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Nigerian National e-ID Card Bags Award for Financial Inclusion

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L-r: Kenny Teller, MasterCard, Mrs Onadeko, NIMC, Mrs Ejiofor, NIMC and Taiwo Adebayo MasterCard at the CBN Card Expo 2015 Awards Ceremony where the Nigerian National e-ID Card was awarded Best Financial Inclusion Product.  The pilot program, launched in 2014, was recognised for effectively expanding financial inclusion and advanced Nigeria’s cashless policy.
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Nigerian National Electronic Identity (e-ID) card, powered by MasterCard, has been named “the Best Financial Inclusion Product” at this year’s Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Card, ATM and Mobile Expo Awards, held in Lagos last week.

 Supported by Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System and CBN, the award recognises the payment product that has effectively expanded financial inclusion and advanced Nigeria’s cashless policy.

The National e-ID card with MasterCard’s prepaid payments functionality is currently being issued by the Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to 13 million Nigerians 16 years and older as part of a pilot program launched in August 2014. 

Upon completion of the pilot program, NIMC plans to introduce more than 100 million cards to Nigeria’s 170 million citizens, making this the largest  rollout of a an electronic payment solution in the country and the broadest financial inclusion program in Africa.

“We are extremely honoured to receive this prestigious award, which recognises the strides we are making in providing a convenient, safe, and cost effective electronic payments product to Nigerians – 64 percent of whom do not have a bank account,” said Barr. Chris ‘E Onyemenam, director general and CEO of NIMC.

“Combining an identity card with MasterCard’s prepaid payment capability creates a game changer as it breaks down the most significant barrier to financial inclusion – proof of identity – while simultaneously enabling Nigerians to access state-of-the-art financial services.”

Using the e-ID as a payments tool, cardholders can deposit funds, save, withdraw cash at ATMs, and pay for goods and services at any of the millions of MasterCard acceptance locations globally or via online shopping portals.

The card also enables citizens to receive funds electronically including government subsidies, social grants, salaries and other disbursements, rather than physically transporting themselves to receive the cash, which is costly, unsafe and inconvenient.

“Too many people lack access to the most basic financial services, leaving them trapped in a cash economy that imposes greater risks and costs on those least able to afford them,” said Omokehinde Ojomuyide, vice president and area business head for West Africa, MasterCard.

“Through the e-ID program, we are creating an avenue to help citizens better manage their finances, and participate in the mainstream economy.”

Ojomuyide said that the broader economic impact of the card will be felt as the previously unbanked build a financial history, which enables them to secure loans from financial institutions.

Small Medium Enterprises will be able to access the financing they need to grow their businesses, in turn creating jobs and sharing in the opportunities for economic growth enjoyed by wealthier segments of the population.

The card’s electronic payments capability also enables the Government to minimize fraud and corruption, reduce leakages and generate significant savings, as it digitizes cash payments and formalizes the shadow economy.

The announcement signals the second accolade awarded to the NIMC in as many months, with the Smart Card and Payments Awards (Middle East) 2015 naming the National e-ID card as “The Best Payment Initiative in Africa” in May 2015.

“We are proud to be associated this program, which has already received recognition globally, and congratulate NIMC on this notable achievement,” said Ojomuyide.

“Making financial inclusion a reality is central to our business and we look forward to working with NIMC and our other partners to achieve our vision of a cashless, more inclusive, Nigeria.”


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E-Business

Galaxy Backbone Celebrates the Federal Government’s Paperless Civil Service Milestone

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Galaxy Backbone (GBB) aligns with and celebrates the successful announcement by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on the achievement of a Paperless Civil Service, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s public sector reform and digital transformation agenda.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.

GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.

In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards—key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.

Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, Acting Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).

GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.


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Jumia CEO says Black Friday Signals Nigeria’s E-Commerce Maturity

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At the close of 2025, Temidayo Ojo, the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, reflected on a year-end shopping season that points to the growing maturity of the country’s e-commerce market. “Black Friday is no longer a single, short-lived spike in activity,” he said.

“It has become a familiar, anticipated moment in the retail calendar, where consumers shop deliberately and with confidence.”

Preliminary KPIs for the two months ended November 30, 2025, show strong year-on-year growth in both orders and Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), with GMV growth outpacing order growth. This indicates that customers are placing fuller, more considered baskets rather than shopping in fragmented transactions. Nigeria ranked among Jumia Group’s better-performing markets, with engagement remaining steady throughout the Black Friday period rather than spiking briefly and tapering off.

A key factor behind this performance is the growing familiarity of consumers with online shopping. Customers are increasingly leveraging platform features such as saved carts, brand stores, and price comparison tools to plan purchases in advance. This trend suggests that digital commerce is becoming embedded in everyday habits rather than being viewed as a one-off event.

Ojo also highlighted the role of Jumia’s JForce network in connecting digital commerce to local communities. “Our agents are critical to ensuring that customers across Nigeria, including secondary cities and smaller communities, have access to variety, consistent pricing, and reliable delivery,” he said. “During peak periods like Black Friday, JForce agents can respond faster, serve more customers efficiently, and build stronger local relationships. This isn’t just a distribution channel—it’s a pathway to sustainable income and inclusion.”

Reflecting on the overall performance, the CEO concluded: “What we’re seeing this year-end is steady engagement across categories, stronger consumer confidence, and partners like our JForce agents benefiting from increased activity.

“It confirms that Nigeria’s e-commerce ecosystem is maturing, growing in a more structured and resilient way. As the December Holiday Sale continues, we expect these patterns of familiarity, trust, and participation to sustain momentum and drive both commerce and community impact across the country.”


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Galaxy Backbone Tops FG’s Website Performance Ranking

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Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) has been ranked first overall in the 2025 Federal Government Website Performance Scorecard.

Galaxy Backbone Tops FG's Website Performance Ranking

This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s digital economy.

The ranking, conducted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), is the definitive benchmark for digital excellence and transparency across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone, received the award during a ceremony in Abuja.

He described the feat as a validation of the agency’s“Nigeria First”data sovereignty strategy and its relentless pursuit of service excellence.

This recognition comes as the Federal Government intensifies its push to achieve a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025.

GBB has been the primary architect of this transition through its 1Gov Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, which now hosts the operations of almost all federal MDAs.

The award adds to a growing list of accolades for Galaxy Backbone in 2025, following its recent win of the “International Standard Excellence Award for Best IT Service Provider.”

As the central hub for government shared services, GBB’s performance serves as a blueprint for other agencies currently undergoing digital transformation.

With its expanded fiber-optic backbone now covering over 13 states and its secure cloud solutions, Galaxy Backbone remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s vision to become a leading digital nation by the end of the decade.

 


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