Economy
Expanding Rural Participation in Nigeria’s Digital Economy
By Adeniyi Ogunfowoke
Nigeria’s digital economy is currently getting the much-needed attention from government and experts because of its endless potentials to cause a radical shift in the country’s economy. These can be backed by the statement of Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment who said recently that there are indications that investments in the digital economy will generate $88 billion and create three million jobs for Nigerians before the end of 2021.
From the Minister’s statement, it can be understood that the digital economy will be key to the growth of Nigeria’s economy.
However, a major concern or worry for some stakeholders is that the participation in the digital economy is largely concentrated in the urban areas. Meanwhile, in the rural areas, their participation is quite skeletal largely because of the low internet penetration. To be more factual, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta said recently that 53% of Nigerians lack internet access and many of them are inhabitants of rural areas.
Nigeria’s Digital economy
So, what is the digital economy? According to Deloitte, “It’s the economic activity that results from billions of everyday online connections among people, businesses, devices, data, and processes.”
What is exciting about the digital economy is that it is unrestricted and borderless as it can reach anyone in any part of the world.
In Nigeria, we have seen huge contributions in the digital economy from e-commerce, fintech, aggrotech, and healthtech among others. These businesses have deployed digital technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the internet of things to solve crucial social problems and improve their bottom line.
In relation to e-commerce, Jumia has played a key role in accelerating Nigeria’s digital economy. The platform has encouraged and convinced Nigerians to buy things online, created jobs and generally encouraged trust in the online space.
Increasing rural participation
Business in rural areas is basically offline. This is probably because of inadequate internet access. Nevertheless, these areas cannot be left behind in the digital economy march. It is a goldmine waiting to be explored.
The first and only thing that must be done is for the government through the Nigerian Communication Commission to work with the telecommunication companies to identify and provide telephony services to underserved or unserved communities. If this can be done, there will be a steady increase in rural participation in the digital economy because businesses will move into these communities to do business.
In the meantime, some painstaking efforts are been made to increase rural participation despite the limited internet access.
Jumia, Nigeria’s No 1 shopping destination, has expanded its delivery services beyond Lagos to include Ibadan, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt and Abuja. In all of these cities, there are pockets of rural communities and their inhabitants who buy items online through Jumia Force (JForce) agents and are delivered to their doorsteps. Also, if you are searching for a hotel, Jumia’s hotel and flight services have over 9,000 hotels across the country. Therefore, whether you are in a rural or urban area you do not need to worry about where to stay. This reveals that Jumia is ready to send foot soldiers to these rural areas to educate, enlighten and at the end empower them to be part of the digital economy.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has been urged to give all the necessary support to indigenous investors, as they remain Nigeria’s most important drivers of employment, foreign exchange generation and long-term economic resilience.
This advice was given by foremost businessman, Mr Aliko Dangote, when he welcomed the Minister of State for Industry, Mr John Owan Enoh, to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos recently.
The business mogul noted that efforts must be made to place industrialisation at the centre of the government’s economic strategy, insisting that no nation has attained prosperity without a strong manufacturing base.
“If Nigeria is to achieve sustainable growth and become a trillion-dollar economy, industrialisation must be the foundation. Indigenous investors remain the strongest catalysts for that transformation,” Mr Dangote stated.
He further stated that, “There is no way to create jobs and prosperity without industrialisation,” declaring that, “The greatest attraction for foreign investors is the success of domestic investors. When local investors thrive, they send a powerful signal that the environment is conducive for investment.”
In his remarks, the Minister promised deeper collaboration with the private sector to accelerate industrialisation, job creation and economic transformation.
He also pledged that the Ministry and its agencies would remain strong advocates of the refinery and the broader industrialisation agenda, adding that the government would continue to engage Dangote Industries Limited through the Industrial Revolution Work Group and ministerial roundtables to address challenges facing manufacturers, particularly access to affordable long-term financing.
Mr Enoh described the integrated industrial complex as one of the most significant investments in Africa and a model for the type of industrial development required to drive Nigeria’s economic growth aspirations.
“This facility matters because of what it represents for Nigerian industry, for our people and for the realisation of President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a one trillion-dollar economy,” he stated, noting that the refinery has emerged as a powerful symbol of value addition, industrial competitiveness and Nigeria’s growing manufacturing capability.
