E-Business
GoOnline Nigeria to Empower SMEs for Digital Age
GoOnline Nigeria has announced the roll-out of its business growth programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria to equip the ecosystem lead competitiveness in the Digital Age.
GoOnline Nigeria is a business growth programme for SMEs in Nigeria delivered by an alliance of Programme Partners and SME Growth Drivers across the technology, Internet, payments, financial services, media and allied industries.
Mr Foluso Busari, executive director of GoOnline Nigeria announced at a stakeholders’ retreat held in Lagos recently that the programme will aggregate Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to lead and unlock business innovation, efficiency, competitiveness and profitability in the Digital Age.
GoOnline Nigeria is a 360-degree programme delivered in three key modules: Get Online, Grow Online and Succeed Online for SMEs across Nigeria to sell profitably on the Internet, while the official portal on www.goonline.ng has also been opened to the Internet community.
According to him, GoOnline Nigeria Programme Partners representing SME Growth Drivers in the technology, banking and financial services, media and other sectors have partnered with a shared vision to unlock entrepreneurial possibilities that foster innovation, job creation and overall economic growth across the SME ecosystem in Nigeria.
He said, “SMEs are a very important component of the Nigerian economy and are regarded as engine of sustainable growth. SMEs also hold potentials to contribute higher proportion to GDP in Nigeria with targeted initiatives like GoOnline Nigeria to unlock potentials in the sector and build a stronger SME sector. Consistent commitment to the development of strong SMEs sector can be unlocked by implementing initiatives like access to finance and financial incentives; basic and technological infrastructure and a commitment to building domestic expertise and knowledge.”
The GoOnline Programme Director also identified that the Nigerian SME ecosystem is very well positioned today with increasing telephony subscriptions and penetration across the country, which is also driving Internet access among a growing population of Connected Nigerians.
Official market information by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) puts the telephony connections at 153,514,107 lines and Internet subscribers at 93,176,061 as at October 2016, “a trend that has enabled easier access to the Internet and social media services, he added.
Mr Busari also said that “the growing access is enabling easier channels for customer acquisition and retention as the Internet marketplace offers services that connect SMEs directly with customers.”
He stressed further that, “within the Nigerian macroeconomic environment, several initiative like the Local Content Policy, “Buy Nigeria” will further help SMEs harness compelling growth potential and like other emerging economies, are likely to constitute a significant portion of GDP in the near future.”
According to the Programme Director of GoOnline Nigeria, “our vision is to provide 21st Century IT and business resources for Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to lead business innovation, business competitiveness and profitability in the Digital Age. GoOnline Nigeria will be sustainable into the foreseeable future by evolving SMEs that will be agile, sustainable, efficient, innovative and profitable by embracing the Internet for business.”
Under the plan, Mr Busari said that the GoOnline Business Growth Programme will be delivered for the following demographics:
SMEs that have no Internet presence at all and wish to start selling their goods and services online; SMEs that already have a website but are not recording online sales;
SMEs that sell online on third-party Markeplaces but do not have their own websites;
Market clusters across Nigeria with identified opportunities to embrace Internet to achieve business scale, operational efficiency and profitability;
Small businesses planning to open their own micro-enterprise or already run their own small business; Entrepreneurs interested in business but may or may not be familiar with basic business concepts;
Entrepreneurs that use some technology in their business or for personal purposes but do not maximize the use of technology in managing their business;
Entrepreneurs interested in learning how Internet and ICT tools can help them run their business.
Entrepreneurs interested in brief, practical and relevant hands-on training on Internet for Business.
Entrepreneurs interested in learning, exchanging ideas and networking with other entrepreneurs.
According to the GoOnline Programmes Director, the first phase will involve provision of affordable web presence bundling free Nigeria .ng Internet domain name, website, web hosting, telecoms starter kits for SMEs, e-commerce, CRM and other business management tools.
“This phase will demystify the Internet and other online business platforms for small business and provide affordable and effective websites to gain and retain new customers and also target online communities, demographics and market opportunities across the local Internet community”, Mr Busari explained.
