E-Business
Building Viable Software Ecosystem Through Collaboration
Software is a key enabler of technological innovation; societies that understand this and play in developing it are today enjoying the huge benefits that come with it.
India for instance generates greater percentage of its foreign earning from software development which is higher than what some countries with mineral resources generate from such resources.
For a country to develop its software ecosystem requires concerted efforts not by chance. It is against this backdrop that stakeholders in the ecosystem have urged for collaboration among different players, be it regulator, developers, marketers and consumers of the products.
Adewale Adeyipo, chief executive officer, CWG Plc, said that the purpose of developing a viable software ecosystem is to create mutual values and innovative solutions for the Nigerian market, leveraging on platform-based business models and digital technologies, thus leading to a switch from direct competition to mainly platform competition.
He cited the cellphone industry, where rivalry is no longer between Nokia and Blackberry but rather between the Android and iOS ecosystems. “The ecosystem of Android does include not only the Google platform but also all mobile phone manufacturers, application developers, users, telecommunication services, etc.
“Companies such as Nokia and Blackberry are out of the market because they have not considered this development at all. In a sustainable software-ecosystem, all stakeholders benefit. Where just one part of the ecosystem has nothing to gain, the whole ecosystem can potentially collapse.
“Therefore, a viable software ecosystem is where all the market players engage, connect and share ideas across active communities and networks, as well as identify and convert opportunities into business. In the current age of technology-driven financial services, no market participant can afford to operate in silos.
“In Nigeria, the market players are still not fully active as it should be. To achieve a viable software ecosystem in the financial service sector in Nigeria, all stakeholders need to collaborate actively. There must be deliberate policies and regulations that will drive such inclusiveness
“The survival of our software ecosystem is dependent on the collaborations between the government and the financial service sector ecosystem. Services like Payment solution service providers (PSSP), Payment gateways providers, Bill payments platforms, E-wallets, and mobile money operators and Disbursement/settlement service providers. However, I cannot overstate the role of government and government apparatus,” he said.
On achieving certification in software development, Yele Okeremi, managing director, Precise Financial Systems, said: “For a company to mature to the level of achieving certain levels of certifications there is a minimum level of capital that the company must have. Now in a situation like ours in Nigeria, where venture capital is not easy and bank financing are near impossible, you find a vicious cycle playing out in which, the company is unable to certify because it does not have resources to do so and it is also unable to get jobs, which could have provided the source of capital it needs because it is being discriminated against due to lack of certification.
“What smart economies do is therefore to provide some funding organization to help companies either by way of subsidy or matching grants to quickly get certified so that the vicious cycle can be broken and give way to a virtuous cycle of prosperity. That is what we have failed to do in Nigeria and I am very sad about that. It is the collective responsibility of all well-meaning Nigerians to rally round their indigenous companies and scale them to international standards.”
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.
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.
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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