E-Business
IDC Ponders On M2M Market for African Mobile Network Operators Viability

While machine-to-machine (M2M) opportunities may be limited across the African continent, significant potential for growth exists, particularly in respect to the deployment of M2M energy, utility, and security services.
That’s the opinion of global ICT consulting firm International Data Corporation, which asserts that the more mature markets of South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria are currently leading the charge, with M2M technology being used in their transportation and retail verticals to deliver services such as fleet management, asset tracking, retail point of sale (POS), and pay-as-you-go insurance.
“M2M technology is clearly gaining traction in Africa, albeit at a slower rate than seen in the world’s more developed markets,” said Oluwole Babatope, a telecommunications and networking research analyst at IDC West Africa.
“And while consumer applications for M2M technology undoubtedly exist, enterprises will be the main customers for such services, and thus the main drivers of growth. Fleet management, vehicle tracking, and pay-as you-go insurance will be the key service areas in the short term, but as connectivity in Africa improves, growth is expected in M2M energy, utility, and security services.”
Other critical growth drivers identified by IDC include improved mobile network coverage and bandwidth availability, increased usage of smart devices, and supportive government policies, with the latter proving particularly beneficial in Nigeria and Kenya.
African governments that establish regulations enforcing smart monitoring of electricity and water meters have the potential to drive usage of M2M in the energy and utility sectors, as has been the case in both Brazil and China.
The continent’s increasingly mobile-centric telephony landscape means that the primary mode of connectivity for services will be wireless, chiefly 2G GSM.
This is because the services currently taken up typically require low bandwidth, meaning 2G connectivity will suffice. However, as mission-critical services relying on low-latency packet delivery grow (e.g., video surveillance), 3G connectivity will become more significant.
“In order to maximize the revenue potential of M2M, mobile network operators (MNOs) need to develop end-to-end solutions and avoid relying on revenue from connectivity alone,” advises Babatope. “African MNOs also need to develop a robust portfolio of value-added services. This can be achieved by engaging in strategic partnerships with stakeholders along the M2M value chain.”
IDC expects the M2M markets in most regions of the continent to grow slowly over the next five years, largely because mass-market consumer applications for the technology remain few and far between. IDC further predicts that, as the African M2M market matures, there will be a shift from providing solutions to developing service-delivery models.
“Due to the low average revenue per device (ARPD), there will be a need to generate recurrent revenue from services,” concludes Babatope. “The profitability of MNOs in delivering solutions and services will, in future, hinge on how service-oriented they become; a greater focus on services will likely deliver improved profit margins.”
E-Business
Nigeria Strengthens Cybersecurity, Launches National Cleanup Plan

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.
E-Business
AXIAN Telecom Invests in Jumia Post-MTN Era

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.
E-Business
NIMC Plans to Register 95 Percent Nigerians by December

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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