E-Business
Digital Infrastructure in Africa to Witness Boost Post Pandemic – Coker

COVID-19 pandemic has opened doors to new ways of communications in the face of lockdown of cities. As a result organisations have embrace working remotely which before now were used by few. Today, workplace software providers such as Microsoft, Google and Zoom witness increased demand for their work-from-home services.

According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, Microsoft Teams reached a new daily record of 2.7 billion minutes of use in one day, representing a 200% increase from 900 million minutes on 16 March.
Against this backdrop that Ayotunde Coker, managing director, Rack Centre, a data centre service provider explores the lockdown situation and the benefits it provides for the growth technology infrastructure in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Looking at how the world will look like post-COVID-19, Coker said: “One thing is clear, global technology has shown the capacity to be elastic and to scale.
“Working from home will be more accepted. But I don’t think it is just going to be working from home. There is something I call Semi-flex office locations. Imagine someone traveling from Agege to a contact centre somewhere on the Island which is about three hours traveling (due to traffic situations), you will find semi-flex office locations about half an hour into the journey and walk in, put your laptop down and with your headphone you connect to the contact centre and perform some routine due to the exigencies of your assignment. So, you are kind of working from home but from a semi-flex location.”
He said that outsourcing will ensure business sustenance. “Over the years we have been explaining to companies the need to focus on their core-business areas and outsource the none-core areas. Lessons learnt now will reinforce and deliver that value.
“EduTech will gain momentum. Children are working and studying at home now because they have been sent home due to COVID-19. What they require now is the data to follow their lectures online. Universities in the UK and US have been doing this for ages.
“In-country, we have the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) where most of the courses are online. So, we are going to see a change in the way we interact with our educational institutions.
On healthcare technologies, Coker said it will receive massive attention. “We now have high quality video augmented reality interaction with experts anywhere in the world; remote key control non-intrusive technologies are now being done by interaction through technology with our doctors in Nigeria.
“Quick consultation of experts will become normal; you can consult with all your patients before you travel to a place. So, by the time you see the patients they have been pre-consulted. This will save significant amount in health tourism.
“We are moving to an era where digital conferencing becomes normal; you don’t have to travel thousands of miles to attend a conference. You start to use augmented reality (AR) for you to virtual visit a stand of a company and interact.
“Docusign digital and blockchain technology will reach a new level of acceptability and use where contracts, agreements, real estate businesses, etc., will be enabled through technology.
“Internet Exchange volume will grow significantly and the world will become more digitally connected on the information super-highway.
“Data centre and technologies will now move to the Edge because businesses will not tolerate latency; the volume of data will be such that you will have to be on the Edge to get closer to the point of use.
“One of the things we have been doing is ensuring that customers with us continue to operate and I am glad that we are able to ensure that. Secondly, we are moving and doing our bit of making sure that Nigeria and our location is supporting the digital technology for West Africa. It is certainly a leading point for digital infrastructure in Africa.”
According to him, “global supply chain will change and it is a benefit for Africa. Most countries will embrace changes; enabling digital process and key changes that support ease-of-doing business. We have a good geo-physical location. For us it is not just going digital but how we optimize how we plug in to the global supply chain. And I think it is a great opportunity for us to embrace”.
He noted that it will be interesting to see how the new normal changes how we bring the information super-highway to the good old super-highway. “How we optimize relationship of the new technology with the established technologies, because we have to strike a good balance. And I believe that the balance we strike will be much more optimal in the way we drive things forward.
Speaking on the operations of his firm, Coker disclosed that Rack Centre had since doubled its capacity and had put infrastructure in place that would help organizations host their data locally to have access to their data from a remote location, without physically appearing at the data centre, a situation, he said, would boost efficiency and reduce costs of operation.
He said the innovation from Rack Centre has helped it to engage and have connections to over 35 of its major carriers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria, Tier 1 networks, pan African international carriers, and direct connection to all five undersea cables serving the South Atlantic Coast of Africa, and that every country on the Atlantic coast of Africa is directly connected to Rack Centre. He claimed that despite the lockdown, Rack Centre business is still up and running.
E-Business
NDPC, 60 DPAs Collaborate on Enforcing Privacy Rights in the Use of Al

Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has joined sixty (60) other Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) in endorsing the “Joint Statement on Al-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy.”

