E-Business
Microsoft Going Head-To-Head with Cisco, Other UC&C Vendors in EMEA

According to a recent study by International Data Corporation (IDC), Microsoft has tripled its market share between 1Q 2011 and 2Q 2015 in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) IP PBX and unified communications (UC) platform market and become a head-to-head competitor to the vendors that have traditionally dominated this market.
“This is a result of a strategy tuned to the transformations underway in the unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) market. All other vendors and service providers should regard Microsoft’s rise as a call to action,” said, Michael Vorisek, program manager IDC CEMA.
For many years, the EMEA IP PBX and UC platform market had been dominated by five companies: Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Avaya, Cisco, Aastra (now part of Mitel), and Unify (formerly Siemens Enterprise Communications).
These players’ market shares used to vary between 10% and 20%, with no other company capturing a comparable slice of the pie.
IDC’s research, published in December 2015, shows that this has now changed. Microsoft’s market share has grown from 4.8% in Q1 2011 to 15.5% in Q2 2015, and the company has become the fourth-largest player in the Q3 2014–Q2 2015 period, thus breaking into the long-established leader group.
This is not a random rise of a vendor, says IDC. The companies that had dominated the EMEA IP PBX and UC platform market come from equipment- and on-premises-focused backgrounds. They were too slow to react to the rapidly changing adoption patterns in the market, and Microsoft seized the opportunity.
IDC sees related shifts taking place in customer adoption patterns in the EMEA UC&C market today: organizations started using unified communications as a service (UCaaS) instead of deploying on-premises solutions; portfolios have radically simplified, and the number of premium features for which vendors can be charging fees has decreased; customers now require easy access to UC&C functionalities irrespective of end-user’s preferred endpoint; and demand has grown for traceable improvements to business processes as a result of UC&C deployments.
Microsoft’s rise has relied on its ability to profit from all these changes.
According to IDC, this is due to the company’s overall strategy. Microsoft understands its UC&C product Skype for Business purely as software.
Therefore, it has built the options for cloud delivery and mobile access natively into the product. Businesses pay fees based on end-user functionality, while no charges are added for different access modes or preferred customer endpoints.
The vendor is also strongly focusing on as-a-service (aaS) version of the product, Skype for Business Online. Microsoft aaS packages often combine cloud and hardware-based resources for delivering functionalities, while businesses are charged on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. Last but not least, Microsoft bundles Skype for business with other productivity software included in its Office suite.
“Traditional players must either quickly adopt to this challenge or prepare to lose market share,” comments Vorisek. “That goes for equipment vendors right now, but, potentially, for services providers as well.”
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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