E-Business
Nitda: the Goad of IT in Nigeria
Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware."IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.
Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of information technology. Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become computerised, and with computer a task is accomplished by just a single click of a mouse.
Nigeria like most developing countries is a little backward in the utilisation of information technology and as we are aware, information technology is the foundation for any nation’s survival and development.
The significance of IT can be seen from the fact that it has penetrated almost every aspect of our daily lives from business to leisure and even society. Today personal computers, cell phones, fax machines, email and internet have not only become an integral part of our very culture but also play an essential role in our day to day activities.
With the increasing growth in Computers and Telecommunications, the digital gap is still widening between those who have access to and those who have no access to digital devices and services. The Federal Government of Nigeria having recognised IT as a strategic imperative for the national development and taking into cognisance its immense benefits, has resolved to provide considerable national resources for the realisation of the national IT vision. In order to bridge such a gap locally, nationally and internationally, the Federal Government of Nigeria took a gallant stride to address some vital socio-economic issues like reliable infrastructure, skilled human resources, open government and other crucial issues of capacity building thus giving birth to the National Information Technology Development Agency (Nitda) in 2001 to serve as a clearing house for IT development in Nigeria.
In 2007, Nitda became a statutory body through the Nitda Act of 2007 with the primary vision to serve as a catalyst in transforming Nigeria into an information technology driven economy.
Most nations in the world develop national ICT policies with regards to the immense potentials of information technology so as to deter from becoming victims of the digital divide. To achieve this objective with maximum effectiveness, Nitda has implemented the IT policy, it also regulates, monitors, evaluates, and verifies progress on an ongoing basis under the supervision and coordination of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
On 17th June, 2009, Nitda came up with Nigeria’s National ICT for Development (ICT4D) Strategy/Plan. In the existing policy, Nitda is to enter into strategic alliance, collaboration and joint venture with the private sector for the actualisation of the IT vision which is to make an Nigeria IT capable country as well as using IT as an engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.
The national ICT4D Strategic Action Plan was developed within the frame work of realising the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Seven Point Agenda and other socio-economic development programmes which is aimed at positioning Nigeria among the 20 leading economies in the World by the year 2020, thereby deploying ICT to achieve Nigeria’s Millennium Development Goals, Nepad development initiatives and the World Summit on Information Society’s plan of action.
The ICT4D will encourage investment on ICT and the use of ICT as a tool for wide range of applications and infrastructural planning. It will also help to fight illiteracy and improve health care delivery, quality of education, human capital development, national security and law enforcement, agriculture, governance and legislature, electronic government, and private sector partnership.
In its bid to bring information technology to the door steps of all Nigerians, Nitda established 16 Rural Information technology Centres (RITCs) across the country. These RITCs are designed as composite one-stop for information technologies in the grass roots while providing IT education to rural communities, enhancing system penetration and providing internet access.
In 2006, Computers for All Nigerians Initiatives (CANI) was launched. CANI is a government-private sector collaboration aimed at increasing PC penetration in Nigeria, thus creating a more computer-literate workforce. The scheme will make available desktop computers and laptops at prices significantly below the prevailing market prices for all such employees and in addition offer bank financing for the purchase of the PCs which will be repaid at affordable rates over a period of 24 months.
Nitda is also working on the establishment of Software Development Centres in each geo-political zone as well as internet exchange points so as to cut down the cost of bandwidth.
With just seven years left to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, Nigeria needs to effectively and speedily respond to the current global economic recession, climate change, and poverty. This has renewed Government’s interest and engagement in the issue of Capacity Development (under the auspices of Nitda) so as to achieve the internationally agreed and overarching goal of cutting extreme poverty by half by 2015. Capacity Development, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), “is the process through which individuals, organisations, and societies obtain, strengthen, and maintain the capabilities to set and achieve their own development objectives over time”.
From the foregoing, it is obvious that the Federal Government of Nigeria through Nitda is leaving no leaf unturned in implementing its vision of creating an ICT revolution aimed at positioning Nigeria as the foremost ICT territory in Africa and also be among the 20 countries of the world to be reckoned with in terms of development fostered by ICT capacity building and utilisation by the year 2020.
Hadiza Umar is of Corporate Affairs unit.
National Information Technology Development Agency
E-Business
Jumia Expands Nationwide Footprint, Deepens Reach Across Underserved Nigerian Cities

e-commerce company, Jumia Nigeria, has announced a significant expansion of its logistics and pickup network across Nigeria, extending its reach into underserved regions and strengthening access to e-commerce services for millions of consumers.

