challenges facing the future of work. Cortebeeck disclosed that the world is suffering an official unemployment rate of 210 million people, with an estimated 600 million extra jobs needed to fill the gap by 2030.
According to Ekeh, Africa has a limited period of time in which to act to avoid being left behind by the rest of the world.
“A major digital disruption will happen in Africa 13 and half years from today. Last year, we had about 15 years left but it is now 13 and a half years for this disruption to climax for those not prepared. The signs are already here. Internet of Things is progressing at a high speed; major countries are investing in robots and what I regard as digital oracles such as IBM Watson, and others to replace humans in many areas of endeavour including law, warehousing, factories, medicine, security, traffic control etc.
“The major concern for Africa is that this might cause a revolution as investors will have no choice than to prefer robots for example over humans to run their operations. Remember, robots are not dumb and deaf; they do not go to church, night vigils, mosques or village meetings; they don’t belong to labour unions and social clubs, do not technically fall sick and only require servicing every 37 days; hence more productive than humans.
“In my hunger to anticipate and prepare for the future, I lost millions of dollars with other investors from Europe and Middle East in Asia last year in our research on advanced technology but please note that, many others with critical infrastructure at their places of birth are succeeding. Mine was a focus on solutions to avert disaster that could erupt in my country not too long from today. We lost money as a result of the lack of certified research incubators and credible local database of certified knowledge workers in Africa. A lot of us had to engage in research in Asia to find solutions to advanced technology and robotics because of their hunger to lead the world from the second quarter of this century.
“If Africa does not prepare for robotics, the continent will be completely displaced by quality goods from Asia and other continents at cheaper prices. As we speak, Google and Tesla are making huge progress with the assembling of driver-less cars using robots while advancing in technology for remote charging of electric cars – a move that will radically change the way we live, commute and completely eliminate the use of petrol and drivers. In another 10 years, most corporates will deploy these cars without drivers and zero fuel which shall drastically reduce the cost of doing business and shareholders will celebrate their management.
The question then is: who will purchase tech products coming out from Africa in a few years’ time since these will be considered sub-standard and too expensive?”
While urging the participating entrepreneurs not to lose hope, he noted that the sweeping digital upheavals is a learning curve for them.
“Most of you from Asia may be partially disrupted but you have the tact to realign. However, my biggest fear is for most African countries whose leaders and private sectors are not anticipating a light-weight but wealth filled future. It will be a disaster to deny their citizens the right to wealth which is the core strength of this century in which no one is created by God to be poor.
“For those of who are Nigerians, some of you migrated to the UAE and Asia for survival but you must enhance you profile with skills to anticipate the future. You have earned exposure and a level of confidence but you must quickly skill up and return home to lead those of us with analogue businesses and mentality. It is clear that any company that would survive in the third quarter of this century must be a technology company: hotels, airlines, banks, etc. shall all transit to technology companies.
“In spite of the depressed economy, we have globally celebrated corporate giants in Nigeria such as the Dangote Group, Globacom, just to mention a few, so there is no better time to start thinking of bringing home digital civilization. Consider the booming youthful population, growing sophistication and literacy levels, desire to live well and lifestyle patterns – these are major factors that make Nigeria the best place to invest in and reap bountifully.
“Do not be discouraged by the number of billionaires in the system but wake up to the opportunity to create legitimate mega wealth. In Nigeria, these opportunities are limitless as I started there from zero to become somebody today. My story shall be documented soon,” he concluded.
Jumia Nigeria, the country’s e-commerce platform, has introduced a new instalment payment option on its marketplace through a partnership with Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) provider Klump, giving customers another way to pay for purchases without bearing the full cost upfront.
The new option allows eligible customers to spread payments for selected purchases over a period of up to 12 months after making an initial deposit of between 20 and 30 percent. The partnership is expected to widen access to products such as smartphones, electronics, home appliances, and other everyday essentials for consumers who may prefer structured repayment plans over one-time payments.
Customers selecting the option at checkout can compare financing offers from participating financial institutions, complete a digital credit assessment, and, once approved, begin repayment through fixed monthly instalments. The introduction of instalment payments comes as digital commerce continues to evolve in Nigeria, with retailers exploring payment options that respond to changing consumer spending patterns and the growing demand for financial flexibility.
Commenting on the partnership, Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, Temidayo Ojo, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to making online shopping more accessible to a wider range of consumers.
“We are constantly looking at practical ways to remove barriers to online shopping. For many customers, affordability is not always about the price of a product but about having payment options that fit their financial reality. By introducing instalment payments with Klump, we are giving customers greater flexibility while making quality products more accessible.”
He added that expanding payment choices forms part of Jumia’s wider effort to improve the overall customer experience and support the company’s ambition of becoming Nigeria’s everyday retail destination.
