Telecom
Jumia kicks off 6th Black Friday Campaign Aimed at Promoting SMEs
Jumia Nigeria on Thursday announced the commencement date for its 6th Black Friday campaign, aimed at revolutionizing the shopping habit of Nigerians, promoting the convenience of online shopping and growing small and medium businesses across the country.
Mrs Juliet Anammah, chief executive officer, Jumia Nigeria, made the announcement during a press conference to flag off the campaign in Lagos.
She stated the campaign will run from Friday, November 2nd (midnight at 12.01am) through November 30th, 2018.
Anammah also stated that special deals such as flash sales, treasure hunts and special vouchers will be exclusively available to customers who shop on the Jumia App.
“We expect to see an increase of 50% website traffic as a build up over last year’s Black Friday.
“The rise of mobile penetration in the country which stands at 84% is one of the factors driving our App and website visits; others being our amazing deals.
“Last year, 79% of our customers shopped on mobile phones (website & App), and we are looking to upturn the numbers to 100% at the end of 2018, in order to achieve the country’s goal of becoming a mobile-first country,” she added.
Shobhit Pandey, chief commercial officer, Jumia Nigeria, Speaking of the concerted efforts Jumia has put in providing customers with a wide assortment of quality products to choose from said,“We have doubled our product assortment compared to 2017 Black Friday campaign.
“This year, with the support of our vendors, we are offering our customers discounts as high as 80% on categories such as men’s and women’s fashion, 70% on wristwatches and sunglasses, 65% on health and beauty products, 50% on mobile phones, electronics, and groceries, and 40% on fitness and automobile products.
“Unlike last year, these amazing deals will only be available every Friday of the week in the month of November.”
He further thanked Jumia’s partners, such as Binatone, HP, Samsung, and Haier for offering the best rates during the campaign.
Prasun Banerjee, Managing Director, Binatone Nigeria who spoke about why the partnership with Jumia for Black Friday will help deepen ecommerce penetration in the country, said: “Jumia has made the Black Friday sales event a wonderful opportunity for us to offer huge discounts to their customers, thereby enabling us to sell more items than we projected.
“This means that more Nigerians will shop during this period.”
Banerjee also mentioned that the Black Friday campaign has become, through Jumia, the most anticipated shopping festival since 2013 in Nigeria.
Although, logistics has always been the biggest challenge facing most eCommerce companies in the world and in Nigeria especially during special sales campaign such as Black Friday.
However, the country manager for Jumia Services (Jumia’s logistics arm), Tolulope George-Yanwah has assured customers to expect excellent delivery services during and after the campaign.
According to her, Jumia has identified some logistics challenges during Black Friday, and these have been fixed ahead of November 2nd.
“We have a projection to process 50% more orders than last year’s Black Friday, and we have ensured to put in place an increased workforce, split across the major cities in the country.
“Our delivery associates have been trained on the best technologies that will aid the discharge of their duties.
“We have also provided a real-time technology that allows our customers to trace the fulfilment process of their orders from when they are shipped from the warehouse till they are delivered.
“This is besides necessary partnership that we have entered with other delivery companies to support our efforts towards ensuring orders are delivered on time,” added Anammah
Olamide Amosu, Head, Engagement Marketing, Jumia Nigeria, explained why the company is focused on driving its App usage, especially for the Black Friday period.
She said: “We’re focused on encouraging our customers to make all their purchases on the mobile App due to the increasing number of customers shopping on our website via their mobile phones, and the easy access it provides customers to access bigger deals and enhance price comparison.
“Shopping on the App consumes less data which helps customers to save money, and to make it attractive for use, special deals such as flash sales, treasure hunts and special vouchers will be exclusively available to customers who shop on the Jumia App.”
On the other hand, Jumia’s all in one App – Jumia One – in the spirit of Black Friday, will be giving 10 lucky customers N10,000 worth of airtime, 10 lucky customers N10,000 worth of TV and internet subscriptions if they buy from at least 2 different services on the App, 10 lucky customers N10,000 worth of airtime if they purchase a minimum of N1,000 airtime, and 50% cashback for airtime purchase within the first 1 hour.
Viral rumors about a “Tesla Pi Phone” a new phone, being developed by Elon Musk, CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla and SpaceX, are entirely fake.
AI Generated Tesla Pi Phone and Elon Musk
Instead, the tech giant said on Monday it has filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for permission to deploy the constellation by 2028.
It said the system would provide voice, messaging, data and emergency services.
A quick fact-check revealed that Tesla Inc. has never manufactured, developed, or released a smartphone.
Videos and articles claiming a release (often priced between $150 and $800 with solar charging or satellite-only connections) rely on AI-generated concept art and recycled internet hoaxes dating back to 2021.
Musk has only mentioned a phone in hypothetical remarks, stating Tesla would build one only if major app stores completely blocked or censored essential apps like X (formerly Twitter).
On Monday however, his company said that “Amazon looks forward to delivering on the promise of D2D [direct-to-device] connectivity, including to the millions of people living, travelling and working in places beyond the reach of existing networks today,”
The filing is the first step from Amazon into satellite mobile connections, which has until now been dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink service.
Musk’s group has signed partnerships with existing operators such as T-Mobile US and the UK’s Virgin Media O2 to provide phone services for customers where their conventional networks do not reach.
Starlink operates across more than 150 countries, offering high-speed internet connections through its constellation of satellites.
Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has attributed rising mobile data consumption to increased use of smartphone applications, cloud services and emerging digital technologies.
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON
Mr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman, ALTON, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) conference in Lagos.
Adebayo said smartphones had transformed access to digital services, with many applications consuming data continuously, even when users were not actively browsing the internet.