The expansion, executed during the first quarter of 2026, marks a deliberate shift toward upcountry growth, with new and expanded operations across Northern Nigeria, including Kebbi, Sokoto, and Kaduna, while also strengthening presence in strategic cities like Zaria. The move is designed to close long-standing coverage gaps in high-potential areas and bring its services closer to more customers.
According to the company, the expansion reflects a convergence of customer demand, infrastructure strategy, and long-term market development, as more Nigerians outside major urban centres seek reliable access to digital retail.
“We are seeing a structural shift in where demand is coming from. What this expansion does is align our infrastructure with that reality. By extending our network deeper into the country, we are not only improving service delivery, but we are also unlocking new demand, enabling more sellers to participate in the digital economy, and building a more inclusive retail ecosystem that reflects the true scale of the Nigerian market,” said Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria.
The rollout includes a significant increase in pickup stations and delivery touchpoints across both established and emerging cities. Existing urban centres such as Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt have seen network density increase, while new and previously underserved locations are being integrated into Jumia’s logistics grid. This broader footprint is supported by investments towards parcel distribution centres, designed to decentralise inventory flow, reduce delivery time, and optimise operating costs across regions.
As part of the expansion, Jumia has also strengthened its logistics partnerships and delivery capacity, enabling more efficient last-mile fulfilment while creating income opportunities for a growing network of logistics partners and JForce agents. The company notes that these investments are critical to sustaining scale as order volumes increase across a more geographically diverse customer base.
Looking ahead, Jumia plans to extend its expansion into the South-East and South-South regions ahead of the peak retail season, further increasing its national coverage and reinforcing its position as a leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria.
E-Business
RHUCE Taps Into Africa’s $3Bn Creator Economy with New Monetisation Platform

RHUCE, a new social platform designed for African creatives, has officially launched today, introducing a new model for how creators across the continent can turn their skills, learning, and content into income.

RHUCE
As Africa’s creator economy, estimated at over $3 billion, continues to grow, millions of young people are building digital skills but struggle to convert them into sustainable opportunities. RHUCE aims to bridge this gap by combining professional identity, creator monetisation, and opportunity discovery in a single ecosystem.
“Across Africa, talent is everywhere, but opportunity is fragmented,” said Simeon Ifeoluwa Adeyanju, CEO of RHUCE Limited. “Creators are learning, building, and sharing their work, but they lack a structured way to turn that into visibility, credibility, and income.”
Unlike traditional platforms that prioritise virality or finished work, RHUCE enables users to document their growth in real time, transforming their learning journey into a living portfolio.
“We believe your journey is your greatest asset,” Adeyanju said. “On RHUCE, your growth becomes your portfolio, your consistency builds your credibility, and opportunities can discover you based on what you’re becoming, not just what you’ve done.”
The platform introduces a shift from application-based hiring to discovery-driven opportunities, where creators are matched with jobs, gigs, and collaborations based on their evolving skills and documented progress.
“Instead of chasing opportunities across WhatsApp groups, DMs, and multiple platforms, we’ve built a system where you can post once and be discovered continuously,” he added.
RHUCE also provides monetisation tools that allow creators to earn through digital products, paid learning content, and brand-sponsored campaigns, unlocking new income streams within Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.
With over 60% of Africa’s population under 25, the platform positions itself as infrastructure for the continent’s next generation of talent.
“RHUCE is not just a platform for finished professionals,” Adeyanju said. “It is for people becoming something. Our goal is simple: help Africans turn learning into opportunity, and opportunity into income.”
E-Business
Kaspersky Warns of Digital Medicine Risks on the Occasion of World Health Day

On World Health Day, Kaspersky warns of risks tied to the digitisation of healthcare and use of telemedicine. Recent incidents show that medical services can be breached, and as a result, medical records may be leaked and then traded on the dark web.

The operations of healthcare services can get disrupted. Another aspect is that healthcare platforms may share user data with third parties that handle it irresponsibly.
Telemedicine has moved from a convenience to a core part of healthcare delivery, but its security model has not kept pace with its adoption, and the risks are not theoretical. Recent incidents highlight how real these risks have become.
In 2023, it was disclosed that Cerebral, a major telehealth provider focused on mental health services, had been sharing sensitive patient data – including mental health assessments, intake information, and personal identifiers – with third-party platforms such as social media and advertising networks. Millions of users were affected over several years.
More broadly, incidents in 2025 illustrate a different but equally critical risk – large-scale disruption of digital healthcare infrastructure. The breach of the ManageMyHealth patient portal exposed sensitive medical records of more than 120,000 patients, while the attack on SimonMed Imaging compromised over a million records and led to ransomware demands. These cases show that both telemedicine platforms and the broader digital healthcare ecosystems are increasingly targeted by attackers.
In parallel, scam campaigns focusing on medical topics are evolving, inviting patients for check-ups or follow-up consultations. Often the domains of the alleged “medical services” websites were created just a few weeks ago, links to the social media accounts on their pages are not working, and the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy pages are absent.
At the same time, these pages request users’ personal information, including photos of documents and even photos of parts of the body that need medical attention. Such websites often try to convince users with branding, fake doctor profiles, and urgent calls to action.
Users risk submitting sensitive personal data that can be either sold on the dark web, be used for identity theft, or subsequently used in more sophisticated attacks in the future that are targeted specifically at them for further data extortion.
To safeguard sensitive data, use a reliable security solution with an AI-powered anti-phishing component which prevents clicking on malicious links.
“The digital healthcare experience is transforming access to care, but it is also expanding the attack surface in ways many users underestimate. Medical data is highly valuable and actively traded on the dark web, making patients a prime target for fraud and targeted phishing.
“At the same time, health-related scams exploit urgency and trust, using fake consultations or discounted offers to trick users into sharing sensitive information. Patients should approach digital healthcare with the same caution as financial services – verifying providers, avoiding unsolicited links, and understanding how their data is used. Security and privacy must become a core part of the digital healthcare experience,” comments Anna Larkina, Web Content and Privacy Analysis Expert at Kaspersky.
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