News
How Konga is Revolutionizing Agriculture in Nigeria through e-Commerce
Konga, Nigeria’s foremost composite retail giant, has once again led from the front, revolutionizing agriculture in Nigeria by leveraging e-Commerce in helping rural farmers access better agricultural inputs such as crop seedlings, fertilizers and much more at highly competitive prices.
The initiative, a first in Africa, is a partnership with UKAid-funded Frontier Technology Livestreaming established in 2016 to help innovators apply frontier technologies to the biggest challenges in development.
The programme, which commenced in March 2019, has seen Konga – arguably the most trusted player in Africa’s biggest market – leverage its e-Commerce engine, huge technology backbone, Central Bank of Nigeria-licensed payment system – KongaPay, considerable network of branches across the nook and crannies of Nigeria, advanced delivery capabilities through an internally owned logistics outfit – KXpressand effortless ability to reach the last mile in empowering rural, smallholder farmers to overcome obstacles faced in their agricultural practices.
Konga emerged as the technology partner for the project after it came out tops in a rigorous selection process.
Through Konga, the agricultural sector – one of the most important in Nigeria in view of the fact that it provides livelihoods for about 70 per cent of the rural population – is receiving a much-needed turnaround aided by technology.
Part of the challenges that have for long held back this critical sector is that of reduced yields attributed to limited use of modern agricultural inputs by farmers, sub-optimal delivery times and limited information on availability and price.
This problem confronts about 80 per cent of farmers in the rural population, the overwhelming majority of whom are small-scale farmers who contend with low productivity, resulting in severely reduced incomes. In addition, these farmers are often excluded from the formal sector and find it difficult to access capital or credit facilities. Also, most agriculture input suppliers are based in the urban areas, with limited presence in rural areas due to high transaction costs.
However, Konga is bringing its suite of advanced competencies to bear in revolutionizing this sector.
Specifically, Konga is making it easy for these rural, smallholder farmers to purchase agricultural inputs online, meeting demands that have for long defied government and other allied agencies. Further, the e-Commerce giant is providing farmers in hard-to-reach, far-flung and under-served locations in Nigeria with an easy to use platform for listing and purchasing agricultural inputs and products, as well as providing logistics through KXpress and a reliable payment solution through KongaPay within the ecosystem.
Konga’s e-Commerce platform is accessible to rural farmers with low internet connectivity, allowing them to buy inputs at competitive prices from agro-dealers and suppliers, with pre and post-pay options.
So far, Konga has recorded commendable success with the initiative, onboarding 12 merchants, recording over 7000 hits on the website and successfully delivering scores of orders.
GaniatEttu, an Independent Technical Expert on the project, has hailed Konga for its sterling work.
‘‘The biggest challenge has been onboarding the suppliers, the agro dealers. Konga is used to doing business with dealers, but they found that in this space, it’s not business as usual given that their customers (the farmers) operate in rural or peri-rural areas…Physical sales are what works for them. If farmers can access agricultural inputs they require at the right price and when they need them, this will increase their yields and productivity will rise significantly.’’
Meanwhile, the pilot initiative, which has seen a fruitful marriage of e-Commerce and agriculture, has also seen potential talks of Konga making additional critical investments in agri-tech.
This was confirmed by Nick Imudia, Co-CEO, Konga Group, who described the experience garnered from the project as very insightful and useful.
‘‘The agricultural sector in Nigeria requires government to better channel its resources in helping it to scale. There are fears of famine or food insecurity in Nigeria in the next six months as recently predicted by the United Nations. But our experience shows that Nigerian rural farmers have the capacity to feed the nation and even have some left over for export. All they need is the right support.
‘‘We are doing our best in this area as well but we cannot do it alone. What determines whether we grow the category or invest is the number of customers we get. Do we get unique requests for products? Do we see growth in specific regions that would mean opening warehouses or new logistical hubs?’’ he concluded.
The Federal Government has received a major boost in its drive to strengthen teacher education and digital learning, as the Government of Japan, through the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), donated ICT equipment and learning materials to 15 teacher training institutions across Nigeria.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony held at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the intervention as a significant contribution to the country’s efforts to improve teacher quality, digital literacy and inclusive education.
She said the donation forms part of a regional initiative launched in 2024 by UNESCO-IICBA, the Government of Japan and the African Union to strengthen teacher training and promote continuous access to safe, quality education for girls in West Africa.
According to the minister, the project, which covers Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Mauritania, aligns with the Federal Ministry of Education’s priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of equity, quality education, digital transformation and inclusion.
