E-Business
Communicating in Africa, trends to watch out in 2018

By Nonye Mpho Omotola
Africa for Africans
Africa has a population of over 1 billion people, 70% of which are youthful, aspirational and passionate about their continent. The proposition “Africans for Africans by Africans” has become a dominant force with young people in Africa.
It is about change and holding businesses, governments and institutions accountable and so ultimately driving transformation.
The continent has so many resources, and is blessed with young entrepreneurs and professionals. They are the hope for future generations, and they want to be considered, governed responsibly and provided with opportunities.
Africa is not a Country
Every country in Africa is different. The continent is made up of 55 countries,each with its own government, currency, cultures and legacies. So, when communicating in Africa, brands should ensure that they are aware of local cultures and ways of doing business.
There are now several countries that offer a visa on arrival, the opportunity of opening a bank account in 24 hours, or even the chance of registering a new business promptly.
Where businesses have a presence across the continent, messaging should be varied according to a particular country’s regulatory environment and language(s). Respect for local content and local people will continue to be key.
Authenticity
Damage to reputation has emerged as the main risk facing companies worldwide. Authenticity rules when communicating brands. Brands that refuse to adhere will be damaged, as evidenced not just on the corporate front, but in political spheresand even with personal brands.
Ethical behaviour and corporate governance are critical in defining reputation:what you do must be aligned with what you stand for. Everyone wants a relationship that they can trust, so when a brand betrays this, it ultimately affects the bottom line and ruins the relationship, usually irreparably.
2018 will bring an even greater demand for brand reputation management and crisis communications services as companies look to protect brand equity from possible reputational risks.
Online Reputation and Social Media
With the ongoing penetration by social media – blogging, influencer posts, videos, twitter, Facebook – online Reputation management and the influence of social media will continue to go hand in hand.
Most people have more than one phone, with access to different networks, platforms, groups and communities. WhatsApp, for instance, is the number one messaging platform in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.
As we know good news travels fast, but unfortunately bad news spreads even faster.There have been several instances of a viral campaign initiated in one region/country and adapted immediately in another. Crisis management plans should be reset for the digital age and companies must adapt to allegations or developments in real time.With digital and online media becoming more accessible on the continent, it is projected there will be a gradual decline in print. An online communications strategy is integral to any communications mix.
Creating Shared Value
Other than brands operating for profitability, creating shared value will continue to be critical for business strategy, especially when communicating in Africa.
For a continent struggling to ensure it delivers the pillars of sustainable development, businesses can use their competitive advantage for social good, addressing societal needs such as skills development and technology, energy,education and health initiatives.
Integrated communications
Africa is evolving at a rapid pace, with both technology and consumer behaviour at the forefront of this evolution. It is important that communication and brand specialists adopt an integrated approach to communications in order to remain relevant. Speak to the right audience in the right language in the right way, and media will be a powerful tool for driving change in Africa!
Nonye Mpho Omotola is Business Director, Africa at Vuma Reputation Management. She has over 15 years brand communication experience gained from the UK, Nigeria and South Africa and is passionate about the development of the continent.
E-Business
Jumia Expands Nationwide Footprint, Deepens Reach Across Underserved Nigerian Cities

e-commerce company, Jumia Nigeria, has announced a significant expansion of its logistics and pickup network across Nigeria, extending its reach into underserved regions and strengthening access to e-commerce services for millions of consumers.

The expansion, executed during the first quarter of 2026, marks a deliberate shift toward upcountry growth, with new and expanded operations across Northern Nigeria, including Kebbi, Sokoto, and Kaduna, while also strengthening presence in strategic cities like Zaria. The move is designed to close long-standing coverage gaps in high-potential areas and bring its services closer to more customers.
According to the company, the expansion reflects a convergence of customer demand, infrastructure strategy, and long-term market development, as more Nigerians outside major urban centres seek reliable access to digital retail.
“We are seeing a structural shift in where demand is coming from. What this expansion does is align our infrastructure with that reality. By extending our network deeper into the country, we are not only improving service delivery, but we are also unlocking new demand, enabling more sellers to participate in the digital economy, and building a more inclusive retail ecosystem that reflects the true scale of the Nigerian market,” said Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria.
The rollout includes a significant increase in pickup stations and delivery touchpoints across both established and emerging cities. Existing urban centres such as Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt have seen network density increase, while new and previously underserved locations are being integrated into Jumia’s logistics grid. This broader footprint is supported by investments towards parcel distribution centres, designed to decentralise inventory flow, reduce delivery time, and optimise operating costs across regions.
As part of the expansion, Jumia has also strengthened its logistics partnerships and delivery capacity, enabling more efficient last-mile fulfilment while creating income opportunities for a growing network of logistics partners and JForce agents. The company notes that these investments are critical to sustaining scale as order volumes increase across a more geographically diverse customer base.
Looking ahead, Jumia plans to extend its expansion into the South-East and South-South regions ahead of the peak retail season, further increasing its national coverage and reinforcing its position as a leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria.
E-Business
RHUCE Taps Into Africa’s $3Bn Creator Economy with New Monetisation Platform

RHUCE, a new social platform designed for African creatives, has officially launched today, introducing a new model for how creators across the continent can turn their skills, learning, and content into income.

