E-Business
SAP Skill for Africa to Accelerate Skills Development in Nigeria through PPP

SAP Skills for Africa this week kicked off its first ever programme in Nigeria at an orientation event held in Lagos.
SAP Skills for Africa has trained more than 590 graduates since its inception in 2012, providing public and private sector organisations with critical digital skills aimed at driving digital transformation and growth in key economic hubs across the continent.
Pedro Guerreiro, managing director, West Africa at SAP Africa, said the first SAP Skills for Africa programme in Nigeria leverages off strong partnerships with the public and private sectors in the country.
“SAP works extensively with public and private sector partners to facilitate digital transformation and enable local communities to take advantage of the possibilities of exponential technologies. With Africa’s largest youth population, Nigeria is perfectly placed to enable its workforce to become active contributors to the country’s economic growth and prosperity. The entry of one of our most successful skills development initiatives will make a timely contribution to the development of Africa’s most populous country.”
A 2015 World Bank report identified access to quality education as the main determinant of skills development among Nigeria’s workers.
The report recommended that the role of the private sector be expanded to facilitate greater skills development in the country.
SAP Skills for Africa aims to contribute to sustainable workplaces for the next generation of local talent by training and certifying young graduate students in SAP’s powerful suite of software solutions.
The programme provides a fast-track to a local or regional career by equipping students with technical and soft skills during a three-month full-time training schedule focusing on SAP’s latest innovations.
The Nigeria programme will focus on SAP S/4HANA Financial Accounting and SAP Activate Project Management modules, with successful graduates receiving two certifications upon completion of their training.
“All 22 graduates will have an opportunity to be placed at one of the chosen partner organisations to fast-track their careers in the ICT field,” said Guerreiro.
“By combining latest SAP knowledge and certification with in-demand soft skills, our graduates will be able to bring immediate value to our partner businesses.”
Started in 2012, SAP Skills for Africa has added essential digital skills to organisations in South Africa, Morocco and Kenya.
The program is part of SAP’s ongoing commitment to closing the skills gap and runs beyond Africa, in a total of 21 countries across the globe, as SAP’s Young Professional Program, with more than 2000 graduates globally. In 2016, SAP Skills for Africa received global recognition by winning the Hasso Plattner Founder’s Award, the highest accolade awarded by SAP.
E-Business
Amazon CEO Says AI will Reduce Number of Workers Needed

Amazon’s management on Wednesday said that it expects that artificial intelligence software will reduce the number of office workers at the world’s largest online retailer.

Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today and more people doing other types of jobs,” Andy Jassy, chief executive, Amazon wrote in an email to employees.
He said it was difficult to predict how the overall workforce will evolve, but in the next few years, it is expected that AI efficiency gains will lead to a reduction in the number of office workers.
According to earlier reports, Amazon employed around 1.5 million people worldwide, with approximately 350,000 office employees in various roles.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the company does not anticipate further large-scale layoffs, as seen in 2022 and 2023, in the near future.
Instead, it expects that vacant positions will not be refilled.
However, layoffs are not ruled out, according to sources familiar with the matter.
“Amazon is focusing on so-called AI agents, software capable of independently performing tasks. These agents could, for example, summarise information from the web and data sources, write software, translate languages and automate many time-consuming tasks,” Mr Jassy explained.
“Agents will be teammates that we can call on at various stages of our work,” he added, urging employees to experiment with AI whenever possible.
The impact of AI on the job market has been a concern for many years.
Recently, Spotify, the leader in music streaming, announced that teams requesting additional staff would first need to prove that AI could not perform the tasks.
The creators of the language-learning app Duolingo plan to gradually replace external workers with AI.
E-Business
BPP Partners NDPC to Strengthen Data Protection

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, director-general, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to data protection in Nigeria.
He disclosed this in a statement at the weekend by Zira Nagga, head of Public Relations, BPP, following a courtesy visit by a delegation from the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Adedokun stressed that data protection is vital to Nigeria’s economy and development, particularly in areas such as demography, health, education, and other key sectors.
He emphasised that no country should leave its data unprotected, as it plays a crucial role in future planning and national development.
“Data governs the world. It is essential to technological progress and must be protected for a country or business to be taken seriously,” he said.
Adedokun described the visit, aimed at fostering partnership on data policy implementation and protection, as timely and aligned with national goals.
He said the BPP would collaborate closely with the NDPC to boost data development, capacity building, and enhance the procurement system.
“The BPP will support compliance as part of the ‘Nigeria First’ Policy, although it is not a core procurement eligibility requirement,” he explained.
He suggested a hybrid training model to help build strong capacity in data protection, privacy awareness, and policy understanding.
According to him, a dynamic training approach will reduce logistics costs and improve public confidence in data safety and privacy.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, CEO, and national commissioner, NDPC, praised Adedokun and the BPP for supporting data protection initiatives.
He said the partnership supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision and will strengthen data privacy across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“The collaboration will create awareness and train BPP staff to ensure a firm grasp of data protection principles and policies,” he stated.
Olatunji said the NDPC would establish a working group to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding beneficial to both institutions.
He added that President Tinubu signed the NDPC into law on 12 June 2023 to uphold citizens’ rights and protect national and business data.
Olatunji also noted that strict legal measures were in place to enforce data protection and ensure full compliance nationwide.
Both agencies agreed to form a team to sign the MoU and focus on capacity building and data management in procurement and beyond.
E-Business
FG Mulls Fibre Optic Layout to Bridge Internet Gaps

President Bola Tinubu said that his administration has initiated a project to install fibre optic cables across the country, aimed at enhancing the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
His plans were contained in a speech he delivered at a joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day on Thursday, June 12.
He said the fibre optic layout is part of other projects being embarked on.
“In addition, we have embarked on an ambitious project to lay fibre optic cables across the nation, a transformative step toward bridging the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity.
“This initiative promises not only to enhance the speed and reliability of internet access but also to revolutionise how businesses operate, how students learn, and how communities stay connected,” Tinubu stated.
He maintained that by extending this critical infrastructure, his government is empowering entrepreneurs, enabling digital education, and providing the tools for our youth to compete in a globalised world.
In a most recent report on Internet connectivity, The ICIR pointed out how Nigeria has faced setbacks in its deployment of fibre optic cables and needs a transformation.
The challenges revolve around vandalism, inadequate coordination between road construction and telecom infrastructure, and varying right-of-way (RoW) charges across states.
Among industry experts, these issues impact network outages, increase repair costs, and hinder broadband expansion efforts.
It has also further threatened the digital economy, leading to slower Internet speeds, dropped calls, and unreliable connectivity among others.
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