E-Business
CWG, EDC Thinker on SMEs Development
Computer Warehouse Group Plc (CWG) has concluded plans to collaborate with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University to afford Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) access to business enabling solutions.
This follows a visit by a delegation of EDC led by Mr. Peter Bamkole, director, to the corporate headquarters of CWG in Lagos.
Bamkole said in a statement on CWG’s website, “We are considering integrating OPENSHOPEN and SMERP for now into our certificate in entrepreneurial management training. With this, entrepreneurs can begin to experience the viability of technology as a solution for their business efficiency, right from the classroom.
He expressed his satisfaction with the capacity of the CWG 2.0 products to sufficiently provide the leverage SMEs require to improve their business output. According to him, “our aim at EDC is to de-risk the SME sector, so as to increase SMES access to funding.”
“Your solution will help entrepreneurs change their business model from costly asset acquisition to services utilisation on a subscription basis, thus making it easier and affordable”, he added.
The CWG 2.0 products feature a range of SMEs focused and Cloud based IT solutions.
They include SMERP, which is designed to address the challenge of accounting and inventory management, and financial record keeping; a requirement for accessing loans.
The Diamond Yello Account (DYA) allows individuals open a bank account using the mobile phones, without having to visit the bank.
POSapp is a Point Of Sale (POS) system that allows merchants receive payments, sell services and offers the unique functionality of keeping sales inventory.
While, Openshopen is an eCommerce platform that aims at giving business owners the exposure they need to sell beyond their vicinity and guarantee increased sales and expansion.
On his part, Mr. Austin Okere, founder and chief executive officer, CWG Plc, appraised the initiative by EDC to avail entrepreneurs with technology.
According to him, “The SMEs space boasts of a number of key players with quite distinct roles, in their bid to promote the growth of the sector. However, we believe that these players need to work together seamlessly. Such synergy will ensure that rather than experience arithmetic progression, we will together have quantum leaps of success. This underscores our willingness to collaborate with the EDC to provide the support that SMEs need to succeed. If each SME grows their business to the extent that they can add one additional employee, that will generate an additional 17m jobs, given the total number of SMEs in Nigeria. This is much more than any single large employer can provide”.
“The impact of the program on the success of the SME’s businesses is however, dependent upon the commitment of the entrepreneurs themselves. It is not that CWG and EDC are going to do something magical for them to grow. Rather, CWG and EDC are helping them to do something magical for themselves”, he concluded.
On his part, Mr. James Agada, CTO of CWG reiterated the commitment of the company to continue to develop a robust franchisee model with all institutions involved with SME development to expand the accessibility of her technology service platforms solution to the larger entrepreneurial segment and thereby championing inclusive growth and job creation.
The collaboration with EDC adds to the list of CWG’s strategic partnership with SMEs focused institutions, including the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) that aims at providing ICT technology platform for MSMEs on a subscription based model.
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Nigerian government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced a strategic collaboration to strengthen cybersecurity and clean up the nation’s cyberspace.
Recognizing that cybercrime knows no borders, Nigeria also reaffirmed its commitment to fostering stronger global partnerships within the cybersecurity ecosystem.
This announcement was made during a press conference before the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Abuja from July 9th to 11th, 2025.
Sa’ad Abubakar, national cybersecurity coordinator from the Office of National Security Advisor, said fighting cybercrime must take the whole of society and the whole of the government approach.
According to him, “Apart from the deterrent approach whereby government agencies such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrest individuals, take them to court and prosecute them, the youth can be nurtured into better citizens who can showcase their capacity in better ways and be useful to the country.”
Similarly, Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general, NITDA, also stressed the need for collaborative efforts in fighting cybercrimes.
According to him “Then, in addition to that, we also want to build a stronger global collaboration with the global cyber security ecosystem, because when you look at cybercrime in general, it doesn’t respect the borders.
“Someone can commit a crime from Ghana using a Nigerian ID in the US. So you can look at him physically in a different jurisdiction, pretending to be in another jurisdiction, committing the crime in another jurisdiction.
“So without that kind of synergy and working together, it will be difficult to address these challenges. The third one is challenge. The third one is getting an alternative to cybercrime for our kids in Nigeria. We have this as a major challenge.”
Inuwa further highlighted the upcoming conference’s importance, noting that it would tackle key issues through workshops, discussions on emerging threats, cross-border cybersecurity collaboration strategies, and training programmes.
He also announced that the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 would feature the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, recognising top contributions in the field.
The DG extended an invitation to global partners to collaborate with Nigeria in building a safer digital future.
The press conference was attended by notable figures, including Ahmad Sa’ad Abubakar, National Coordinator of, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC); Hanniel Jafar, Representative of the President, of Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN); Ankit Shukla, Managing Director, QNA Marketing Management LLC and members of the press and other stakeholders.
XIAN Telecom has acquired an 8% stake in pan-African e-commerce company Jumia Technologies, citing the platform’s fintech and logistics strengths as key drivers of its backing.
This marks the first major telecom investment in Jumia since MTN Group’s exit in 2020.
AXIAN, a fast-growing telecom and digital services provider with operations across Africa, disclosed the purchase in a Schedule 13D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
While the financial terms were not disclosed, AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber, described the move as a strategic alignment with Jumia’s growth trajectory and digital ecosystem.
“Jumia’s achievements in digital retail and fintech, particularly through JumiaPay and its logistics network, make it a very attractive investment for us. We believe in Jumia’s potential to promote financial and economic inclusion, which aligns with our core values,” said Jaber.
Once dubbed the “Amazon of Africa,” Jumia became the first African-founded tech company to list on the New York Stock Exchange in 2019.
But years of underperformance, leadership changes, and competitive pressures dented investor confidence.
In October 2020, South Africa’s MTN Group offloaded its 18.9% stake for $138 million, well below the $698 million value it once held post-IPO.
Since then, Jumia has undergone a significant transformation. Under CEO Francis Dufay, appointed in 2022, the company exited low-performing markets like South Africa and Tunisia, cut costs, and doubled down on core markets – Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco.
The firm is now focused on high-growth verticals, including everyday essentials and digital financial services.
Jumia’s regional CEO for East Africa, Vinod Goel, recently revealed plans to scale up international brand offerings and open its logistics network to third-party businesses.
Jaber underscored that AXIAN Telecom’s investment signals renewed confidence in Jumia’s long-term potential.
The telecom firm’s CEO said the company views Jumia as a key player in advancing Africa’s digital economy, aligning with AXIAN’s mission through its fintech and digital infrastructure brands such as Yas and Mixx by Yas.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general, National Identity management commission (NIMC) has said that the commission is set to register 95 percent of Nigerians into the National Identity Database before December 2025.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote,, DG, NIMC
She made this statement at a press briefing to highlight the commissions goal aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly on digital governance and inclusive development.
The mass enrollment drive will be powered by a combination of improved infrastructure, expanded registration centres, and robust public sensitization campaigns.
As of May 2025, NIMC reports over 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled, and about 100 million more would be captured by December.
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