E-Business
Why Your Web Design Update Should Come Before SEO

There’s lots of talk these days about ensuring your website is optimized for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of getting online traffic directed toward your website through web searches and it involves a series of individual pieces of content and settings that catch the attention of search engines like Google and Bing.
The more people who find your website through online searches for words and phrases related to your industry, the more opportunities you will have to connect with clients and grow your client base.
But there’s one critical point to remember before you even consider implementing updated SEO tactics: if you optimize an outdated or confusing website, your potential clients will simply take one quick look at your shabby site and then move onto the next-your competitor.
Today’s web user is savvier than ever. Though web design standards are constantly evolving, the sheer amount of online data and other user interfaces (like our cable or satellite TV navigation menus, our smartphone interaction, and our desktop computer use) has set a standard for look, feel and usability that is now common for today’s consumer.
To invest in SEO without an attractive updated site is like investing in a new driveway for a house that is sagging under the decay of termites. Neighbors might see it from the sidewalk, but will not want to go near it.
Here are five reasons you should consider combining your SEO objectives with a web design update:
Web Design is Critical
A website can rank for every important targeted keyword phrase but if web visitors are being directed to an outdated, unintuitive website, all SEO tactics will be implemented in vain.
Conversion is Lead Generation
Once a visitor finds your website through a search engine and lands on the website, conversion tools (guides and white papers that require form completion to access) will help your website become a client gateway.
If there is nothing on your website to capture contact information from potential clients, you are wasting an opportunity for continued engagement.
Web Coding Matters
The back-end website programming code needs to be clean and easily crawlable by search engines before you spend any resources on SEO upgrades.
Your website should adhere to the most current web standards by the Worldwide Web Consortium to ensure that your site’s code is SEO-friendly.
Economies of Scale
Employing a larger team of specialists all at once will be less costly than hiring a team of individual freelancers (SEO consultant, copywriter, web developer, web designer, etc.) and managing them on your own.
Holistic Approach
With one team working on a web marketing strategy “under one roof,” the team can work on your website using a proven, cohesive and coordinated strategy.
Reputable web design companies consider every aspect of your business’ online needs while building, refreshing, or optimizing a website.
Having a clear set of goals before the project begins will help save time on your web development and can make it easier to stay in budget.
If you’re unsure whether or not you should focus on immediate search engine optimization for your website, we can review your site, check your current SEO settings, and determine whether search engine optimization alone is right for you at this time, or if you should consider a fully-integrated complete website design update.
kanu iroegbu is a certified digital marketing consultant with WSI Netmedia Reach Solutions Limited. He can be reached via: netmediareach@gmail.com
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.
E-Business
African Startups Raised $345m in Funding in May

African startups raised more than $345 million across 65 deals in May, more than double the amount raised in the same period of last year, according to a report by Briter, a research and business intelligence firm.
The report disclosed that both the number of deals and participating companies declined, confirming a growing trend of fewer companies raising funds in larger sizes.
It said fintech attracted the highest share of funding in May, accounting for 34 percent of the total, while cleantech followed closely, driven by a debt deal from Sun King. The company raised $80 million (in local currency) to expand clean energy access in Nigeria.
“Equity remains the primary instrument in terms of total value. There’s no doubt about it; in fact, equity deals with disclosed amounts captured more than half of the total funding volume in May.
“However, debt financing is increasingly proving its weight. Although it accounted for only 8 percent of all deals, it represented 32 percent of the total funding, highlighting the typically larger size of debt transactions. With the rise of specialised vehicles targeting early-stage businesses, debt is becoming an increasingly important part of Africa’s innovation funding landscape,” it said.
Briter’s report added that grants continued to play a vital role in early-stage support, especially in the education technology (EdTech) sector. The Mastercard Foundation led the pack in grant activity, funding a new cohort of EdTech innovators in Nigeria and Kenya. Each selected startup is set to receive $100,000 in grant funding, in addition to mentorship and business development support.
Multilaterals also made a strong showing in May, it said. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a World Bank Group member, issued a $179.6 million guarantee to CleanTech firm KOKO Networks. The support will help scale its clean energy solutions across Kenya.
“This deal not only demonstrates growing international confidence in African climate ventures but also signals a promising pathway for other asset-intensive startups in clean cooking, agriculture, and renewable energy,” the report said.
From a geographic perspective, Egypt emerged as the continent’s fundraising powerhouse for the month, contributing 51 percent of all funding raised. The country recorded 12 deals across equity, debt, and bond instruments. Notably, FinTech platform MNT-Halan raised $50 million through a bond issuance, further illustrating the diversification of capital-raising mechanisms in the region.
Outside Egypt, funding was distributed across Africa’s three other key markets, which are Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya, with limited activity recorded in countries such as Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, and Uganda, each registering between one and three deals.
In terms of exits, the African tech landscape continues to mature. Three companies—Baobab+, Qardy, and Shopa—were acquired in May, bringing the total number of exits this year to 22. This already surpasses last year’s count for the same period. Qardy was acquired by Catalyst Partners Middle East (CPME) in a disclosed deal valued at $23 million, the report added.
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