RHUCE
As Africa’s creator economy, estimated at over $3 billion, continues to grow, millions of young people are building digital skills but struggle to convert them into sustainable opportunities. RHUCE aims to bridge this gap by combining professional identity, creator monetisation, and opportunity discovery in a single ecosystem.
“Across Africa, talent is everywhere, but opportunity is fragmented,” said Simeon Ifeoluwa Adeyanju, CEO of RHUCE Limited. “Creators are learning, building, and sharing their work, but they lack a structured way to turn that into visibility, credibility, and income.”
Unlike traditional platforms that prioritise virality or finished work, RHUCE enables users to document their growth in real time, transforming their learning journey into a living portfolio.
“We believe your journey is your greatest asset,” Adeyanju said. “On RHUCE, your growth becomes your portfolio, your consistency builds your credibility, and opportunities can discover you based on what you’re becoming, not just what you’ve done.”
The platform introduces a shift from application-based hiring to discovery-driven opportunities, where creators are matched with jobs, gigs, and collaborations based on their evolving skills and documented progress.
“Instead of chasing opportunities across WhatsApp groups, DMs, and multiple platforms, we’ve built a system where you can post once and be discovered continuously,” he added.
RHUCE also provides monetisation tools that allow creators to earn through digital products, paid learning content, and brand-sponsored campaigns, unlocking new income streams within Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.
With over 60% of Africa’s population under 25, the platform positions itself as infrastructure for the continent’s next generation of talent.
“RHUCE is not just a platform for finished professionals,” Adeyanju said. “It is for people becoming something. Our goal is simple: help Africans turn learning into opportunity, and opportunity into income.”
E-Business
Kaspersky Warns of Digital Medicine Risks on the Occasion of World Health Day

On World Health Day, Kaspersky warns of risks tied to the digitisation of healthcare and use of telemedicine. Recent incidents show that medical services can be breached, and as a result, medical records may be leaked and then traded on the dark web.

The operations of healthcare services can get disrupted. Another aspect is that healthcare platforms may share user data with third parties that handle it irresponsibly.
Telemedicine has moved from a convenience to a core part of healthcare delivery, but its security model has not kept pace with its adoption, and the risks are not theoretical. Recent incidents highlight how real these risks have become.
In 2023, it was disclosed that Cerebral, a major telehealth provider focused on mental health services, had been sharing sensitive patient data – including mental health assessments, intake information, and personal identifiers – with third-party platforms such as social media and advertising networks. Millions of users were affected over several years.
More broadly, incidents in 2025 illustrate a different but equally critical risk – large-scale disruption of digital healthcare infrastructure. The breach of the ManageMyHealth patient portal exposed sensitive medical records of more than 120,000 patients, while the attack on SimonMed Imaging compromised over a million records and led to ransomware demands. These cases show that both telemedicine platforms and the broader digital healthcare ecosystems are increasingly targeted by attackers.
In parallel, scam campaigns focusing on medical topics are evolving, inviting patients for check-ups or follow-up consultations. Often the domains of the alleged “medical services” websites were created just a few weeks ago, links to the social media accounts on their pages are not working, and the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy pages are absent.
At the same time, these pages request users’ personal information, including photos of documents and even photos of parts of the body that need medical attention. Such websites often try to convince users with branding, fake doctor profiles, and urgent calls to action.
Users risk submitting sensitive personal data that can be either sold on the dark web, be used for identity theft, or subsequently used in more sophisticated attacks in the future that are targeted specifically at them for further data extortion.
To safeguard sensitive data, use a reliable security solution with an AI-powered anti-phishing component which prevents clicking on malicious links.
“The digital healthcare experience is transforming access to care, but it is also expanding the attack surface in ways many users underestimate. Medical data is highly valuable and actively traded on the dark web, making patients a prime target for fraud and targeted phishing.
“At the same time, health-related scams exploit urgency and trust, using fake consultations or discounted offers to trick users into sharing sensitive information. Patients should approach digital healthcare with the same caution as financial services – verifying providers, avoiding unsolicited links, and understanding how their data is used. Security and privacy must become a core part of the digital healthcare experience,” comments Anna Larkina, Web Content and Privacy Analysis Expert at Kaspersky.
E-Business2 days agoNigeria Cyberattacks: Stronger Collaboration as a Panacea
Telecom2 days agoAirtel Becomes World’s Second Largest Telco as Global Customer Base Surpasses 650 Million
General News2 days agoNIBSS Says 28 Percent of Nigerians have Registered for BVN
Telecom1 day agoFrom Import Dependency to Local Capacity: Nigeria’s Tech Manufacturing Journey
General News2 days agoNITDA DG Urges Stronger Collaboration to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Economy
E-Business2 days agoCBN Slams Custodian Investment with N419m Fines over Rule Breaches
General News2 days agoOgun Set for Direct London Flights as Gateway Airport Gains Momentum
News2 days agoLagos Govt Drags Top Firms to Court Over Billion-Naira Tax Debts













