E-Business
Why NITDA Should Consider Partnering with B2B e-commerce Companies

By Lere Ojedokun
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in the pursuit of its vast mandates that focus on fostering the development and growth of Information Technology (IT) in Nigeria has different activities running to proactively facilitate the development of the nation into a sustainable digital economy.
The agency, which acknowledges that the information and communication sector is growing and creating thousands of new jobs every year and providing opportunities for development, has an all-inclusive ICT capacity building intervention for different segments including executives, People With Disabilities (PWD), women, even as children are not left out in the digital literacy plan. In September, over 300 children were graduated by NITDA from the STEM Bootcamp for children in Lagos.
Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi at the graduation ceremony, said the programme was aimed at bridging the gap that currently exists in the educational sector, adding that it resonates deeply with the ongoing efforts toward implementing the National Digital economy policy for digital Nigeria.
Moreover, during the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) courtesy call on NITDA’s DG, where the society presented a ‘Proud Ambassador’ award to the DG for his outstanding leadership, the DG assured that NITDA has an ambitious target of making Nigeria a start-up nation and to train one million programmers between now and next year to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy in Nigeria by the year 2030.
He was quoted to have said. “We believe we cannot succeed in isolation. That is why we collaborate with organisations like yours.”
Meanwhile, as NITDA’s numerous works are commendable, it will be suggested the agency looks more in the way of partnering e-commerce firms with existing presence in some underserved areas especially in the South West region, to deepen its efforts and fasten the realisation of the 95 per cent digital literacy goal in Nigeria by the year 2030.
These e-commerce firms contribute immensely in human capital development. For example, Alerzo, a business to business (B2B) firm, founded in Ibadan, Oyo State in 2019 and has spread across the nation, has invested heavily in its over 150,000 informal retailers as part of its efforts in driving the nation’s digital economy.
At a recent media parley, Alerzo’s Group CEO, Adewale Opaleye, stressed the need for partnership, while saying that the firm embraces technology to solve the challenges informal retailers face.
He did mention that the firm developed its entire infrastructure from the scratch, including its over 40 warehouses and over 400 vehicles for fast and timely delivery.
Opaleye said Alerzo has foot soldiers who through the infrastructures created go from shop to shop teaching informal retailers how to download apps, register on the apps, know what to click, how to select products, how to check out and operate the Veedez bookkeeping app. Adding that as an organisation, Alerzo delights in helping informal retailers adopt digital innovations in operating profitable businesses even as they are equipped with skills of the future.
Recalling, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim while recently applauding consistent growth in ICT contributions to the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which hit 17.92 per cent in the last quarter of 2020 and in the first quarter of 2021, assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of a robust digital economy.
However, as the government invests in ICT and pushes for less dependency on oil to boost the economy of Nigeria, there is hope that the collaboration of NITDA, Alerzo and other e-commerce firms particularly in the South West will further impact on the socio-economic development of the region and by extension the nation and continent.
Ojedokun, a development and policy advocate, contributes this piece from Lagos.
E-Business
Jumia Replatforms its Retail Media Program to Mirakl Ads to Enhance Marketplace Advertising

