E-Business
ANMFIN Targets Stronger Financial Activities with NIMC Collaboration

With a centralized data base in Nigeria, it is easy to plan, execute and maintain projects aimed at improving the standard of living of Nigerians and the overall development of Nigeria, according to the Association of Non-Bank micro Finance Institutions of Nigeria (ANMFIN).
Actually, and for meaningful development in any country to be effective, a reliable and assured database is imperative.
It is against this back ANMFIN has moved to collaborate with the issuing authority for identity, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on the enrolment of its members into the National Identity Database (NIDB).
Speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony which held at the NIMC headquarters in Abuja recently, Mr. Godbless Safugha, executive secretary (ANMFIN), thanked the Commission for stretching the hands of collaboration and support towards its organization, adding that NIMC’s role in driving financial inclusion at the grass root through the provision of reliable data cannot be over emphasized.
He said: “For us at ANMFIN, we see the National Identity Management System (NIMS)project as an antidote for identity crisis management in Nigeria which willimprove financial services, social safety net programs, healthcare services, etc. So we chose to partner this platform for the clear transformationit will bring to the Nigerian people.”
He further stressed the relevance of the grassroots to the success of financial inclusion in Nigeria. “…today, Central Bank is preaching Financial Inclusion and to successfully achieve this goal, we must be able to reach the common man at the grassroots. If those people at the grass root are not identified, it becomes difficult to make any progress.”
“…But with NIMC coming on board, I am optimistic that we will achieve financial inclusion in a very short time because we can quickly identify those at the grassroots,” he added.
Speaking at the meeting, Barrister Chris Onyemenam, director general, National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, assured ANMFIN of NIMC’s support.
“We will do our utmost best to give you that support. I think you are closer to the bankers at the grass root. Am sure we can catch the rural bankers speedily through this collaboration,” he said.
The NIMC boss reiterated the commission’s commitment to identifying Nigerians to boost economic development. “God willing, we will continue to support efforts to uniquely identify Nigerians in a bid to fast track the prospects in the NIMS project in terms of economic development.”
The Commission, as established by Act No. 23 of 2007, has the mandate to foster the orderly development of an identity sector, register persons covered by the Act, assign a Unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue General Multi-Purpose Cards (GMPC) to those registered individuals, and harmonize and integrate existing identification databases in Nigeria for verification and authentication purposes.
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.
E-Business
FG Mulls Fibre Optic Layout to Bridge Internet Gaps

President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
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