“Whether we are strengthening our logistics network, expanding product selection, or introducing new payment solutions, the goal remains the same: to make shopping on Jumia simpler, more convenient, and more accessible for customers wherever they are,” Ojo said.
Founded to simplify access to goods across Africa, Jumia has continued to invest in technology, logistics, and payment solutions to make digital commerce easier for consumers in both major cities and emerging markets across Nigeria.
The addition of instalment payments complements the range of payment methods already available on the platform and comes at a time when consumer demand for flexible financing options is increasing across the retail sector.
Celestine Omin, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Klump, said the partnership aligns with Klump’s objective of expanding access to responsible consumer credit.
“When we started Klump, our mission was simple: to give Nigerians access to affordable credit wherever they shop. Today, we’re pleased to partner with Jumia to bring flexible instalment payments to one of Africa’s largest e-commerce marketplaces, making it easier for more customers to access the products they need,” Omin said.
Under the arrangement, Klump will provide the financing infrastructure while customers complete the application process digitally during checkout. Financing offers are provided through participating financial institutions, subject to approval.
For Jumia, the partnership represents another step in expanding the range of services available on its marketplace while supporting broader efforts to deepen digital commerce and financial inclusion. As more Nigerians turn to online shopping, the availability of flexible payment options is expected to lower one of the barriers to e-commerce adoption, particularly for higher-value purchases.
Customers can access the instalment payment option by selecting Klump at checkout on eligible products available on the Jumia platform.
The Lagos State Government has launched a new financing initiative that will provide single-digit interest loans of up to N10 million to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in a major push to improve access to affordable credit and stimulate business growth across the state.
The initiative, known as the Lagos State Access to Finance for SMEs through Cooperatives (LASMECO) programme, offers eligible businesses loans at a fixed 9 per cent annual interest rate, with repayment periods of up to 36 months for term loans and 24 months for working capital facilities. Beneficiaries will also enjoy moratoriums of six months and three months respectively.
The scheme was unveiled on Monday during the opening of a three-day LASMECO Accelerator Training Workshop organised by the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, in Lagos.
In her keynote address, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem, said the programme was designed to bridge the financing gap facing thousands of Lagos businesses that have been priced out of conventional lending because of high interest rates and stringent collateral requirements.
Ambrose-Medebem, represented by the Director of Cooperative Services, Adeyinka Adeyemi, noted that MSMEs account for about 80 per cent of employment and contribute roughly 75 per cent of Lagos State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet many struggle to access affordable credit as commercial lending rates range between 35 and 40 per cent.
According to the commissioner, LASMECO addresses the challenge by using registered cooperative societies as financial intermediaries and guarantors, allowing entrepreneurs to obtain loans without relying solely on conventional collateral.
Under the financing framework, she said borrowers will provide 10 per cent cash collateral, while their cooperative societies will guarantee 25 per cent of the loan, adding that Sterling Bank Plc would provide a 50 per cent guarantee, creating a layered risk-sharing structure that makes lending more accessible and sustainable.
The programme targets businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, the digital economy, creative industries, tourism, environmental sustainability and education.
The commissioner disclosed that the Lagos State Government has released its counterpart funding, while the Bank of Industry (BOI) has matched the state’s contribution, paving the way for loan disbursement, saying that BOI would serve as co-funder and final loan approver, while Sterling Bank would process applications, conduct credit assessments, disburse funds and recover repayments.
The commissioner reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to ensuring the success of the initiative, expressing confidence that the programme would unlock affordable financing for thousands of entrepreneurs while boosting employment, productivity and economic development across the state.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Babatunde Onigbanjo, said the workshop marked the transition of LASMECO from policy to implementation, stressing that the programme was fully funded and ready for rollout.
He said all necessary groundwork had been completed, including the release of counterpart funding, execution of memoranda of understanding and onboarding of accelerator organisations, adding that participants were now being equipped to begin recruiting and preparing loan beneficiaries.
According to him, the three-day workshop is designed to prepare accelerator organisations to identify eligible MSMEs, assess their credit readiness, compile loan applications and support borrowers from application through disbursement and repayment.
Onigbanjo urged participants to focus on quality rather than quantity in recruiting loan applicants, warning that poorly prepared businesses could increase loan defaults and undermine the programme.
He stressed that accelerator organizations would only be paid when the businesses they support successfully secure funding, saying the arrangement was intended to align their interests with the success of the programme.
The permanent secretary also emphasised that every loan applicant must belong to a registered cooperative society, describing the cooperative model as central to the programme because cooperatives provide a 25 per cent guarantee for every facility while helping to formalise informal businesses.
He disclosed that Lagos has more than 13,000 registered cooperative societies, although only about 1,900 to 2,200 are currently active, adding that reviving dormant cooperatives would significantly expand access to the financing scheme.
