E-Business
Achieving Digital Ecosystems in Rural Africa Remains a Challenge
Creating a digital ecosystem in rural areas requires collaboration with local suppliers if long-term success is to be achieved.
Jeremy Potgieter, regional director – Africa, Eseye
This is according to Jeremy Potgieter, regional director – Africa, Eseye, a global IoT cellular connectivity and hardware company.
He said that for Internet of Things (IoT) to deliver the services required, an understanding of the end consumer within a rural area is vital: “By speaking to local suppliers to create a tailored cost-effective IoT solution will help us to deliver the most appropriate service possible. In gaining a better understanding of how they will benefit from IoT technology, vendors such as Eseye can create solutions that meet these needs and make a real difference.”
According to Potgieter, people living in the rural areas of developing countries face a range of challenges that threaten to isolate them from the benefits that are enjoyed by the rest of their populations.
Two major examples include accessing essential utilities such as water and power, as well as the challenges associated with accessing financial services and payment credit: “In an urban area, utilities are delivered from a central source. In rural areas however, it’s not quite as simple. To achieve sustainable, long-term solutions, these utilities must be delivered locally.”
However, he said that the economics of delivering electricity to small villages of only 50 people for example, make them far more difficult to implement. It is here that with technological developments in areas such as water purification or solar energy, this can be overcome: “People can then not only enjoy a better quality of life, but these communities are able to source these utilities locally, whether it’s per property or per village.”
IoT has the potential to drastically improve the quality of life for people living in rural areas of developing countries.
Most notably by empowering local entrepreneurs to provide the structures that will allow for vital utilities to be reliably provided to their communities over a longer duration of time.
By supplying them with the equipment to generate and store utilities through the process of daily micro-payments for example, a local entrepreneur is given the means and incentive to create opportunities throughout the entire community, thus providing a major boost to local businesses.
“We have seen some great examples of how IoT has transformed the capabilities of these rural areas. With locally generated electricity for example, paving the way for the emergence of phone-charging shops and even stories of people charging entry to their homes to allow visitors to watch major sporting events. The supplier of the equipment is allowed to manage and maintain their assets because of the integration of IoT technology, which provides them with constant performance updates,” said Potgieter.
Central to the success of any IoT project in a developing country is its ability to be globally connected and highly available.
Furthermore, Potgieter said it must be straightforward for non-IoT experts to construct on a ground level. At the point of deployment, Eseye can securely and quickly enter a device into the cloud.
This helps locals who are setting up the IoT equipment to easily achieve quick configuration.
“As a result of this approach, Eseye is experiencing some success in developing countries, with life-changing projects through partnerships with suppliers such as SolarNow and eWater.”
Despite these successes, Potgieter said that there are still a few challenges to overcome before IoT can be brought on a mass scale.
Firstly, connectivity and coverage lay at the fundamental core of effective IoT solutions.
Without it, the entire success of these projects is jeopardised.
Next, it is crucial to ensure that untrained people in these rural areas feel confident setting up equipment.
The best way to do this is through ‘zero-touch’ solutions, which allow non-experts to easily deploy devices onto the cloud with automatic configuration.
Lastly, there are the logistical challenges associated with operating in rural areas, which can often be difficult to access from city locations: “We’ve heard stories of our African customers being subjected to 14-hour location visits to certain secluded rural locations. This demonstrates just how important it is for these devices to be truly autonomous. Customers have to be confident enough in the service that they can justify sending somebody to these locations to make any necessary repairs,” said Potgieter.
E-Business
Mastercard, Alerzo, and e-Trade Alliance Unite to Enhance Financial Inclusion for 10,000 MSMEs
Mastercard has collaborated with Alerzo, a leading Nigerian B2B e-commerce company, and the USAID-funded e-Trade Alliance to accelerate the digital transformation of and enhance financial inclusion among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.
This collaboration aims to empower over 10,000 MSMEs with cutting-edge digital and financial solutions, enabling them to achieve sustainable growth and thrive in the digital economy.
Despite Nigeria’s progress in digital technology adoption, MSMEs still face significant challenges, including complex supply chains, reliance on manual, error-prone inventory management, and limited access to essential financial services.
This collaboration addresses these obstacles with user-friendly digital and financial solutions tailored to local MSMEs, such as Alerzoshop, Alerzo’s digital B2B marketplace; and Veedez, a comprehensive digital payment and business management tool, complemented by training initiatives to boost financial and digital literacy.
“Mastercard is committed to driving financial inclusion and empowering small businesses worldwide. Our collaboration with Alerzo, and the e-Trade Alliance in Nigeria provides MSMEs the digital tools and resources needed to thrive in today’s digital economy. By facilitating seamless digital payments and offering comprehensive business management solutions, we are fostering a more inclusive financial ecosystem and driving innovation and growth within the sector.
“This collaboration demonstrates the immense possibilities that can be unlocked through the power of public-private partnerships,” said Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager, West Africa, Mastercard.
Alerzoshop enables MSMEs to stock up using their phones, enhancing their access to suppliers and facilitating secure, efficient and seamless digital payments via Mastercard’s global network.
Veedez is redefining how small businesses operate by helping them digitize processes, unlock new sales opportunities, and increase revenue, with micro-lending services providing vital financial support.