“Teachers remain the backbone of every education system. No education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated and digitally empowered teachers,” Ahmad said, noting that the equipment would modernise teacher training institutions and improve access to digital learning resources.
The beneficiaries comprise 15 federal and state colleges of education spread across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, including the Federal College of Education, Kontagora; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; Federal College of Education, Yola; Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba; Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo.
Others are Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze; College of Education, Zuba, FCT; Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education; Enugu State College of Education (Technical); Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano; Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu; Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto; Adamawa State College of Education, Hong and Taraba State College of Education, Zing.
The donated items include 65 laptop computers, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 19 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.
Ahmad said the facilities would enhance both pre-service and in-service teacher training by promoting innovation, digital competence and learner-centred teaching approaches, while preparing educators for the demands of a technology-driven world.
The event also featured a national consultation on school safety and infrastructure security, with participants discussing strategies for creating safer and more inclusive learning environments.
The minister stressed that safe schools remain critical to achieving quality education, particularly for girls and other vulnerable learners, adding that the ministry would continue to prioritise policies and programmes aimed at strengthening school security.
She further highlighted the ministry’s focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), girl-child education, quality assurance, data management and digital transformation as key pillars for improving educational outcomes nationwide.
Ahmad also disclosed plans to implement new interventions aimed at empowering female teachers and school leaders in crisis situations through mobile-based learning platforms, as well as programmes designed to integrate out-of-school children into formal education.
She commended UNESCO-IICBA, the Government of Japan, the African Union and other development partners for supporting teacher education in Nigeria and urged beneficiary institutions to utilise the equipment responsibly to improve learning outcomes and build a more resilient education system.
“The equipment will enhance digital literacy among our pre-service teachers and boost the attainment of education goals in Nigeria,” she said.
In their separate remarks, the Director of the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), Dr. Quentin Wodon, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, Hitoshi Kozaki, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting efforts aimed at improving teacher education and expanding access to quality learning opportunities across Nigeria and the West African region.
They noted that the donation of ICT equipment to the beneficiary colleges of education reflects the shared commitment of UNESCO, the Government of Japan and their partners to strengthening the capacity of teacher training institutions, particularly in the area of digital learning.
According to them, equipping teachers with modern technological skills is critical to improving learning outcomes and ensuring that education systems are responsive to the demands of the 21st century.
African electric vehicle (EV) platform Spiro has raised $215 million in equity to scale electric mobility and energy infrastructure across the continent.
The funding is backed by institutional investors including Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane.
The investment will accelerate the expansion of Spiro’s battery-swapping network, industrial footprint and next-generation EV infrastructure across high-growth African markets, the company said.
This funding comes as economies in the region aim to reduce dependence on imported fuel, reinforce energy and industrial sovereignty, and modernise urban transport systems.
Driven by rising fuel costs, growing demand for affordable transportation and increasing policy support for clean energy, investors are backing scalable EV platforms poised to support Africa’s next phase of urban and industrial growth.
Building on support from long-standing institutional partners such as the Fund for Export Development in Africa, Spiro’s latest equity round draws capital from Europe and Africa, reflecting growing global confidence in scalable infrastructure-led business models in emerging markets.
With operations in seven African countries—Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon—and plans to expand local production and enter new markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia, Spiro is building one of Africa’s most advanced EV and battery-swapping ecosystems.
Its industrial footprint includes manufacturing plants in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, alongside a battery recycling facility in Nigeria.
“This past year marked a defining strategic milestone for Spiro. Across seven active markets, our deployment of 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations has made sustainable mobility an affordable, everyday reality,” said Gagan Gupta, founder of Spiro and chairman of Equitane.
“Spiro has become a major driver of local industrialisation, value creation and manufacturing across African markets, providing 6,000 sustainable direct and indirect jobs. Supported by our global investors, we are entering our next growth chapter to deliver clean, cost-effective energy and transport alternatives to millions of riders across the continent.”
Lars Bo Bertram, CEO of Impact Fund Denmark, added: “We are investing in Spiro and bringing Danish pension capital into one of Africa’s most promising growth markets because we see potential for significant commercial growth in Spiro and electric mobility across Africa, as well as measurable climate impact. That is exactly the type of investment we want to make.”
Federal Government on Tuesday distributed Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and materials to 15 federal and state colleges of education across the country to strengthen teacher training, promote digital literacy and improve access to quality education.
Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education
The intervention was facilitated through support from the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (UNESCO-IICBA) under the project titled, “Capacity-building of Teachers to Promote Continuous and Inclusive Access to Safe and Quality Education for Girls in West Africa.”
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s education sector and one that aligns with the ministry’s strategic priorities.
Ahmad commended UNESCO-IICBA, the Government of Japan and the African Union for launching the regional project in March 2024, saying it reflected a shared commitment to strengthening teacher preparation systems and expanding educational opportunities, particularly for girls.
According to her, the project, which covers Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria, is in line with the Federal Ministry of Education’s priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Teachers remain the backbone of every education system. No education reform can succeed without well-trained, motivated and digitally empowered teachers,” she said.
The minister said the ICT resources would enhance both pre-service and in-service teacher training through improved access to digital learning content, innovative teaching methods and learner-centred instructional approaches.
She noted that the beneficiary institutions include Federal College of Education, Kontagora; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe; Federal College of Education, Yola; Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba; Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze; College of Education, Zuba; Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education; Enugu State College of Education (Technical); Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano; Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu; Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto; Adamawa State College of Education, Hong; and Taraba State College of Education, Zing.
According to Ahmad, the equipment distributed includes 65 laptop computers, 71 tablets, four desktop computers, five interactive smart boards, 19 all-in-one desktop computers, 14 projectors, 15 printers and 15 backup hard drives.
She added that the event also provided an opportunity to discuss school safety and infrastructure security.
“Safe schools are essential to achieving quality education, especially for girls and vulnerable learners.
“We must continue to ensure that our institutions remain secure, supportive and conducive spaces for teaching and learning,” she said.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), out-of-school children education, girl-child education, quality assurance and digital transformation.
She also disclosed plans for additional interventions aimed at empowering female teachers and school leaders through mobile-based learning platforms and integrating out-of-school children into formal education.
Speaking at the event, Mr Hitoshi Kozaki, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting educational development in Nigeria.
“I want to thank Nigeria for the collaboration that we have had for many years. I really hope that this project makes a difference for the future and the institutions represented here,” he said.
Kozaki said Japan’s partnership with African countries was built on mutual respect and local ownership, stressing that development efforts should be driven by the priorities of beneficiary nations.
He urged the institutions to make effective use of the ICT resources to improve teacher preparation and expand learning opportunities, especially for girls.
Also speaking, the Director of UNESCO-IICBA, Quentin Wodon, commended Nigeria’s commitment to education reforms and active participation in international education programmes.
Wodon stressed the importance of promoting female leadership in schools, noting that studies had shown positive learning outcomes when women occupied leadership positions.
“If there was one thing I would love Nigeria to do, it would be to see whether we could launch some kind of programme to encourage more women to become school leaders. It is really important,” he said.
He added that teachers in Nigeria remained critical to efforts aimed at improving learning outcomes and advancing inclusive education across Africa.
PalmPay Young Star Awardee Hopes to Become a Governor
Japan, UNESCO Boost Digital Learning in 15 CoEs with Donation of ICT Equipment
Kaspersky Reveals Credential Abuse Techniques Rank as Attackers’ Most Effective Tactic
Aba to Host MTN’s “The Gathering” with Pitchathon Offering ₦5 Million Prize Pool for Emerging Startup Founders
Meta Unveils AI-Powered Business Agent to Support Customer Engagement
MTN, VDT, Zoracom, Digital Realty Back 2026 Girls in ICT Campaign
Vitel Wireless Partners Fintechs to Expand Access to Services
CPN Begins Crackdown on Quack IT Professionals, Vows Tougher Action against Cybercrime
Nigeria Hit by 24.1m Data Breaches – Surfshark
FG to Launch Nationwide Free Digital TV Platform June 17
E-Business2 days agoAI and IoT Hold the Key to Nigeria’s Economic Future – NCC
E-Financial3 days agoBanks Lending to FG Hit N15.66 Trillion in One Year– CBN
Broadcasting2 days agoGood News for DStv Users: Watch over 160 Channels Without Paying Extra
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Reports on the Aspects of SOC Effectiveness to Consider for Blind Spot
News2 days agoEasybuy Partners WAWUAfrica to Upskill 10 Million Youths and Women, Boosting Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Inclusion
News3 days agoAmuchie, ED Fidelity Bank Named “Outstanding Banker of the Year” @ ABoICT 2026
Telecom2 days agoFlutterwave Announces Massive Staff Shake-Up, Promotes Over 100 Employees
News2 days agoQuest Merchant Bank Reports Strong FY2025 Performance @ 11TH AGM