E-Business
B2B e-commerce: The Aggregator Improving Business for Informal Retailers, Distributors

For aeons, Africa’s informal retail market was like the proverbial diamond in the mud. A case study is the Nigerian market which is the largest on the continent.
The market is valued at over $100 billion, yet shop owners experience difficulties in restocking goods due to a complicated distribution and supply chain. Despite the numerous challenges, their prospect is attracting interest from both local and foreign investors who are deploying technology to improve the sector.
Top on the list in recent years are B2B e-commerce brands like Alerzo, TradeDepot, Wabi2b who play majorly in the Nigerian market, connecting manufacturers, distributors and retailers through their digital marketplaces.
In recent years, informal retailers who embrace these platforms are having better business experience. With tech-driven supply chain and logistics, sellers in several rural communities get their orders processed and delivered at their shops.
Retailers are not sole beneficiaries of B2B e-commerce companies. For instance, Alerzo provides warehousing and fulfilment solutions to suppliers. The company currently owns over 200 vehicles and 20 warehouses to serve thousands of retailers on its platform. Also, the ability of these e-commerce platforms to penetrate rural communities make them good data banks, as they are able to gather information from their first hand interaction with retailers. Such data can be useful to public agencies for developmental planning purposes, as well as manufacturers and distributors.
“The informal retail sector is huge and robust. Hence, our activities and services have far reaching impact and benefits for all stakeholders in the value chain,” said Alerzo Limited CEO, Adewale Opaleye. He explained that a platform like Alerzo is a market aggregator and is not out to displace existing wholesalers/distributors in the chain. He said the company sees distributors as partners.
Another benefit for the market stakeholders is the increasing investment in logistics by e-commerce firms. The last couple of years have seen a rise in last-mile delivery and distribution companies with a large increase in on-demand services across many sectors.
While most players in Nigeria tend to focus on Lagos and Nigeria’s capital city Abuja, B2B brands like Alerzo cover other cities and rural communities where informal retailers dominate.
The logistics investment of B2B e-commerce companies are also helpful to manufacturers and distributors, as these platforms transport the ordered goods from manufacturers’ and distributors’ warehouses to the target retailers, scattered all over the country. In some cases, the service comes at no cost to these manufacturers and distributors.
While retailers are seen as lead beneficiaries of the emerging B2B e-commerce trend, other stakeholders in the market stand to gain immensely from these tech investments.
If the recent wave of digital activities in the informal retail sector is anything to go by, then the next five years promises a boom that would see the informal retail value chain make notable contributions in the Nigerian digital economy space.
E-Business
Nigeria Strengthens Cybersecurity, Launches National Cleanup Plan

Nigerian government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced a strategic collaboration to strengthen cybersecurity and clean up the nation’s cyberspace.
Recognizing that cybercrime knows no borders, Nigeria also reaffirmed its commitment to fostering stronger global partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
This announcement was made during a press conference before the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja from July 9th to 11th, 2025.
Sa’ad Abubakar, national cybersecurity coordinator from the Office of National Security Advisor, said fighting cybercrime must take the whole of society and the whole of the government approach.
According to him, “Apart from the deterrent approach whereby government agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest individuals, take them to court and prosecute them, the youth can be nurtured into better citizens who can showcase their capacity in better ways and be useful to the country.”
Similarly, Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, also stressed the need for collaborative efforts in fighting cybercrimes.
According to him “Then, in addition to that, we also want to build a stronger global collaboration with the global cyber security ecosystem, because when you look at cybercrime in general, it doesn’t respect the borders.
“Someone can commit a crime from Ghana using a Nigerian ID in the US. So you can look at him physically in a different jurisdiction, pretending to be in another jurisdiction, committing the crime in another jurisdiction.
“So without that kind of synergy and working together, it will be difficult to address these challenges. The third one is challenge. The third one is getting an alternative to cybercrime for our kids in Nigeria. We have this as a major challenge.”
Inuwa further highlighted the upcoming conference’s importance, noting that it would tackle key issues through workshops, discussions on emerging threats, cross-border cybersecurity collaboration strategies, and training programmes.
He also announced that the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 would feature the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, recognising top contributions in the field.
The DG extended an invitation to global partners to collaborate with Nigeria in building a safer digital future.
The press conference was attended by notable figures, including Ahmad Sa’ad Abubakar, National Coordinator of, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC); Hanniel Jafar, Representative of the President, of Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN); Ankit Shukla, Managing Director, QNA Marketing Management LLC and members of the press and other stakeholders.
E-Business
AXIAN Telecom Invests in Jumia Post-MTN Era

XIAN Telecom has acquired an 8% stake in pan-African e-commerce company Jumia Technologies, citing the platform’s fintech and logistics strengths as key drivers of its backing.
This marks the first major telecom investment in Jumia since MTN Group’s exit in 2020.
AXIAN, a fast-growing telecom and digital services provider with operations across Africa, disclosed the purchase in a Schedule 13D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
While the financial terms were not disclosed, AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber, described the move as a strategic alignment with Jumia’s growth trajectory and digital ecosystem.
“Jumia’s achievements in digital retail and fintech, particularly through JumiaPay and its logistics network, make it a very attractive investment for us. We believe in Jumia’s potential to promote financial and economic inclusion, which aligns with our core values,” said Jaber.
Once dubbed the “Amazon of Africa,” Jumia became the first African-founded tech company to list on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019.
But years of underperformance, leadership changes, and competitive pressures dented investor confidence.
In October 2020, South Africa’s MTN Group offloaded its 18.9% stake for $138 million, well below the $698 million value it once held post-IPO.
Since then, Jumia has undergone a significant transformation. Under CEO Francis Dufay, appointed in 2022, the company exited low-performing markets like South Africa and Tunisia, cut costs, and doubled down on core markets – Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco.
The firm is now focused on high-growth verticals, including everyday essentials and digital financial services.
Jumia’s regional CEO for East Africa, Vinod Goel, recently revealed plans to scale up international brand offerings and open its logistics network to third-party businesses.
Jaber underscored that AXIAN Telecom’s investment signals renewed confidence in Jumia’s long-term potential.
The telecom firm’s CEO said the company views Jumia as a key player in advancing Africa’s digital economy, aligning with AXIAN’s mission through its fintech and digital infrastructure brands such as Yas and Mixx by Yas.
E-Business
NIMC Plans to Register 95 Percent Nigerians by December

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general, National Identity management commission (NIMC) has said that the commission is set to register 95 percent of Nigerians into the National Identity Database before December 2025.

Abisoye Coker-Odusote,, DG, NIMC
She made this statement at a press briefing to highlight the commissions goal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on digital governance and inclusive development.
The mass enrollment drive will be powered by a combination of improved infrastructure, expanded registration centres, and robust public sensitization campaigns.
As of May 2025, NIMC reports over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled, and about 100 million more would be captured by December.
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