NDPC
The Joint Statement was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly.
This underscores the growing concerns regarding the privacy risks posed by Artificial Intelligence tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals.
The Joint Statement highlights concerns over the misuse of Al-powered tools to create non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and other harmful materials, particularly affecting children and vulnerable groups.
It calls on organisations to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, provide effective content removal mechanisms, and comply fully with applicable data protection laws.
The current effort forms part of a continuum of steps being taken by Nigeria to ensure the responsible use of Al. It will be recalled that the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, led the initiative for the development of the National Al Strategy.
The NDPC also issued the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which, amongst others, mandates privacy by design and privacy by default in the development and deployment of Al tools.
The National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed that the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) by data controllers and processors of major importance will serve as a yardstick for monitoring and evaluating responsible use of Al for data processing in Nigeria.
E-Business
Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology

Jumia Nigeria has announced the launch of Jumia Tech Week 2026, a two-week campaign offering customers access to discounted technology products across key categories, including smartphones, computing, home entertainment, and wearable devices.

Starting from March 2 to March 15, Jumia Nigeria’s Tech Week 2026 is themed ‘Tech Products for Less’ – a deliberate commitment by the e-commerce giant to drive down the cost of technology products for Nigerian consumers. The campaign offers significant price reductions across key product categories, enabling more Nigerians to access the devices they need at prices that reflect the company’s dedication to affordability and consumer value.
Jumia Tech Week will feature deals across a wide range of product categories, including mobile phones, computer systems and accessories, televisions and audio equipment, gaming products, home appliances, portable power solutions, health technology,, and wearable devices.
Customers will also have access to curated recommendations, including top smartphone deals, must-have accessories, gaming essentials, and home technology upgrades.
According to Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, the campaign reflects Jumia’s broader commitment to making everyday technology more accessible to Nigerians.
“Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and access to the right devices enables more people to participate fully in the digital economy,” said Ojo. “At Jumia, we remain focused on expanding access and improving the shopping experience as we continue to build Nigeria’s everyday retail destination.”
The campaign will include a range of customer engagement initiatives such as flash sales, brand days, anchor deals and interactive activities designed to enhance the online shopping experience.
Special highlight periods, described as Explosion Days, will take place on March 6 and March 13, featuring limited-time offers across selected technology categories. Customers will also be able to participate in interactive activities, including product-based games, treasure hunts,, and live shopping sessions during the campaign period.
The campaign will feature participation from leading brands including Oraimo, Silver Crest, Samsung, Ecoflow, Nivea and Aeon, offering customers a wide selection of technology, household and lifestyle products. Early access promotions already begun during the teaser period from February 16 to March 1, allowing customers to preview selected deals ahead of the official launch.
Jumia Tech Week forms part of the company’s broader strategy to expand e-commerce adoption by improving access to essential products and enhancing the customer experience across its platform. As Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to grow, Jumia remains focused on strengthening its product assortment, logistics capabilities, and digital experience to serve customers better nationwide.
Customers can participate in the campaign by using the Jumia mobile app or visiting the Jumia website and following the conversation online using #JumiaTechWeek.
E-Business
House Queries NDIC: ₦5m Max Payout for Failed Bank Depositors

Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) pays between ₦2 million and ₦5 million as deposit insurance to customers of liquidated banks, Managing Director Thompson Oludare Sunday told the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters during 2026 budget defence.

NDIC
House Spokesperson Akin Rotimi Jr sought details on depositor entitlements, citing Heritage Bank’s June 2024 collapse and public concerns over financial confidence.
Sunday explained NDIC’s mandate: banks pay risk-based premiums (now under 1%, down from 15/16 of 1%) to guarantee deposits. Coverage is ₦5 million for deposit money banks, primary mortgage banks (PMBs), and microfinance banks (MMOs); ₦2 million for other financial institutions.
Using BVN, NDIC auto-pays guaranteed sums without visits for amounts up to the limit. For Heritage, post-revocation, NDIC liquidated assets—selling buildings, recovering loans, realizing investments—and paid a second ₦24.63 billion dividend on January 6.
“Anything above ₦5 million or ₦2 million depends on recoveries,” Sunday said, noting ongoing asset sales and debt chases.
Committee Chairman Ahmed Jaha Babawo commended the clarity, noting the limit rose from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million recently. Over 90% of Heritage depositors got insured sums in under four days, meeting International Resolution Deposit (IRD) standards.
Babawo added liquidation dividends would be discussed in executive session.
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