E-Business
Revisiting the Online Shopping, Food Ordering Culture of the Pandemic Era
By Victor George
The CoV-2 Virus, known as the Delta Variant, is rapidly sweeping across the globe. This new variant appears to spread faster, cause more severe disease and is more likely to result in hospitalization.
First detected in India, it has now reached 132 countries and territories. “Delta is a warning: it’s a warning that the virus is evolving but it is also a call to action that we need to move now before more dangerous variants emerge,” the WHO’s emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference.
It was in the Wuhan city of China that first cases of the coronavirus were found in December 2019. It has spread across the globe since then.
The latest outbreak in China was first found in Jiangsu in June, and officials blamed the highly transmissible Delta strain for it. Soon after the outbreak, local authorities ramped up nucleic acid screening tests in a bid to detect positive cases at the earliest possible stage.
Curbs were also imposed on the movement of people in the region, with long-distance and tour bus routes halted. What is left of economic activities are highly regulated delivery services, majorly those based on food supply.
E-commerce platforms and delivery agents who sustained essential services in the heights of global lockdown are back to the rescue. One won’t forget in a hurry how the services of the likes of Jumia led essential delivery services to thousands of homes in Nigeria at the time.
In Africa, 17 countries have reported the Delta variant. The variant is causing the worst wave of COVID seen thus far on the continent.
As disclosed by the World Health Organization, the Delta variant has spiked Covid-19 deaths in Africa by 80% in one month. Ghana, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe are on the list of most hit on the continent.
On Thursday 8th July, the Nigerian government said a case of the dangerous delta variant has been recorded in a traveller in the country. A statement issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) noted that the development raises a grave concern. The country has so far recorded 32 cases of the variant in 5 states.
To keep the new variant in check, the Covid-19 Presidential Task Force has warned Nigerians to stick to the existing distancing and hygiene protocols.
Failure to abide by these guidelines will result in rapid increase which might lead to another phase of restrictions, and ultimately a lockdown. The latter is what many Nigerians cannot afford right now, as several businesses are just about picking up again from the brunt of the past months.
One of the ways to preserve free movement and economic activities is to revisit some of the online shopping culture of the pandemic era. For those who have returned to their physical shopping culture, it is time to reenact that Covid-19 precaution mood.
The likes of Jumia Food provide a wide range of options for groceries and beverages. Partnering with the notable fast food and local restaurants in the country, the Jumia platform offers food shopping options from safety.
To reduce the risk of infections, a report has it that many Ghanaians have switched to shopping for essential items online, on Jumia. The shopping platform also makes available essential items such as beverages, sanitary items, household items, home and kitchen supplies.
In addition, the report said groceries are becoming the topmost category where many consumers shop on online platforms such as Jumia Food. The regular vegetables, fruits and other grocery items are now purchased online and delivered fresh ensuring the safety of Ghanaians all over the country.
In some parts of Australia where only about 14% of the population is vaccinated, the third-largest city of Brisbane and other parts of Queensland state are now in a snap COVID-19 lockdown as a cluster of the Delta variant churns up new cases.
Residents are turning to online shopping and delivery services for daily essentials. The citizens of Ireland have also been asked to limit contact activities as much as they can, unless it becomes extremely necessary.
Using ecommerce services has become a way out, especially for food and other essentials. Recently, China’s leading e-commerce platform for services, Meituan, has ramped up R&D and its implementation of unmanned delivery robots and drones for its food delivery service, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the variant is now responsible for more than 80% of infections in the United States, largely among unvaccinated people, already fueling new outbreaks in states such as Missouri, Nevada and Arkansas.
Also, Ireland delayed plans to reopen indoor dining and Hong Kong restricted incoming flights from Britain, where Delta is widespread.
Also in the wake of the fast spreading variant, Italy announced that it would begin requiring either proof of vaccination or a recent, negative test in order to dine indoors, visit museums or participate in other activities.
It is thus advisable on the home front that while we all go about our daily activities, contact limitation and social distancing can still be achieved. There are several offices with a tradition of ordering lunch for staff on the Jumia Food platform.
Other companies can take a leaf from this. It saves work time and also helps keep staff safe while at work. Away from the workplace, individuals should also revisit the online shopping culture, especially for groceries and other home essentials.
Avoiding crowded places remains key to limiting the spread of covid-19 and its more lethal Delta variant. E-commerce was crucial to limiting the spread of the virus in the heat of the first wave, and still remains a vital tool for all, as we strive to overcome a third wave led by the more deadly Delta variant.
Victor George is a student of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has directed all Data Controllers and Data Processors of Major Importance (DCPMIs), yet to register with the commission to do so immediately.
This followed a Federal High Court judgment affirming NDPC statutory powers to designate and register such entities.
DCPMIs are entities operating in Nigeria that handle sensitive personal data or large volumes of information, requiring mandatory registration with the NDPC under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Babatunde Bamigboye, head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, described the judgment as a major milestone for data accountability and regulatory oversight in Nigeria.
The commission said the ruling arose from a suit filed by Emmanuel Harunna against the NDPC in Emmanuel Harunna v. NDPC (FHC/L/CS/1116/2024), in which the applicant sought a declaration that Point of Sale agents were not Data Controllers or Processors of Major Importance under the Nigeria Data Protection Act and requested a perpetual injunction restraining the commission from registering them.
According to the statement, Justice F.N. Ogazi examined the commission’s Guidance Notice on Registration alongside Sections 5(d), 6(c), 44, 45 and 65 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act before concluding that the commission acted within its statutory powers in designating entities under the Major Data Processing – Ordinary High Level category as Data Controllers and Processors of Major Importance.
Quoting the judgment, the statement read, “The Nigeria Data Protection Act was enacted to promote accountability, transparency and responsible data governance. Registration enables the Respondent to identify entities engaged in significant data processing activities, monitor compliance.”