Onigbanjo warned accelerator organizations against charging applicants processing, training or evaluation fees, stressing that the only approved deductions are a N200,000 accelerator support fee and a one per cent BOI appraisal fee, both payable only after successful loan disbursement.
He said the state would closely monitor loan recovery, business growth, job creation, cooperative compliance and portfolio performance, adding that only accelerator organisations that deliver strong results would remain in the programme.
The permanent secretary described LASMECO as more than a loan scheme, saying it is also a strategy to formalise businesses, strengthen cooperatives, promote industrialization and drive inclusive economic growth across Lagos.
He urged participants to make full use of the workshop to prepare for immediate enrolment of qualified businesses, insisting that the programme had moved beyond planning and was now ready for implementation.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to drag the National Assembly to court over a proposed amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act, which it alleges could indirectly empower the government to shut down social media platforms in Nigeria.
SERAP, which made the threat in an open letter to Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, and Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives, urged them to immediately reject and withdraw the Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North).
The civil organisation described the proposed legislation as a “backdoor attempt” to regulate social media and expand government control over online expression.
It further warned that if the bill is enacted in its current form or a substantially similar one, it would “promptly take all appropriate legal actions” to challenge its legality in the public interest and protect the fundamental rights of Nigerians.
The bill seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers, and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.
It further empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days.
SERAP, in the letter dated July 18, 2026 and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, argued that the proposed powers could enable an administrative agency to impose what would effectively amount to a nationwide restriction on digital communication without adequate judicial or procedural safeguards.
“The Bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase governmental control over online expression through corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation,” the organisation said.
It also maintained that the proposed localisation requirement could increase government leverage over technology companies, facilitate political pressure, and make censorship demands easier to enforce.
SERAP further warned that requiring companies to establish local offices could expose their employees in Nigeria to retaliation.
The organisation said the proposed amendment could affect millions of Nigerians who rely on digital platforms to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, access information, associate with others, participate in political life, conduct business, pursue education, and engage in civic advocacy.
SERAP particularly criticised the proposed power of the NDPC to prohibit entities from operating in Nigeria after a 30-day period of non-compliance.
It said the bill contains no requirement for prior judicial authorisation, no obligation to consider less restrictive alternatives, and no meaningful safeguards to assess the impact of a prohibition on the fundamental rights of millions of Nigerians.
“In effect, the Bill empowers an administrative agency to impose sanctions comparable to a nationwide restriction on digital communication without the procedural guarantees ordinarily required whenever fundamental rights are at stake,” it said.
SERAP argued that the proposed provision could not withstand scrutiny under Section 45 of the Nigerian Constitution, which permits restrictions on fundamental rights only when prescribed by law, pursued in the pursuit of a legitimate aim, and reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.
While recognising the government’s legitimate interest in ensuring that digital platforms comply with Nigerian law, the organisation contended that such regulation must meet the constitutional criteria of necessity and proportionality.
“There is no evidence that existing powers under the Nigeria Data Protection Act are inadequate, that current enforcement mechanisms have failed, or that less restrictive alternatives would be insufficient,” it stated.
SERAP further cautioned that the proposed legislation could recreate the repercussions of the Federal Government’s suspension of Twitter, which the ECOWAS Court of Justice previously criticised
In SERAP and Others v. Federal Republic of Nigeria, the regional court ruled that the Twitter suspension infringed rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Although the proposed amendment differs from the Twitter suspension, SERAP argued that it might produce a similar outcome indirectly by empowering regulators to bar digital platforms from operating in Nigeria.
“The National Assembly should not enact legislation capable of producing, through indirect regulatory means, the very restrictions on fundamental rights that regional human rights law prohibits,” the organisation emphasised.
It also cited Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter, as securing freedom of expression and access to information.
SERAP maintained that international human rights standards mandate restrictions on freedom of expression to be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and the least intrusive means available to achieve a legitimate public goal.
The organisation additionally warned that mandatory localisation requirements could undermine Nigeria’s digital economy and innovation ecosystem by raising compliance costs for technology firms, start-ups, open-source projects, educational institutions, research organisations, and artificial intelligence developers.
It argued that the proposed amendment might make Nigeria less attractive to technology investors and conflict with the objectives of the Nigeria Startup Act 2022 and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.
“The National Assembly should not achieve indirectly through regulatory localisation requirements what it cannot constitutionally achieve directly through restrictions on social media. The practical consequences for millions of Nigerians would be indistinguishable from a platform ban,” SERAP stated.
It urged Akpabio and Abbas to reject and withdraw the bill, warning that its enactment would breach the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s commitments under international and regional human rights instruments.
“The National Assembly should seize this opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and Nigeria’s digital future by immediately withdrawing the Bill,” SERAP added.
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