Adewale Opaleye, CEO, Alerzo Limited, added: “We are delighted to collaborate with Mastercard, and e-Trade Alliance for this digital transformation project in Nigeria.
“As the leading partner of choice for informal retailers and MSMEs, we recognize our responsibility to introduce digital retail solutions that will strengthen the economy and facilitate the adoption of a cashless society for the collective benefit of all.
“This initiative is part of our commitment to connecting millions of MSMEs in Nigeria to a world where digital connectivity is integrated into their businesses, making them more profitable and fulfilling.”
This collaboration aims to deliver targeted financial and digital training to 10,000 MSMEs across Nigeria by year-end. Introducing innovative, cost-effective payment solutions like Mastercard’s Tap to Pay, QR codes, Pay-By-Link, and Payment Gateway Services will accelerate digital payment adoption.
Upgrades to Alerzo’s infrastructure will enable seamless payment processing through the Mastercard network, benefitting MSMEs immediately upon signing up for Veedez, available on the App Store and Google Play.
Michael Poor, Senior Manager, Nextrade Group, e-Trade Alliance implementing partner, said, “This public-private sector collaboration underscores our dedication to fostering inclusive economic growth through digital transformation.
“By combining our expertise in skills development for ecommerce, inclusive trade, and access to finance, we aim to support Nigerian MSMEs in overcoming the challenges they face in the digital economy.
“Together with Alerzo and Mastercard, we are committed to empowering small businesses with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed to power more inclusive, sustainable growth in Nigeria.”
This collaboration underscores the commitment of all parties to empower Nigerian MSMEs by furthering the digital transformation of the economy and enhancing financial inclusion.
It supports Mastercard’s goal of bringing one billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into the digital economy by 2025 and deepening collaborations with international institutions to drive more sustainable, inclusive economic development.
Nigeria’s leading e-commerce platform, Konga, has unveiled the Naija Shopping Festival, a Christmas sales event designed to offer shoppers extraordinary discounts and unbeatable deals.
This exciting shopping extravaganza begins on December 1 and runs through December 30, promising an unforgettable experience for all.
With discounts of up to 70% off on your favourite products, the Naija Shopping Festival is Konga’s way of spreading festive cheer and ensuring no one misses out on amazing deals.
This event caters especially to those who could not participate in Konga Yakata, giving everyone a chance to save big this holiday season.
The festival boasts a wide array of incredible offers across multiple categories, including mobile phones, electronics, FMCG, fashion, groceries, and accessories.
Shoppers can also enjoy specially curated deals such as Christmas Eve Deals, Flash Sales, Santa Shop, and Hamper Packs, ensuring there’s something for everyone this festive period.
Konga is partnering with top global brands such as Apple, Starlink, HP, Zinox, CeraVe, Lenovo, Haier Thermocool, Samsung, and Infinix to deliver the best possible deals. Customers can expect discounts of up to 70% on premium products, ensuring maximum value on every purchase.
Speaking on the launch, Onochie Melvin, E-commerce Manager at Konga, stated, “The Naija Shopping Festival is our way of giving back to our customers and making this Christmas season special for every Nigerian.
“We remain committed to easing the financial burden on Nigerian consumers, especially during challenging economic times. Also, we want to ensure shopping is fun, affordable, and stress-free. With our trusted partners, we’ve curated the best deals to meet the needs of every shopper during this festive period.”
As always, Konga is committed to making shopping easy and convenient for Nigerians.
“By offering substantial price cuts and collaborating with trusted brands, Konga continues to set the standard for e-commerce in Nigeria.
To have a feel of Konga’s Naija Shopping Festival, visit www.konga.com today and make your Christmas shopping a joyful experience.
TD Africa, a leading technology distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa, has joined forces with Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., a global cybersecurity leader, to enhance Nigeria’s cybersecurity resilience.
This strategic partnership, announced at a partner roundtable event in Lagos and attended by industry executives, stakeholders, and IT professionals, facilitated discussions on emerging cybersecurity trends and fostered strategic partnerships.
Participants explored innovative approaches to digital security, concluding with a networking session designed to spark future collaborations and strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Abiodun Idowu, Assistant General Manager for TD Africa, highlighted the company’s dedication to delivering cutting-edge technology solutions, saying: “This partnership with Check Point reflects our commitment to providing advanced tools that safeguard businesses against today’s complex cyber threats.”
Check Point’s Security Manager, Victor Ugwu, who underscored the partnership’s significance in strengthening cybersecurity frameworks in Nigeria, said, “With this collaboration with TD Africa, we aim to deploy innovative solutions like Harmony and CloudGuard to protect organizations across the country.”
TD Africa now offers Check Point’s Harmony and Email Collaboration solutions, incorporating Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) technology to enable secure connectivity for remote and hybrid work environments.
Additionally, the partnership provides CloudGuard, an end-to-end cloud security solution, and Quantum Firewall appliances, which scale to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.
This partnership reinforces TD Africa’s position as a driving force in Nigeria’s technological advancement. By delivering robust cybersecurity solutions, TD Africa empowers businesses to navigate the digital age with confidence and resilience.
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