E-Business
Expanding Internet Connectivity to Boost Domestic e-commerce Growth

In the recent decade, the internet has significantly impacted the Nigerian business environment. Almost every household in major Nigerian cities has someone running a successful internet-based business. The ever-increasing volume of e-commerce activities attests to the widespread impact.

Thousands of retail businesses would not exist today if it weren’t for the internet and e-commerce. Increased internet usage has opened up new opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment across the country.
“According to a recent poll, 30-40% of our vendors indicated Jumia was where they started their business. Some sellers came to Jumia to expand their business,” said industry leader and Jumia Nigeria Chairwoman Juliet Anammah.
There’s still a lot more ground to cover in comparison to the overall goal. According to an Accenture analysis on Africa iGDP Forecast, the continent’s internet economy has the potential to contribute $180 billion by 2025, with a projected increase of up to $712 billion by 2050. The fact that companies in the internet sector, in general, have outperformed other sectors of the economy shows a pattern for the same.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) recently released telecoms report, the number of Internet subscribers in Nigeria increased by 14.03 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 154.3 million, up from 140.28 million the previous quarter. Lagos, Kano, and Ogun State lead the way with 37.61 million subscriptions as of December 2021.
Industry experts have stressed that the major hurdle to enhancing internet connectivity in the country is building subsea cables, as there has been a shortage of fibre links and transmission.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy has confirmed plans to roll out a 5G network across the country by 2022. This is expected to bridge the infrastructure gap further, as more cables will be laid, which will lead to increased e-commerce activity in the country.
E-commerce-based businesses have been leading drivers of growth and diversification of Nigeria’s economy in the last decade. The sector is boosting the economy by increasing productivity, promoting innovation, improving knowledge management, educating customers and providing better shopping experiences.
According to the International Trade Administration, the current e-commerce spending in Nigeria is estimated at $12 billion and is projected to reach an impressive $75 billion in revenues per annum by 2025.
While the major states are gaining more internet access, it is important to penetrate the secondary and rural communities. Investment in internet penetration to these communities will bring more Nigerians into the business world and propel the country towards achieving its 2030 digital economy projections.
E-Business
Kaspersky Warns of a New Phishing Technique Leveraging Bubble, a no-code AI Platform

Kaspersky has discovered a new phishing tactic used to evade traditional security controls that exploits Bubble, a platform that allows users to build web and mobile applications through a visual interface without writing code.

Attackers are increasingly adopting innovative tools designed for legitimate software development and repurposing them to boost phishing campaigns.
Traditional phishing attacks often rely on malicious links or obvious redirection techniques, which are typically flagged and blocked by modern security systems.
However, attackers are now leveraging Bubble’s no-code environment to generate intermediary web applications which are hosted on Bubble’s legitimate infrastructure and trusted domains such as *.bubble.io, which improves their credibility and helps them bypass security filters.
These applications function as disguised redirectors, silently forwarding victims to malicious credential-harvesting websites.
In the observed campaign, victims were ultimately redirected to a convincing imitation of a Microsoft login page, protected by a Cloudflare verification layer designed to further obscure malicious intent.
This technique is likely being integrated into broader phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platforms and phishing kits. These kits enable a wide range of malicious capabilities with ready-made tools, including real-time interception of session cookies, driving phishing campaigns through legitimate services such as Google Tasks and Google Forms, and carry out adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) attacks that can bypass multi-factor authentication.
They also support the generation of phishing emails using AI, implement geo-filtering and anti-detection mechanisms to evade security crawlers and are often hosted on reputable cloud services like AWS to avoid blacklisting.
“The use of legitimate platforms like Bubble introduces a new level of trust abuse, making it harder for both users and automated systems to distinguish between safe and malicious content. This significantly increases the likelihood of credential theft, unauthorised access and potential data breaches,” comments Roman Dedenok, Anti-Spam Expert at Kaspersky.
E-Business
NITDA Takes Over National Digital Architecture System

Nigeria has taken a major step toward strengthening its digital governance framework as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) officially assumes control of the Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA) infrastructure.

The handover ceremony held in Abuja, marks the culmination of a high-level partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
This transition signals a shift from fragmented IT projects to a unified, disciplined approach to national digital investment.
The NGEA initiative forms a core part of the e-Government Masterplan 2.0 (Ne-GMP 2.0), aimed at establishing a unified and structured approach to managing government IT investments and digital resources.
The framework is designed to ensure that technology deployment across public institutions aligns with national priorities while improving efficiency and accountability.
With the system now operational, government agencies are expected to adopt more integrated digital processes, allowing seamless data sharing and interoperability.
This is anticipated to reduce duplication, strengthen risk management, and translate policy objectives into measurable digital outcomes.
Over the past two and a half years, Nigerian technical experts worked closely with their Korean counterparts to develop the architecture framework, create reference models, and execute pilot programmes in key institutions.
These include the National Identity Management Commission, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and NITDA.
Officials say the NGEA represents a shift from fragmented digital efforts to a more coordinated, citizen-focused system.
The infrastructure is hosted by Galaxy Backbone Limited, providing a secure and reliable platform for nationwide deployment.
Looking ahead, NITDA is expected to work with government stakeholders to expand and sustain the system, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy will provide policy guidance to ensure its adoption across the country.
E-Business
FG Shifting Focus to “Meaningful Connectivity” to Drive Inclusion – Minister

Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, has said the government is shifting focus from expanding access to ensuring “meaningful connectivity” that drives economic growth and inclusion.

Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy
The minister made the statement on Friday while addressing stakeholders at the inauguration of board members of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) in Abuja.
He said that although Nigeria had made significant progress since the introduction of GSM services, millions of people, particularly in rural and underserved communities, remain either unconnected or unable to fully benefit from digital services.
Dr Tijani highlighted ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, including plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network and nearly 4,000 telecom towers nationwide.
He said initiatives under the USPF had improved access through projects such as rural connectivity and digital facilities in schools but stressed that the next phase must prioritise effective usage.
“It is not enough to connect a community. We must ensure that schools can teach with digital tools and that small businesses can access market opportunities,” he said, citing a pilot project in the Kura community where connectivity has enhanced access to communication, education and healthcare.
Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also called for a shift towards meaningful connectivity, noting that while data usage had grown significantly, it remained concentrated in urban areas.
According to him, recent data shows that telecom usage has increased by about 160% over the past two years, largely driven by urban demand.
“When we drill down, we see that a lot of that growth is actually in urban centres. So, the gap between those who are not connected or not meaningfully connected is growing,” he said.
Dr Maida added that the trend underscored the need for the USPF board to intensify efforts to bridge both access and usage gaps across the country.
Both officials emphasised the importance of collaboration, sustainable investment models and improved digital literacy to ensure that connectivity translates into real economic benefits for Nigerians.
E-Financial2 days agoCBN bars large‑ticket loan defaulters from banking services in tough new crackdown
General News2 days agoARN Rejects Medical Bill over Attempt to ‘Scrap’ Profession
Telecom2 days agoNIGCOMSAT Supports Startups Growth with the Launch of Accelerator 3.0
Telecom2 days agoFG Unveils Digital Economy Research Fund Scheme
News2 days agoMeningitis Kills a Quarter Million People a Year -Study
News2 days agoStakeholder says AI is Crucial to Nigerian Data Centres Amid Persistent Grid Collapse
- General News2 days ago
Nigeria Advances Digital Governance as NITDA takes over NGEA Portal
General News2 days agoZarttech Reflects on Its Role in Changing Global Perceptions of Africa


