It added that the court held that, “Far from undermining the constitutional right to privacy, the registration framework is one of the statutory mechanisms designed to safeguard that very right by subjecting data controllers and data processors to effective regulatory oversight.”
The statement further quoted the court as saying, “Looking at the recitals of the Guidance Notice, there is every indication that the Guidance Notice is also aimed at protecting the privacy and security of data subjects, thus bringing the registration requirement of the Guidance Notice within the protective shield of Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution.”
According to the commission, the court also held that, “Remarkably, Section 63 of the Data Protection Act provides that the provisions of the Act shall prevail over any other law inconsistent with its provisions on matters relating to the processing of personal data.”
Reacting to the judgment, the commission described the decision as a significant boost to Nigeria’s data protection regime.
“The Commission appreciates the ground-breaking efforts of the court towards the advancement of the jurisprudence relating to data accountability in Nigeria, as eloquently demonstrated in this case,” the statement read.
Following the ruling, Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, had directed every Data Controller and Processor of Major Importance that had yet to comply with the registration requirement to register without delay.
The commission warned that entities failing to comply with the registration requirement could face legal consequences.
“Failure to register creates serious legal liabilities under the law, while compliance with registration requirements builds public trust and safeguards the fundamental rights and freedoms of data subjects in Nigeria,” the statement added.
The University of Nigeria (UNN) is set to partner with The Roxettes Group to establish a research and innovation centre focused on artificial intelligence (AI), smart and green mobility, and digital technologies, in a move aimed at strengthening research, entrepreneurship and technology-driven industrial development.
Chairman of The Roxettes Group, Arc. Dr. Kaycee Orji-Kelechi, announced the proposed partnership while delivering his acceptance speech after receiving an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) during the university’s convocation ceremony.
The proposed facility, to be known as the Dr. Kaycee Orji Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Smart/Green Mobility and Digital Innovation, is expected to provide a platform for research, innovation and collaboration between academia and industry, with a focus on developing commercially viable solutions to local and continental challenges.
Orji-Kelechi said the initiative was conceived as a long-term investment in human capital and technological advancement rather than simply another physical infrastructure project.
He said the vision was to position the University of Nigeria among Africa’s leading institutions in artificial intelligence, smart mobility and digital innovation through research, entrepreneurship and technology development.
According to him, the centre will house five specialised laboratories covering artificial intelligence and machine learning, smart and green mobility, robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT), digital finance and financial technology, as well as cloud computing and advanced data centre technologies.
He also announced plans for the proposed Kaycee Orji Founders Innovation Challenge, an annual programme intended to identify, mentor and support innovative ideas from students, researchers and academic staff with the potential to become scalable businesses.
“Every student of this University should know that a great idea conceived in a classroom should have a pathway to becoming a patent, a startup, a global enterprise, and a solution that transforms society,” he said.
Orji-Kelechi disclosed that preliminary conceptual work on the project had commenced, with architectural and engineering designs being prepared by K.KH Contractors Ltd., a subsidiary of The Roxettes Group.
He added that discussions with the university would begin on identifying a suitable site for the project, while a comprehensive proposal containing architectural drawings, engineering designs and an implementation framework would be submitted after completion of the design phase.
Reflecting on his career, Orji-Kelechi said Africa must move beyond consuming innovation to creating it through investment in manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurship.
“We have pursued one simple vision: that Nigeria and Africa must move from consumption to production; from importing innovation to creating it; and from waiting for opportunities to building them,” he said.
He urged graduating students to see their education as a foundation for solving societal challenges through innovation, leadership and enterprise, adding that he remained committed to promoting industrial development, youth empowerment and sustainable economic growth.
The proposed collaboration forms part of broader efforts to strengthen university-industry partnerships, which are increasingly seen as critical to improving research commercialisation, innovation capacity and technology-led economic development in Nigeria.
National Population Commission (NPC) has announced commencement of full digital registration of births and deaths through the VitalReg platform, which became operational nationwide on July 1, 2026.
Chidi Ezeoke, federal commissioner representing Anambra, disclosed this in Awka during a press conference to announce commencement of full digital birth and death registration under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system and the marking of World Population Day commemorated every July 11.
He revealed that a total of 131 registration centres had been opened in the 21 local government headquarters and several communities in the state, adding that more centres would be opened later.
Ezeoke described the initiative as a major milestone in Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, to ensure every birth and death in the country was captured through a digitally enabled registration platform.
“It builds on the launch of the E-CRVS system and the inauguration of the National Coordination Committee on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics by President Bola Tinubu on Nov. 8, 2023.
“A total of 4,011 functional registration centres has been established across the 774 LGAs of the federation and the commission iswas working to expand the number to about 8,000.
“In Anambra, 131 registration centres have been opened in the 21 local government headquarters and several communities. More centres had been proposed for the state,” he said.
According to the Commissioner, the VitalReg platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, reduced paperwork and waiting time, improved data validation and a more secure national CRVS database.
While noting that the platform would serve as a foundational database to support other national data systems and strengthen interoperability across Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem, Ezeoke urged Nigerians and other stakeholders to support the initiative by ensuring prompt registration of all births and deaths.
Speaking on the 2026 World Population Day themed, “Realising the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People – Today and for the Future”, the Commissioner called for greater investment in education, healthcare, skills development, decent employment opportunities and youth participation in governance for sustainable national development.
Earlier, Mr Obiakonwa Okagwu, state director, NPC, said the occasion served as a reminder of great opportunities provided to harness young people’s capabilities, which he said would shape the future of the country when adequately harnessed.
He called on residents to take registration of births and deaths as national responsibility, just as he urged the media to take the message on civil registration to all parts of the State.
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