Jumia, e-Commerce platform in Africa, has partnered with Mirakl to elevate its marketplace advertising capabilities by deploying Mirakl Ads, a retail media solution uniquely designed to optimize performance for both first-party and third-party sellers.
This move strengthens Jumia’s efforts to deliver more value to its sellers, enhance the customer experience, and unlock profitable and sustainable new sources of revenue. Retail media is a rapidly growing sector within the e-commerce industry, expected to reach $204 billion by 2027 with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2%.
Jumia’s adoption of Mirakl Ads positions the company at the forefront of digital advertising innovation in Africa, unlocking significant opportunities to increase revenue generation. With growing usage across its platform, Jumia is well-placed to capitalize on this momentum by delivering improved advertising tools to sellers and more relevant, personalized product recommendations to customers.
“Advertising is a key growth lever in our marketplace strategy, and this partnership with Mirakl allows us to accelerate that journey with speed and scale.
“By integrating Mirakl Ads, we’re empowering our sellers with smarter tools and delivering a better, more personalized experience to our customers. It also positions us to unlock new revenue streams while deepening engagement across our platform. Importantly, this partnership supports our ambition to grow gross profit and accelerate our path to profitability,” said Francis Dufay, CEO of Jumia.
The collaboration is a testament to Mirakl’s ability to rapidly deploy enterprise-grade solutions, with Jumia launching Mirakl Ads in just two months. This showcases the platform’s ease of integration and fast time-to-value. Now live, the solution equips Jumia’s advertising ecosystem with advanced automation, AI-powered optimization, and seamless campaign management.
With Mirakl Ads, all advertisers – from the biggest brands to the smallest marketplace sellers – can now boost their sales by leveraging advertising campaigns in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Ivory Coast.
“Jumia’s decision to replatform to Mirakl Ads is a powerful validation of our platform’s ability to deliver immediate and measurable impact for leading marketplaces. By combining Mirakl’s cutting-edge retail media technology with Jumia’s deep market reach, we are enabling sellers to grow faster and customers to benefit from a more relevant, engaging experience. This partnership is a true milestone, not only for Jumia and Mirakl, but for the future of digital commerce across Africa.” said Adrien Nussenbaum, cofounder and co-CEO of Mirakl.
Through this partnership, Jumia is taking a decisive step in accelerating monetization, improving customer engagement, and advancing its long-term financial performance and profitability.
E-Business
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria

In a major step towards deepening Nigeria’s digital and energy infrastructure, Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a brief but impactful ceremony held in Abuja.
The MoU signals a collaborative effort between both agencies to enhance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda by integrating reliable energy solutions with cutting-edge ICT infrastructure, especially in higher institutions, Government institutions, underserved and rural communities across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, described the partnership as “a landmark moment in Nigeria’s journey towards a digitally empowered, sustainably powered, and inclusively connected nation.”
“This partnership exemplifies what is possible when two visionary government institutions come together, united by shared goals and driven by the desire to improve the lives of Nigerians everywhere,” he said.
Professor Adeyanju emphasized that while Galaxy Backbone’s core mandate is to provide secure digital infrastructure that powers government operations, reliable and sustainable energy particularly in rural areas is essential to fully actualize digital transformation.
Major highlights of the MoU include:
- Solar electrification of some of GBB’s Metro Fibre sites in Abuja by the REA.
- Powering Hostels of Higher Institutions across the country through the Fibre to Hostel Project being driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE).
- Support for the rollout of the 774 Local Government Digitization Initiative, beginning with six pilot Local Government Areas.
- Provision of LANs, access points, cloud services, colocation infrastructure, and temporary connectivity to enhance REA’s operational facilities nationwide.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency Mr Abba Aliyu, in his remarks, expressed optimism that this collaboration will further bridge the digital and energy divide across Nigeria. He noted that by combining REA’s achievements in expanding energy access with GBB’s robust ICT backbone, both agencies are poised to create lasting impact across governance, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.
This partnership is also in direct alignment with the Renewed Hope Digital Transformation Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which envisions an inclusive digital economy powered by innovation and sustainable energy.
The ceremony was attended by top management from both organizations as well as members of the media.
With today’s signing, Galaxy Backbone and the Rural Electrification Agency have set the tone for stronger, smarter, and more inclusive public service delivery powered by strategic inter-agency collaboration.
E-Business
NIMC Says NIN Services Back Online

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced the restoration of its National Identification Number (NIN) verification services nationwide.
This, according to the commission, follows the completion of a system maintenance exercise.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NIMC confirmed that all previously disrupted services have resumed.
“NIMC wishes to inform the general public that the recent technical maintenance has been completed and all services have been restored,” the statement read.
The NIMC urged Nigerians seeking to enroll for NIN to visit the its official website to locate the nearest enrollment centers.
The agency also encouraged individuals to make use of its self-service portal for tasks such as data modification, including name changes.
To further ease the verification process, the Commission recommended downloading the NIMC NameAuth app (oath.app) from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for quick and secure NIN authentication.
NIMC expressed appreciation for the public’s patience during the service disruption, which had impacted banks, telecom providers, and government agencies that rely on NIN verification for their operations.
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