E-Business
Six Strategies to Grow Your E-Commerce Business in Nigeria
By Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head, Zoho Nigeria
Nigeria’s e-commerce landscape is evolving rapidly. From fashion and electronics to groceries and beauty products, more Nigerians are shopping online than ever before. According to DataReportal, the country had 103 million internet users as of January 2024, and online retail sales continue to grow as more people gain access to affordable smartphones and digital payment systems.
However, while opportunity is expanding, so is competition. Thousands of small businesses now sell across Instagram, WhatsApp, and local marketplaces. For many, the challenge is no longer getting online, it’s standing out and building sustainable growth.
Below are six strategies that can help e-commerce entrepreneurs in Nigeria compete more effectively, connect with customers, and scale sustainably.
1. Focus on a niche, not the crowd
The internet offers endless reach, but success often lies in narrowing your focus. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, identify a specific audience whose needs you understand deeply—whether that’s fitness enthusiasts, new parents, or tech-savvy students.
Niche targeting allows you to tailor your message, pricing, and product experience. It also helps small businesses build loyalty and word-of-mouth credibility in markets where advertising budgets are limited.
2. Build relationships beyond social media
Social platforms are powerful but unpredictable. Algorithms change, engagement fluctuates, and visibility can vanish overnight. That’s why it’s essential to diversify how you stay connected with customers.
Email newsletters, community groups, or loyalty programs provide more direct and reliable touchpoints. Use these channels to share updates, answer questions, and offer genuine value—not just promotions. Consistent, thoughtful communication builds trust that outlasts social trends.
3. Use data to understand customer behaviour
Every click, search, and abandoned cart tells a story. Tracking customer behaviour—through analytics dashboards, feedback forms, or even simple observation—can reveal why shoppers drop off and what keeps them coming back.
For example, you might discover that most users exit your site during checkout due to limited payment options. Adding mobile money or bank transfer features could increase conversions immediately. Data-driven decisions help eliminate guesswork and improve user experience.
4. Create content that answers real questions
Many Nigerian shoppers research extensively before buying online, especially from lesser-known brands. Publishing clear, helpful content—such as FAQs, size guides, or product comparisons—can bridge the trust gap.
A small skincare brand, for example, could post educational pieces on ingredients and routines, while a gadget store could share short explainers on choosing the right devices. When people find answers through your content, they are more likely to view your business as credible and dependable.
5. Explore automation and AI for efficiency
Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how small businesses operate globally—and Nigeria is no exception. From customer support chatbots to inventory management and personalized recommendations, automation can simplify repetitive work and improve decision-making.
Even basic AI tools can help analyse trends, spot buying patterns, and free up time for strategic tasks. The goal isn’t to replace human connection but to enhance it by focusing your energy where it matters most—understanding and serving your customers.
6. Build credibility through customer voices
Nigerians value peer opinions. Reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content often carry more weight than brand messaging. Encourage satisfied customers to share feedback or showcase how they use your products.
Displaying honest reviews on your website or social pages signals transparency and confidence. People are far more likely to trust a brand that others vouch for, especially in a marketplace crowded with new entrants.
Building for the long term
Sustainable e-commerce growth in Nigeria isn’t about chasing every new platform or pouring money into ads—it’s about clarity, consistency, and connection. By focusing on real customer needs, learning from data, and building trust at every step, businesses can create lasting impact in one of Africa’s most dynamic digital markets.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has commenced a forensic investigation into the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lotus Bank and Hackerbella Ltd over alleged violations of data protection laws involving students’ personal information.
The investigation follows public complaints alleging that students’ personal data were used to open bank accounts without a lawful basis.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer of the NDPC, directed the investigation team to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the circumstances surrounding the collection, processing, use and disclosure of the affected students’ personal data.
The investigation will also determine the respective roles and responsibilities of UNILAG, Lotus Bank and Hackerbella in the alleged processing of the data.
According to the Commission, the investigation will assess the data protection compliance obligations of the parties under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act), as well as potential risks posed to the rights and freedoms of the affected data subjects.
The NDPC said the probe would cover several areas, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), the lawfulness and transparency of credit scoring or profiling activities, and the use of automated decision-making systems.
It will also examine the adequacy of privacy notices, data-sharing arrangements, lawful bases for processing, data minimisation and purpose limitation.
Other areas include data retention policies and the adequacy of technical and organisational measures put in place to safeguard the rights and personal data of affected students.
The Commission reiterated that institutions entrusted with the personal data of students, staff and other members of their communities have a heightened responsibility to ensure that such information is processed lawfully, fairly, transparently and securely.