He explained that automatic software updates, cloud backups, application synchronisation, video streaming, social media autoplay and location services significantly increased data consumption.
According to him, internet usage had changed considerably from a decade ago when consumers mainly relied on direct browsing with fewer digital applications running simultaneously.
He said growing adoption of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other emerging technologies would further increase demand for reliable connectivity and greater network capacity.
“The evolution of smartphones has fundamentally changed how consumers access digital services, with many applications now consuming data continuously,” Adebayo said.
He stressed that digital literacy had become increasingly important because consumers needed to understand how their devices and applications consumed mobile data.
He advised subscribers to monitor application activity, adjust device settings and use built-in data management tools to better control their data consumption.
Adebayo said greater understanding of digital tools would help dispel misconceptions about data usage and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.
Responding to allegations that operators deliberately depleted customers’ data, Adebayo dismissed the claims, insisting telecommunications companies had no commercial incentive to engage in such practices.
He said every megabyte consumed on telecom networks was recorded through internationally standardised billing systems supplied by recognised technology vendors and regulated by authorities.
“Such a practice would be unlawful, unethical, commercially self-defeating and subject to stringent regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Communications Commission,” he said.
Adebayo explained that operators’ billing systems were designed to guarantee accuracy, transparency and verification, while genuine consumer complaints were investigated through established protection channels.
He added that the Nigerian Communications Commission’s complaint resolution mechanisms and technical audits provided consumers with credible avenues for seeking redress over billing concerns.
According to him, trust remains essential to expanding Nigeria’s digital economy because telecommunications infrastructure supported banking, healthcare, education, commerce and government services.
He said the telecommunications sector had evolved beyond basic communication services into a critical driver of productivity, investment, innovation and national economic growth.
Adebayo noted that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, financial technology, smart manufacturing and digital agriculture, depended on resilient telecommunications infrastructure.
He said Nigeria could only maximise these opportunities through sustained collaboration among government, regulators, telecommunications operators and consumers.
Adebayo reaffirmed operators’ commitment to improving customer experience, strengthening network resilience and promoting transparency in telecommunications service delivery.
He urged stakeholders to encourage evidence-based discussions on digital services, stressing that public trust remained indispensable for the sustained growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.
(NAN)
Telecom
Galaxy Backbone Soft Launches Government Service Portal to Simplify Access to Public Services
Galaxy Backbone (GBB), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), officially conducted the soft launch of the Government Service Portal (GSP), a groundbreaking digital platform designed to transform how citizens, businesses and government institutions interact.
The event, held at the Galaxy Backbone National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) Headquarters in Abuja, brought together senior government officials, development partners, technology stakeholders and members of the media to unveil services.gov.ng—Nigeria’s new one-stop digital gateway for accessing government services.
The Government Service Portal is designed to provide a single, trusted platform through which Nigerians can easily discover, access and interact with digital services offered by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). By consolidating government services into one unified portal, the initiative aims to improve accessibility, enhance service delivery and create a more seamless citizen experience.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone. Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the launch represents another significant milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to building a more connected, efficient, transparent and citizen-centred public service.
He emphasized that the Portal is more than a website; it is the foundation of a unified digital gateway that places the needs of citizens and businesses at the centre of government service delivery.
He further noted that while the event marks the beginning of the Portal’s journey, the soft launch provides an opportunity to onboard pioneer MDAs, gather user feedback, strengthen system integrations and continuously improve the platform ahead of a wider national rollout.
Representing key stakeholder institutions at the launch were the Deputy Director of KOICA Nigeria, Mr. Ki Yun Baik; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, represented by Mr. Joseph Bareiye, Director of e-Government; the Permanent Secretary, State House, represented by Mr. Oguntuyi Olusegun, Head of ICT; and the Executive Director, Digital Exploration and Technical Services, Galaxy Backbone, Olumbe Akinkugbe.
The Government Service Portal aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and supports Nigeria’s broader Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda by creating a citizen-facing gateway that complements existing investments in digital identity, secure infrastructure, cloud services, cybersecurity and digital government platforms. It can be accessed using the link: services.gov.ng . The initiative is expected to strengthen public service delivery, increase transparency, improve operational efficiency and foster greater trust between government and citizens.
Galaxy Backbone reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in integrating their digital services into the Portal, noting that collaboration across government will be critical to building an inclusive, interoperable and efficient digital ecosystem that benefits every Nigerian.
The Government Service Portal is expected to evolve into Nigeria’s central digital gateway for public services, making government services simpler, faster and more accessible for citizens and businesses alike.
Fact-Check: Elon Musk’s “Tesla Pi Phone” is Internet Rumor
Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy
NDPC Directs DCPMIs to Register with Agency or Face Legal Consequences
Malpass, Ex World Bank Chief Raises Alarm over Nigeria’s Secretive Debt Structures
How and Why Apps Deplete Data – ALTON
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
News3 days agoSee Verified 20 Countries Nigerian Passport Holders Can Travel Visa-Free
E-Business3 days agoReport Says Cybercriminals Deploy Malware to Hijack Crypto Wallets, Monitor Browsers Telegram
Telecom3 days agoNCC, REA Partner to Cut Telecom Costs with Renewable Energy
Telecom3 days agoSubscribers, Telcos Warn FCCPC over Airtime Lending Enforcement
E-Business3 days agoNPC Opens 131 Births, Deaths Registration Centres in Anambra
General News3 days agoAfDB, Nigeria Urge African Control of Mineral Resources
News2 days agoHistory as Lagos Becomes First Nigerian State to Launch Greenhouse Gas Registry
E-Business2 days agoUNN to Partner Firm on AI, Smart Mobility Innovation Centre