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DHL Hands Out Tips for Buying Online this Festive Season
With the increased availability of broadband access, more affordable data costs offered by mobile operators and the consistent development of mobile devices, online shopping is gaining great traction in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Fatima Sullivan, head of Retail at DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa said that with the upcoming festive season fast approaching, consumers are increasingly choosing to purchase gifts online from both local and foreign retailers due to the ability to select from a wide range of products at competitive prices, without being limited by geographical locations, at any time that is convenient to them.
“With improved infrastructure, in terms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and online safety and security, more people are choosing to make use of online shopping over traditional brick and mortar outlets due to the variety of products available to them at just a click of a button,” said Sullivan.
She pointed to the amazing successes of local ecommerce start-ups like Zando in South Africa and JUMIA in Nigeria; both part of the Africa Internet Holding, who are gearing up for the festive season.
JUMIA, which only launched in 2012, has already expanded into six markets, to take advantage of this growth, with Zando planning expansion plans in the near future.
Jeremy Hodara, Co-CEO of the Africa Internet Holding and Sascha Breuss, MD of Zando agreed, that “it is very expensive to buy abroad.” They also emphasize on the importance of a strong logistics partner to gain the customers trust. “This is the biggest test, since there are many fears of frauds and we have to educate consumers about shopping online securely. For example, we have to be transparent on prices, taxes, or shipment costs. That’s why JUMIA and ZANDO accept payments on delivery and offer free returns to deliver a safe, stress-free and convenient shopping experience.”
Fatima Sullivan, said that while online shopping has many benefits, not many South African consumers are aware of the regulations involved with importing products purchased online from international retailers, which could lead to consumers incurring additional expenses, thereby making the product less of an attractive buy.
“As an example, all shipments transported across international borders must be cleared through Customs, where, depending on the type of goods being shipped, they may also be subject to certain other restrictions and regulations. There are goods such as clothing that attract high rates of duty and are subject to interventions by Customs where the price, contents and country of manufacture are often interrogated to mitigate a wide range of risks.”
She added that confirming any possible restrictions attached to particular goods is vital and should be the first action taken by consumers before making a purchase online in order to avoid suffering any financial losses in the event that goods are detained by Customs.
When purchasing goods online from international retailers, Sullivan says that it is important to bear the following factors in mind to avoid additional costs or a delay in delivery of the goods:
• Import taxes and duty: Usually taxes and import duty costs are calculated specifically on the value of the imported goods. Consumers should also be aware that certain products such as footwear and wines are calculated part in value and/or in quantity, and may be subject to permit requirements based on quantity, while others, such as clothing, jewellery, perfumes and mobile devices, may only be calculated on the value of the product.
• Customs clearance: Depending on the item, various levels of customs clearance might be necessary. This could delay your shipment due to processing or physical inspection, so it’s important to order your goods well in advance, to ensure they arrive in time.
• Choose a suitable courier service: Larger express operators like DHL have a strong footprint in Africa, and have a well-established working relationship with Customs and local authorities, ensuring a speedy clearance and delivery of goods.
• Gifts: In most countries, gifts are only acceptable between individuals and a full description of the contents is required, the generic description “Gift” is not accepted. Again, this varies per country.
• Be aware of the different shipment costs: It is important to establish what costs the shipper and the customer will be responsible for prior to the shipping of the goods.
There are ultimately three main costs associated with the movement and clearance of goods: a) the cost of the goods payable to the shipper, b) the shipping costs to the customer’s door, and c) the duties, taxes and Customs clearing costs.
In most instances, the duties and taxes payable in the country of destination cannot be accurately determined by the shipper at the point of ordering the goods and these costs are not included by the shipper in their quotations to the customer.
As a result, on arrival, these charges are billed to and payable by the customer before the package can be claimed – often to the customer’s total surprise.
This ultimately could result in the landed cost (the total amount of all costs) of the e-retail merchandise becoming much more costly for the buyer than expected and could potentially put them off repeat on-line purchases.
“It is advisable for consumers to speak to the online retailer or a local expert / service provider should they be unsure about any regulations that may apply to their purchase,” concluded Sullivan.
With the festive season boom expected, you don’t want to be in for an unexpected surprise in terms of duties and taxes, or that your Christmas present arrives on December 28th.”
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that the new National Identification Number (NIN) card can be used by Nigerians for financial transactions including payments and cash withdrawals, in addition to being used as a means of identification.
Kayode Adegoke, head of Corporate Communications, and Peter Iwegbu, director of Card Management Services, of NIMC, disclosed this during an interview on Channels TV.
Speaking on the card’s multi-functional use, Iwegbu said it will enable users to conduct transactions such as ATM withdrawals, online payments, and money transfers, adding that its chip integrates seamlessly with Nigeria’s banking system, allowing users to withdraw money or transfer funds regardless of the bank they use.
For his part, Adegoke pointed out that to streamline the process, banks would issue the cards.
“The way the card is going to be issued this time around, quite unlike the past, is that you have to get it through your respective bank,” he noted.
Adegoke further explained that while the NIN remains the core element of identity verification in Nigeria, the linked card offers extensive utility.
“The NIN is free, and we are enlightening Nigerians that whenever they go to any of our centres, the enrollment and issuance of the NIN are entirely free.”
According to the officials, NIMC is partnering with various stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), to implement the card’s financial features.
This initiative is expected to provide value to banks while including previously underserved Nigerians in financial systems.
“We are bringing to them almost over 100 million possible customers who they can bank with,” Iwegbu stated.
