E-Business
Jumia Nigeria Hit by Allegations of Labour Abuses

Aggrieved ex-staff of Jumia Nigeria, Rocket Internet’s e-commerce venture have cried out against alleged unrestrained reign of terror by the management of the company on Nigerian staff.
The allegation is a chilling reminder of the resonating accusation of wrongdoing and maltreatment of Nigerians by foreign companies while Nigerian government sits idly.
Jumia Nigeria Hit by Allegations of Labour Abuses
In an email to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, Uche Ajene who was Jumia Nigeria, head of Marketing until October 30 claimed that the company now allegedly sold to a German firm (Rocket Internet) is hiring and firing Nigerians at will.
When contacted, Afam Anyika, Jumia’s public relations manager, said he was not authorized to speak on the issue but promised to get the managing director to comment.
The managing director did not as at the time of this report.
But Ajene said that “in 2012, 50 members of staff were fired, then more were hired, then more fired again, the total number of staff fired in this period was over 100”
“Jumia is not a Nigerian company, and for all I care they don’t care about Nigerians! Don’t be deceived by the Cameroonian and Nigerian figurehead “Harvard CEOs”, they have puppet masters pulling their strings. Jumia Nigeria has been sold! Their balance sheets are worse than you can imagine! And in a few months to years they will become subsidiaries of a bigger company and the CEOS are just waiting to cash out on their cheque, and present staff are just pawns to be used till the time comes”
According to her, Jumia Nigeria’s strategy was to lure staff from their companies with big salary promises, and after a very short time, leave them with the lower end of the straw
“They never leave you even after they “fire” you, but continue to follow you to your new place of work trying to ensure you never get another chance at working. The company leaves out its investor’s code – hire, fire, move and dispose with rocket speed. They sack staff and hire like the wind” she added
Ajene claimed she worked in with over 60 different faces in the period she was with Jumia adding that “working for Jumia was like hell; we would resume at 8am and leave at 9pm for normal staff and much latter for management staff, understandable for a startup but not when the bait is threats of firing and legal actions”
“And if you are wondering, I was sacked and plan to take legal action soon for continued harassment and for wrongful termination. Why was I sacked? Was it for going home early at 9pm or not sacking my entire team? Well I hope a court of law will get it out of them”
Ajene was allegedly laid off following her inability to meet sales targets which she allegedly set for the e-commerce operation.
Ajene joined Jumia in August 2012 from MIH Internet Africa where she worked as Marketing Manager for the company’s Nigeria operations, Kalahari and Dealfish between July 2010 and July 2012.
Prior to this, Ajene has worked as a Marketing Specialist for Interra Networks Inc. in the U.S and describes herself as a proactive manager and tactical planner with extensive experience conceptualizing and executing marketing communication campaigns for end users, media and other consumers.
E-Business
NITDA Ignites a Revolution for Gender Inclusion in Nigeria’s AI and Digital Economy

In a powerful stride towards an inclusive digital future, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is spearheading a transformative drive to empower Nigerian women in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital economy.
This commitment was resoundingly reiterated by NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, at the “Innovate Her 25” conference, the 10th National Conference and 11th Annual Meeting of Nigerian Women in Information Technology.
Speaking at the event themed “Women in AI: Unlocking Resilience, Fostering Innovation and Leadership,” Inuwa, represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, emphasised that true innovation blossoms not in isolation, but through synergistic partnerships and collective endeavor – principles deeply embedded in NITDA’s operational ethos.
Highlighting Nigeria’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, Inuwa added that inclusivity is embedded as a core objective: “Our strategic roadmap mandates that at least 40% of our programmes directly benefit women and underserved groups. We have also developed a Gender Inclusion Strategy to guide interventions in areas such as training and infrastructure,” he explained.
Further underscoring Nigeria’s leadership in the digital space, Inuwa excitingly announced that in September 2025, NITDA will proudly host a Leadership Summit on AI. This landmark event will convene stakeholders from across the African continent, fostering a collaborative environment to forge a unified AI vision for Africa.
In alignment with the conference’s focus on empowering women in technology, the DG detailed NITDA’s diverse capacity-building initiatives spanning AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. “We work with partners such as the Renew Hope Initiative to train thousands of women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones,” he revealed, highlighting the agency’s broad reach.
NITDA stands ready to collaborate with organisations like the Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIT), actively encouraging proposals for bespoke programmes that cater to specific community needs. “We focus on targeted training with measurable outcomes, rather than generic approaches,” Inuwa affirmed, emphasising a results-oriented methodology.
He further spotlighted NITDA’s “Digital Literacy for All Initiative,” which seeks to equip 70% of Nigerians with digital literacy by 2027. Through strategic partnerships with the NYSC and the integration of digital literacy into national school curricula, the agency plans to train over 30 million Nigerians — with a dedicated focus on underserved communities and public servants.
Addressing critical concerns surrounding ethical AI, Inuwa emphasised the importance of developing indigenous datasets and large language models reflective of Nigeria’s unique realities: “We are working closely with stakeholders to build local datasets that safeguard Nigerians’ digital rights and ensure ethical AI use,” he assured.
NITDA is also championing mentorship for women in technology through impactful initiatives such as Women Innovate. The agency warmly welcomes collaboration with NIWIT to design structured mentorship programmes and is open to formalising such partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
“NITDA is committed to fostering inclusive economic growth through innovation. Partnership and collaboration remain the way forward,” Inuwa declared.
The session concluded with a resounding call to action, urging women-focused organisations to leverage NITDA’s open-door policy and unite in advancing digital inclusion across Nigeria. The future of Nigeria’s digital economy is inclusive, and women are at its forefront.
E-Business
Amazon CEO Says AI will Reduce Number of Workers Needed

Amazon’s management on Wednesday said that it expects that artificial intelligence software will reduce the number of office workers at the world’s largest online retailer.

Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today and more people doing other types of jobs,” Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon wrote in an email to employees.
He said it was difficult to predict how the overall workforce will evolve, but in the next few years, it is expected that AI efficiency gains will lead to a reduction in the number of office workers.
According to earlier reports, Amazon employed around 1.5 million people worldwide, with approximately 350,000 office employees in various roles.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the company does not anticipate further large-scale layoffs, as seen in 2022 and 2023, in the near future.
Instead, it expects that vacant positions will not be refilled.
However, layoffs are not ruled out, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“Amazon is focusing on so-called AI agents, software capable of independently performing tasks. These agents could, for example, summarise information from the web and data sources, write software, translate languages and automate many time-consuming tasks,” Mr Jassy explained.
“Agents will be teammates that we can call on at various stages of our work,” he added, urging employees to experiment with AI whenever possible.
The impact of AI on the job market has been a concern for many years.
Recently, Spotify, the leader in music streaming, announced that teams requesting additional staff would first need to prove that AI could not perform the tasks.
The creators of the language-learning app Duolingo plan to gradually replace external workers with AI.
E-Business
BPP Partners NDPC to Strengthen Data Protection

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
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