E-Business
Coker, Rack Centre Boss Seeks End to Overseas Data Hosting

Aside from driving local content in the Nigerian ICT sector; hosting data locally will help drive gross domestic product (GDP) contribution goal of the industry; and boost the foreign exchange reserve, according to Mr. Ayotunde Coker, managing director, Rack Centre.
Coker who made the remark at the First Annual Summit on Data Localisation in Nigeria 2016 organised by ONC/NITDA in Abuja recently, added that even data security is no longer valid reason to host data outside shores of Nigeria.
The Rack Centre MD said, “In Nigeria we have significant capabilities. With respect to data centres, we have three Tier III data centres in the country, which not many countries in Africa can boast of that. Despite that, we have a lot of companies that are hosting their data abroad. Of course, they pass through some hassles to do that. Do you know that Rack Centre was the Africa’s only winner in the Data Centre Dynamics for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region for 2015 in London; the only African (company) to have done that. It shows a recognition of the quality we have been able to deliver in Nigeria.
“Secondly, this is an interesting time because of the state of the oil sector. So, it is a great growth opportunity to make sure we leverage the capacity we have: one, to satisfy local content. Thus, as we grow in the market, the pricing will improve. Three, it means that people don’t have worry about efficiency. If you data is hosted locally, there are many advantages,” he said.
According to Coker, “Few years ago when we did not have this kind of infrastructure, people had cogent reasons why they had to host data outside the shores of the country. Rack Centre has been live for the last 28months, but not even a second of downtime has been recorded. So, it is time for people to know we can provide these facilities and bring their data back to domicile in Nigeria. It is actually not efficient to host outside.
“Secondly, trust is a concern. I can assure everybody that we have attained a level of security that can boast of protection of your data. There is no danger with regards to your software security. We have a framework that helps organisations attain a level of security that cannot be offered them anywhere else. In addition, don’t you think you are more secured by your data been domicile in the country you are in rather than elsewhere that people can easily abuse it. Where we are now, those concerns are no longer valid reasons to host your data outside Nigeria. It is significantly beneficial to companies to host their data locally.
“And why would you want to build your own data center considering the significant amount of expenditure, time consuming and need high quality or specialized skill sets to run. For us, that is like bread and butter, because it is our daily routine. So, you can host with us and be rest assured to focus on your core business and save significant amount of you budget”.
On affordability, he said, to a great scale isn’t a problem, rather the society should focus on the value derivable from local data hosting.
“We are talking about IT delivering two million (2million) jobs in Nigeria, this is one of the components to grow the data and content consuming capability in the country. We create high quality employment which filters down the IT value chain creating even more employments. Data centre is the heart of a reliable IT ecosystem and value system in the country,” the Rack Centre MD added.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

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

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.”
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking

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

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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