Stage Two on Grow Online will provide SMEs across Nigeria with 21st Century IT and business skills for entrepreneurs to lead business innovation, operational efficiency, business competitiveness and profitability in the Digital Age.
This phase of the programme will incorporate targeted trainings, workshops and seminars spread over a one year cycle of monthly learning experiences to offer partner SMEs the needed skills and competence to gain and retain customers by leveraging the Internet.
According to Mr Busari, “more importantly, this phase also enable partner SMEs and merchants to unlock value propositions available from GoOnline Programme Partners and SMEs Growth Drivers to grow their businesses.”
This phased programme will feature online business communities, Monthly Learning & Networking Experiences, Quarterly and Annual Online as well as Physical Showcase Events, according to the GoOnline Nigeria Programmes Director.
“We are positive that GoOnline Nigeria will be the next wave for SMEs in Nigeria by creating a sustainable path to accelerate online revenue growth and profitability. The Programme will enable SMEs across Nigeria generate higher percentage of revenues from Internet storefronts to complement their physical storefronts”, Mr Busari added.
Federal government has disclosed that efforts are ongoing to link the National Social Register (NSR) to the National Identity Numbers (NIN).
Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, explained that the linked data would assist the country to anticipate crises, mobilize resources faster, and ensure aid reaches those who need it the most.
He said harnessing data would save the country and relevant stakeholders the stress and bottlenecks of outdated processes.
He also identified bureaucratic crisis as the biggest crisis in the humanitarian space which stalls responses to humanitarian issues.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the National Humanitarian Roundtable programme, the minister said: “People are traumatized by climate change, security threats and economic shock across the country and in the midst of these, we have limited funding.
“The biggest crisis we have is not just the people being killed, the crisis we have is a bureaucratic crisis that does not respond to a humanitarian crisis. Every delay in decision making, every inefficiency in coordination, every shortfall in funding, costs the life of people.
“They say knowledge is power, but knowledge can be destructive too. It can only be power if we use it effectively. By leveraging data and technology, we can anticipate crises; we can mobilize resources faster and ensure aid reaches those who are in need the most and without the bottleneck of outdated processes.
“We are linking the social register to national identity numbers and geotagging all homes of those who are vulnerable across the country so that if there’s any crisis, we don’t need to begin to walk around communities and taking names and asking the States Emergency Management Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for data.
Kaspersky has recently contributed its threat intelligence data to an INTERPOL-led law enforcement action that aimed to disrupt cross-border criminal networks across the African region that cause significant harm to individuals and businesses.
With seven participating countries in Africa, operation Red Card resulted in the arrest of 306 individuals suspected of links to cybercrimes such as mobile banking, investment and messaging app scams, and seizure of 1,842 devices.
Conducted from November 2024 to February 2025, operation Red Card was delivered through INTERPOL’s African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) and brought together law enforcers from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo and Zambia.
The operation conduct was preceded by a threat intelligence data exchange, which was enriched by INTERPOL and its private sector partners, including Kaspersky. Kaspersky has shared with the law enforcement agency the results of an analysis of samples of a malicious Android application that targeted users in African countries along with the data on related infrastructure.
Altogether, the cybercriminal cases uncovered by the Red Card participants have preyed on more than 5,000 people. Among operation highlights were:
Nigeria: Nigerian police arrested 130 people, including 113 foreign nationals, for their alleged involvement in cyber-enabled scams such as online casino and investment fraud. The suspects, who converted proceeds to digital assets to conceal their tracks, were recruited from different countries to run the illegal schemes in as many languages as possible.
Zambia: Officers apprehended 14 suspected members of a criminal syndicate that hacked into victims’ phones. The scam involved sending a message containing a malicious link which, when clicked, installed malware on the device.
This allowed hackers to take control of the messaging account, and ultimately the phone, giving them access to banking apps. The hackers were also able to use the victim’s messaging apps to share the malicious link within conversations and groups, enabling the scam to spread.
Rwanda: Rwandan authorities arrested 45 members of a criminal network for their involvement in social engineering scams that defrauded victims of over USD 305,000 in 2024 alone.