The Minister noted that the refinery has fundamentally changed global perceptions of Nigeria by helping to transform the country from a major importer of refined petroleum products into an exporter serving international markets.
“When global supply disruptions occurred, Nigeria was able to export petroleum products to markets in the Middle East and beyond. That is an extraordinary achievement and one that deserves recognition,” he added.
By Bon Peters
The Port Harcourt Area I Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, handed over a consignment of intercepted expired medicaments to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Rivers State.
The command’s spokesperson, Barilule Aanee, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, said in a statement that the transfer of the items underscored the strong inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding public health.
The handover was witnessed by representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), other security agencies, freight forwarding associations, stakeholders and members of the media.
The Customs Area Controller for the command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, stated that the seizure was a clear demonstration of the agency’s commitment to preventing harmful and prohibited pharmaceutical products from finding their way into Nigerian markets, disclosing that the expired medicaments were intercepted during a joint examination conducted by officers of the command in collaboration with NAFDAC and other relevant agencies.
She added that the consignment contained several cartons of expired pharmaceutical products with a Combined Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of over N50 million.
Ms Atuluku emphasised that the interception prevented what could have resulted in serious public health consequences, as expired medicines posed significant health risks, including treatment failure, drug toxicity and antimicrobial resistance.
She reaffirmed that her organisation “would remain resolute in protecting the nation’s borders against the importation of expired, substandard, falsified and prohibited goods.”
Receiving the items, the Deputy Director of NAFDAC for Port Inspection Directorate, Mr Adepoju Bayo Raufu, commended the customs for its vigilance and sustained partnership in protecting Nigerians from harmful pharmaceutical products.
He assured that the agency would immediately commence the necessary regulatory procedures to ensure the safe disposal of the expired medicaments in accordance with established laws and guidelines.
By Adedapo Adesanya
United Capital Plc has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to surpass N2 trillion in total assets by the end of 2026, following a strong first-half performance that saw gross earnings rise by 58 per cent to N37.9 billion and profit before tax increase by 80 per cent.
The company disclosed this during its H1 investor relations call on Wednesday, where executives outlined plans to drive growth through digital transformation, Pan-African expansion, and disciplined capital management.
Speaking during the call, Group Managing Director of United Capital Plc, Mr Peter Ashade, said the company is undergoing a major “retooling” process to position itself for long-term growth beyond Nigeria.
“We are equipping from people, technology, governance, and our structure as we retool because what we see ahead is bigger than where we are today,” Mr Ashade said.
He noted that the firm’s long-term vision is to build a platform that allows clients to trade seamlessly across its African footprint, including Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal and Burkina Faso.
Mr Ashade added that the company has deliberately reduced its borrowing in favour of expanding its managed funds business, which it considers its biggest growth opportunity.
“We have decided deliberately to reduce our borrowing so that we can focus on growing managed funds to about 71 per cent of our funding size, which is where we see the greatest opportunities for the group,” he said.
He disclosed that managed funds have recorded significant growth, while total assets have already exceeded the N1 trillion mark.
“Our target for this year is to do over N2 trillion in terms of total assets,” he added.
Providing a breakdown of the financial performance, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr Shedrack Onakpoma, said profit before tax rose to N24.78 billion, significantly outpacing revenue growth as a result of improved operational efficiency.
“We are building a resilient and thriving institution of great repute that focuses on sustainable value creation and delivery across multiple markets,” Mr Onakpoma said.
“The numbers tell a story of innovation and how we are building a lasting legacy that goes beyond mere revenue growth or short-term profitability.”
Addressing shareholders’ concerns over the company’s 30 kobo interim dividend, the firm’s Chief Economist, Ayodele Akunwunmi, said the decision reflects a long-term capital allocation strategy anchored on the residual dividend theory.
“Residual dividend theory says that a company must finance all profitable investments available from internally generated cash flows before paying the residual to shareholders,” Mr Akunwunmi explained.
“By financing our expansion this way rather than borrowing money that would dilute earnings, we have the opportunity to grow the bottom line and potentially double profitability in the future.”
He urged shareholders to focus on the company’s broader value creation strategy, arguing that prioritising investment today would generate stronger returns over the long term.