The NDPC therefore warned educational institutions that are yet to comply with its existing data protection compliance directives to take immediate steps to achieve compliance.
The Commission said it would continue to exercise its regulatory mandate to protect the privacy rights of Nigerians and ensure that organisations processing personal data comply with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
Microsoft is planning to unveil its new Maia 300 AI chip this fall, potentially as soon as next month, The Information reported on Monday, citing people with direct knowledge of the plans.
The company introduced its Maia AI chip in November 2023 but has lagged rivals such as Alphabet and Amazon in scaling up its in-house chip efforts as it seeks to reduce its reliance on Nvidia’s costly processors.
Google began recognizing revenue from direct sales of its custom AI chips, called Tensor Processing Units, in the quarter ended June, while Amazon has also seen growing adoption of its processors, including its Trainium chips.
Microsoft has been in talks with chipmaker TSMC to secure manufacturing capacity for more than 300,000 units of the chip for delivery in 2027, according to the report. It is also looking to significantly ramp up production and persuade major cloud customers such as Anthropic to adopt the chip.
Microsoft ultimately aims to secure capacity for more than 1 million Maia 300 chips, though component supplies and ongoing capacity negotiations with TSMC could constrain its plans, according to the report.
It unveiled its second-generation Maia 200 in January, built by TSMC using 3-nanometer technology.
Microsoft packed the chip with a significant amount of SRAM, a type of memory that can provide speed advantages for AI systems handling large numbers of user requests.
X has announced plans to discontinue its Revenue Sharing programme and introduce a new Original Content Rewards programme to reward creators for producing original content on the platform.
The social media company announced the changes at the weekend in a post on its X Creators handle, saying the new programme would reward creators who contribute original content.
“Today, we’re introducing the Original Content Rewards Program, a new way to reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X,” the company said.
X said it would stop accepting new enrolments into the Revenue Sharing programme from Friday, while existing participants would continue earning until September 7, 2026.
“Starting today, we’re no longer accepting new enrollments into Revenue Sharing,” it said.
According to the company, existing Revenue Sharing participants will receive three final payouts, with two scheduled for August 14 and August 28, while the final payment for earnings accrued through September 7 is expected around September 11.
X said existing Revenue Sharing participants would begin getting access to apply for the new programme from September 8, subject to meeting its eligibility requirements.
The first payout under the Original Content Rewards programme will be made on August 28, 2026, while existing Revenue Sharing creators who enrol in the new programme from September 8 will receive their first payment on September 25.
Under the new programme, eligible creators will earn from qualified impressions generated by their original content, with payments made every two weeks.
X defined qualified impressions as unique impressions from Premium users on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50 per cent of a post is visible.
On the other hand, “The following are excluded from qualified impressions: impressions from the same account counted more than once per post; paid, promoted, or artificially generated impressions; and fraudulent impressions,” it said.
To qualify, creators must be at least 18 years old, live in a country where the programme is available, maintain an account in good standing and have either a personal or vusiness account.
They must also subscribe to X Premium, Premium+ or Premium Business, have at least 500 verified followers and record at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users within the previous 90 days.
X said creators must also regularly post original content to remain eligible.
“We want to recognize creators who break news, share expertise, tell stories, create entertainment, and contribute meaningful perspectives to the conversation,” the company said.
The platform said original content could include threads, videos, memes, graphics, illustrations, reporting, analysis, commentary and reactions that add meaningful value to existing conversations.
It said creators who use content produced by others would need to add meaningful commentary, context, analysis, humour or creative transformation for such posts to qualify.
“Building on existing conversations is a core part of X, but simply reposting someone else’s content is not enough,” it said.
X said minor edits such as cropping, filters, borders, watermarks, speed adjustments or simple text overlays would generally not qualify as meaningful transformation on their own.
It also warned that content copied or substantially reproduced from another creator, content downloaded and re-uploaded from X or another platform without being the original author’s, automated content, disinformation and misleading content would be ineligible.
The company said accounts that violate the programme’s requirements could be temporarily or permanently removed from it, depending on the severity of the violation.
It added that creators would be responsible for ensuring they had the necessary rights, permissions or licences to use content created by others.
“Original content is content you personally create that reflects your own voice, perspective, expertise, or creativity,” X said.
The company said the new programme was intended to reward creators who make the platform more valuable by bringing original ideas and perspectives to its conversations.
“The Original Content Rewards Program is designed to reward the creators who start them, shape them, and move them forward,” it said.
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