Their tactics included posing as telecommunications employees and claiming fake ‘jackpot’ wins to extract sensitive information and gain access to victims’ mobile banking accounts. Another method involved impersonating an injured family member to ask relatives for financial assistance towards hospital bills.
South Africa: Local authorities arrested 40 individuals and seized more than 1,000 SIM cards, along with 53 desktops and towers linked to a sophisticated SIM box fraud scheme. This setup, which reroutes international calls as local ones, is commonly used by criminals to carry out large-scale SMS phishing attacks.
Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, said: “The success of Operation Red Card demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating cybercrime, which knows no borders and can have devastating effects on individuals and communities.
“The recovery of significant assets and devices, as well as the arrest of key suspects, sends a strong message to cybercriminals that their activities will not go unpunished.”
“Kaspersky is proud to be part of this collaborative effort led by INTERPOL. The evolving threat landscape in Africa requires a multi-stakeholder dialogue and joint efforts of public and private organisations to address the cybersecurity challenges the region faces today.
The Red Card operation is a notable example of such cooperation, showcasing how the expertise of private companies coupled with extensive investigative capacities of law enforcers can foster a more cyber-resilient environment,” comments Yuliya Shlychkova, Vice President, Global Public Affairs, Kaspersky.
Kaspersky and INTERPOL have a vast record of joint operations aimed at combating cybercrime in the African region, with Kaspersky having supported two editions of INTERPOL’s Africa Cyber Surge operations.
Just recently, Kaspersky was also a contributor to INTERPOL’s joint action with AFRIPOL, which last year became the company’s official partner in fostering a more cybersafe climate across Africa. This partnership focuses on sharing Kaspersky’s extensive data on local cyberthreats and cybercrime trends in the region.
WhatsApp continues to be the best way for people and businesses to get business done in Nigeria. With its efficient features, the WhatsApp Business App has become an indispensable tool for small businesses, helping them streamline communication, enhance customer engagement and drive sales. And we know customers love communicating with businesses over WhatsApp too, as nearly 80% of people globally message with a business at least once a week.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise your business operations, here are five essential WhatsApp Business features that can elevate your efficiency and customer interactions.
1. Catalog – Showcase Your Products and Services
Gone are the days of sending multiple images and descriptions individually to customers. With the Catalog feature, you can create a digital storefront where customers can browse your offerings within WhatsApp. This is just like a mini-website which makes it easier to showcase your products, prices and descriptions in an organised way.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Catalog. Add product images, videos, names, descriptions and pricing.
2. Quick Replies – Save Time on Repetitive Questions
Answering the same customer questions repeatedly? Quick Replies let you create preset responses for frequently asked questions, saving you time and ensuring fast customer service.
How to Use It:Go to Settings > Business Tools > Quick Replies. Create and save responses such as a greeting message or order confirmation. Use the shortcut “/” to insert a quick reply in any chat
3. Labels – Stay Organised and Track Conversations
Managing multiple customer interactions can be overwhelming, but the Labels feature helps by categorising chats in different ways, such as order status or customer type. You can create labels with different colors or names and add the conversations to an entire chat. This keeps your inbox organised and ensures no customer is left waiting.
How to Use It: Open a chat, tap on the three-dot menu > Label Chat. Assign relevant labels like New Customer, Order Placed, Pending Payment.
4. Away Messages – Engage Customers Even When You’re Away
Never miss a customer inquiry again. Away Messages allow you to set up a greeting or away message, ensuring customers receive timely responses even outside business hours.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Away Message / Greeting Message. Set up a custom message and schedule when it should be sent.
5. Meta Verified – For Enhanced Protection and Account Support
A paid subscription that helps your business build credibility with new audiences, Meta Verified can help drive more engagement and grow your brand. With Meta Verified, you’ll receive enhanced account support, can use WhatsApp across multiple devices and easily create a professional WhatsApp web page that’s tailored to you.
How to Use It: Go to Settings or Business Tools > tap Meta Verified.
WhatsApp Business is packed with features designed to help small businesses grow, stay organised, and engage with customers effortlessly. By leveraging these features, you can enhance your customer experience, increase efficiency and ultimately drive more sales. Start your own journey with the WhatsApp Business app here.
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