In addition to its financial utility, the NIN card has been designed to enhance security and identification in remote areas.
“It also enables us to financially include some of these people who have been excluded and provide identification for those without means like an international passport,” Iwegbu added.
According to Adegoke, “You can decide the bank you want, the branch you want to pick it from, or even choose to have it delivered to your doorstep.”
Iwegbu assured Nigerians that the initiative is designed to address past challenges, including distribution and acceptance issues.
“The card will solve problems of financial and social exclusion, making life easier and smarter for Nigerians,” he added.
Africa Tech Alliance (ATAEx) Awards has, again, lived up to expectations by honouring individuals, organizations, and initiatives that have made significant impact on Africa’s tech ecosystem, focusing on categories such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, ecommerce, financial inclusion, sustainability, and emerging technologies.
For the year 2024, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director-general Nigeria’s National Information Technology Agency [NITDA] received the Digital Transformation Leadership Award. The Digital Transformation Leadership Award is a national technology impact award that recognizes individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing technology in ways that drive national development and positively impact society.
ATAEx Award screening committee for 2024 nominated Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi for the award in recognition of his role in transforming Nigeria’s technology landscape, fostering innovation, and supporting inclusive digital progress.
Dr. Ayotunde Coker is one of the leading players in the development of the data centre industry in Africa and is the Chairperson of an influential industry group, the Africa Data Centres Association.
Before joining OADC as Chief Executive Officer, Dr Coker led Rack Centre to become a household name in Nigeria and a leading brand in Africa, with global recognition and numerous prestigious international awards.
Throughout a distinguished international career as a technology and business leader, Dr Coker has held senior positions in finance, energy, management consulting and U.K. Government.
His achievements have been recognised by numerous awards, including the Distinguished Manufacturing Alumni Award (Cranfield Institute of Technology) 2020, and in the same year, he was recognised as one of the Global Top 30 Edge Computing Leaders by Data Economy Magazine.
He holds an MSc from Cranfield Institute of Technology and a PhD (Honoris Causa) from ESCAE University.
Other awardees include;
Blockchain Advocate of the Year – JUDE OZINEGBE, founder/Convener, Cyberchain; AI Startup of the Year – NeuRaL AI; African Cybersecurity Mastery Award – DIGITAL ENCODE LTD; ATAEx Internet Exchange Point of the Year – INTERNET EXCHANGE POINT OF NIGERIA [IXPN]; PR Champion of Africa Award – NEWMARK GROUP LTD; Africa Tech Community of the Year – InnovationBed Africa; ICT Company of the Year – TECOM CONCEPTS LTD; Best Data Centre Colocation Provider of the Year – DIGITAL REALTY [Nigeria]; Outstanding ICT Solutions & Innovation Personality of the Year – HAPPINESS OBIOHA, MD/Sales Director, Tecom Concepts Limited; Mobile App Defense Excellence Award – CED TECHNOLOGIES; Most Innovative Digital Bank Award – PALMPAY, and Life Time Achievement Award in Data Centre Management – DR. AYOTUNDE COKER, CEO, OADC.
Other ATAEx 2024 awardees are; ICT Innovation Storyteller Award – CHINENYE ANUFORO, Head, ICT Desk, Sun Newspaper; Digital Reporting Excellence Award – MARTIN EKPEKE, Publisher/Editor In-Chief, ITPulse; Trailblazer in Tech Award – MONIADE ADENIYI; Global Technology Innovator Award – AYODEJI OGUNMOLA; Tech Visionary Award – OLUWAKAYODE DURODOLA; Rising Star in Tech Award – OLANIYI IBRAHEEM; Business Intelligence Mastery Award – ADEDAMOLA BOWALE; Blockchain Community of the Year – LAGOS BLOCKCHAIN WEEK; Champion of Public Tech Infrastructure Award – GALAXY BACKBONE LIMITED; Direct Selling Company of the Year – QNET.
In his congratulatory message to the award recipients, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, the co-convener, said that ATAEx Awards is part of the annual Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH), which brings together tech leaders, policymakers/regulators, industry experts, and key stakeholders to discuss the latest advancements and challenges in Africa’s digital landscape.
“Recipients are celebrated not only for their achievements but also for their vision and commitment to leveraging technology for Africa’s development”, he said.
Nigerians will start paying for the new national identity card due to low revenue, according to National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Dr Peter Iwegbu, head of card management services at NIMC, said the payment was to ensure that it was produced for only those who needed it.
Iwegbu stated this at the two-day conference organized for journalists in Lagos.
He also added that the decision was made to avoid repeating the mistake of the past efforts to issue physical cards to Nigerians for free, which many did not collect.
“The government’s limited revenue is also a major factor in the decision to make Nigerians pay for the new ID card,” he said.
Iwegbu explained that due to the low revenue generated, the government could not fund the production of ID cards.
Mr Lanre Yusuf, director of Information Technology at NIMC, explained that the idea of a free national ID card in the past was not productive.
“To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location, and then collect their card from the chosen location. The government has implemented programmes to make the card accessible to the less privileged Nigerians who cannot afford it but require it to access government support.”
“This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality,” Yusuf said.
He said that the versatile cards were scheduled to launch soon, and sample test cards had already been received.
“NIMC is working with banks across the country, which will make it possible for people to walk into any bank closest to them and request the card.”
“The new national ID card is a multipurpose card that can serve the purpose of identity verification, payments, and even government services,” he said.
The card will be enabled for all government interventions and services across various ministries, departments, and agencies. The card, powered by AfriGO, was launched in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System.
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