E-Business
Microsoft Reaffirms Commitment to Promote New Frontier of Skills in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic
Microsoft, in an effort to not only reaffirm its commitment to enabling the continent to achieve more through digital transformation with technology as a key vector, but also to forge commitment to assisting local economies during the pandemic.
This was disclosed in a roundtable meeting, it hosted in Lagos to discuss how the rampant digital transformation accelerated by COVID-19 has impacted skills demand.
It’s no longer news that COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented impact on organisations and industries the world over. While digital transformation has presented a call to action to entire industries to upskill and reskill, the onset of COVID-19 is said to have impacted the jobs of up to 80 million people.
As economies slowly start to reopen, jobs that were impacted and lost at the start of the global lockdowns, may now not exist.
Speaking at the roundtable event, Akin Banuso–country manager, Microsoft Nigeria noted that COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated the pace of digital transformation and as a result of this, digital skills are required immediately.
“According to our research, by 2025 digital job capacity will mean the creation of 149 million new jobs.
“Further to this, 800 million people will be required to learn new skills to fully execute their jobs by 2030.
“As the economy in Nigeria starts to slowly reopen for business, we anticipate the return to an economy with different needs and certainly one were a new challenge presents itself in terms of skills.”
Off the back of the recent Global Skilling Initiative announcement to aid 25 million job seekers worldwide to acquire the skills required to survive in the new digital economy – the roundtable, one of the first in a series developed to provide a continental answer to youth employment and skill promotion brought together thought leaders and decision makers from the private sector, IGOs, Government Agencies and Academia.
John Edokpolo – Microsoft Director of Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, MEA Emerging Markets
“One of our key objectives today was to gain a better understanding of the available models, approaches and best practices in employment as we edge closer to the recovery phase of this crisis”, said John Edokpolo – Microsoft Director of Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, MEA Emerging Markets.
The global skills initiative is set to use data to identify in-demand jobs and provide free access to learning content by investing in free access to in-demand skills training, discounted tests that provide industry-recognised certifications, and free connections to employability tools. In so doing, pull together every part of the holistic brand the encompasses Microsoft, LinkedIn, and GitHub to integrate these offerings to meet job seekers’ and the economy’s needs.
While the roundtable also sought to strengthen collaboration between partners for employment- orientated skills development and look to build a consensus and further commitments for key stakeholders on a way forward, it also looked to facilitate valuable dialogue, synergy building and upscaling of public-private sector partnerships for improved youth employability outcome and future jobs.
At the event, special discussion as given to managing the transition to a digitally driven business model, particularly in Nigeria.
“As we continue to see organisations of all sizes drive efficiencies through this new accelerated digital transformation – we anticipate seeing the rise of what is called a ‘hybrid economy”, continued Edokpolo.
“One where employees will have an option of integrating back into the workplace, while others will choose to carry out their duties remotely. Essentially, this environment is going to rely more increasingly on technology to skills optimisation.”
“While the goal of reaching and changing the lives of 25 million individuals sounds like an incredible task, it cannot be done alone.
“We hope that through roundtable discussions like todays, our collaborations with the public, private and NGO sector will lead to greater impact in this regard,” continues Banuso.
“We look forward to continuing our sustained efforts in reaching and educating more customers and prospects around the tools and resources available and are excited about working with our community to achieve the ultimate digital change!” concludes Banuso.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has clarified that all its verification service platforms remain fully functional and accessible to all authorized partners, including security agencies.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, DG, NIMC
In a statement on Thursday, the Commission firmly denied claims that it had denied the Police Service Commission (PSC) access to its verification server.
Dr. Kayode Adegoke, head of Corporate Communications, NIMC, described the reported “inability of the Police Service Commission to access the NIMC verification server” as misleading and inaccurate.
He suggested that any challenges faced by the PSC may be due to internal issues within the commission itself, not from NIMC’s end.
The statement reads: “To set the record straight, the NIMC granted verification access to all Nigerian Police formations for the verification of the National Identification Number (NIN). The NPF, PSC and other security agencies have been enjoying uninterrupted verification services for over five years.
“NIMC has provided top-notch verification services for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, as conducted by the PSC and at no time have there been any complaints or issues regarding NIN Verification by the NPF or PSC.
“The Commission has a robust and harmonious working relationship with the Nigerian Police Force and the Police Service Commission. The Information Communications and Technology (ICT) department of the Nigeria Police Force is actively managing the long-standing verification and integration service between the NIMC and all Nigeria Police formations.Entertainment tourism packages
“NIMC will continue to provide flawless verification services for the purpose of recruitment, security mapping, cybercrime control, and any other security matters.
“The framework by which NIMC provides services to the security agencies was recently restructured for standardization and effective implementation, following consultation with the Office of the National Security Adviser, and NPF has confirmed the verification services have continued to be available. We therefore believe that any service interruption experienced by PSC may be due to internal matters.
“NIMC is committed to providing excellent verification services to the PSC, NPF and all its partners but the terms and conditions inherent must be adhered to for uninterrupted flow of service.”
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.
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