General
4 Tricks to Increase Engagement on Instagram
Engagement on Instagram has a direct impact on attracting and retaining an audience, increasing their trust and loyalty to the brand, as well as its recognition and, consequently, sales. And this works not only for world-famous online brands like Amazon and 22Bet, but also for local businesses. Here are 5 ways to help pump up your business Instagram account.
What Is Engagement?
Engagement Rate (ER) is a measure of how your audience responds to content. That is, how actively they like, comment on, share or save posts or posts.
You can calculate the ER rate manually or with the help of special services.
Let’s say the account has 1,000 subscribers, and your last post has 50 likes and 10 comments. So, ER of the post = (50 + 10) ÷ 1 000 ∗ 100% = 6%.
The more active the audience, the higher the engagement. Then the algorithm starts recommending publications with a high level of engagement to other users. And if you have a commercial account, this factor also creates trust, which then helps you make a purchasing decision – active users become buyers more often.
So, if you have decided to start your own business on Instagram but you are not ready for paid advertising, these tips will increase the number of likes, comments, saves. and reposts.
Use a Business Account
If you’re not already using a business account, create one or convert your existing personal account to a business account. This will give you access to a host of features that will increase your account engagement. You’ll be able to:
- Provide a phone number and email address to support communication with your audience.
- Share paid and promoted content to reach a larger audience.
- Use Instagram Insights, which shows how good your posts are and offers recommendations on how to promote them based on engagement.
- Tagging products in your posts and linking to pages on your site makes it decently easier for users to buy.
- Increase traffic to your website, online store or blog by adding links to them in your Instagram Stories and redirecting visitors there.
- Set up quick answers to answer frequently asked questions by entering just one word. The feature will not only save time, but also allow you to communicate more with your audience.
Optimize Your Profile
Make your Instagram profile special, relatable and useful. It’s important to make sure you’re making the right impression. Pay attention to these factors.
Main Profile Image
It should always be your logo so that your branding on your storefront, office, emails, products and other social media pages is consistent. Don’t mislead people by using a random image. There may be multiple accounts on Instagram with similar names, and you need to convince visitors that they’re in the right place.
Profile Title
Just like your main picture, your title should match how you are known on other platforms. use the actual name of your business here.
Profile Header
Your Instagram profile header can only be 150 characters long, so try to make it clear and uncluttered. In a nutshell, tell your followers what makes you stand out (do you specialize in bachelor party cakes or are you an expert in ikebana?). You can also add your branded domain name as a call to action. For example, “details at www.name.online” or “www.name.space.”
Use the Best Visual Content
Stylish design attracts the attention of a potential customer on any social media. And especially Instagram, which was originally created with an emphasis on visuals. To succeed, you need to keep this in mind:
- Post high-quality images, come up with and stick to your own concept, especially if you’re into fashion, travel, food, interior design or have something to do with the art world.
- Show people behind the scenes of your business. People like that. Publish pictures or videos of your workplace. This will give your audience an idea of how your product is made, show your human face and maybe make them like you even more.
- Engage your subscribers and use their content. Besides having self-generated content, it will help you get closer to your target audience. Don’t forget to include your subscriber’s nickname if you use their content or use special apps to repost, such as Regrann or Repost for Instagram.
Publish Engaging Stories
Stories appear at the very top of your Instagram feed, so they’re hard to miss. They also disappear after 24 hours, which encourages people to view them more often.
Business stories are a great way to spread the word about your company’s events, such as: new sales, seminars, contests, hot discounts, and so on. While posting stories:
- Make them interesting. Stories are about creativity! Add music, emoji, filters, illustrations, text, AR masks (cool if you have your own). Elements like these will really help you show your audience a new side of yourself.
- Use tags. Instagram has introduced many features that help businesses clarify their niche and attract a more relevant audience. For example, you can add location tags to promote your small business locally.
- Repost other stories. If someone talks about your business or you find a post that you think your subscribers will like, feel free to add it to your stories. Social sharing encourages more people to promote your profile on their pages.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has issued a data protection compliance circular to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to promote public trust through data-driven governance.
The compliance directive is contained in Circular No. 59805/S.I/74, dated 27 July 2026, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr George Akume, according to a statement by the Head, Legal, Enforcement & Regulations, Mr Babatunde Bamigboye.
The initiative forms part of a continuum of regulatory measures that will be vigorously pursued as Nigeria advances towards the decisive frontiers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The circular drew the attention of MDAs to a statement of President Bola Tinubu, where he said: “Data is the new oil”.
Mr Akume then directed all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies to capture the information rigorously and safeguard it under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
The circular also directed MDAs to ensure full compliance with the NDP Act, Regulations, Guidelines, and Directives issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in relation to the processing of personal data.
To this end, the Circular directs MDAs to, designate suitably qualified officers as Data Protection Officers (DPOs) to oversee data protection compliance and advise management on all matters relating to the lawful processing of personal data, ensure that the names and contact details of their designated DPOs are communicated to the NDPC for registration and official records; engage licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs), where required, to facilitate compliance with the NDP Act and support the conduct of statutory compliance audits.
It also directed them to provide adequate budgetary allocation for data protection compliance activities, including capacity building, awareness programmes, deployment of appropriate technical safeguards, and periodic compliance audits; and submit all mandatory Data Protection Compliance Audit Returns and other statutory returns to the NDPC within the timelines prescribed by law.
The circular further states that “Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Chief Executive Officers of all MDAs shall be personally responsible for ensuring institutional compliance with the Circular and the provisions of the NDP Act.”
The National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Mr Vincent Olatunji, expressed the commission’s commitment to supporting data-driven governance.
Mr Olatunji maintained that data accountability is pivotal to achieving the eight Presidential Priorities. To provide full technical support to MDAs for the purpose of achieving compliance, the commission has constituted a regulatory clinic.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Yellow Card, a global stablecoin infrastructure provider, has raised $40 million in a strategic funding round to accelerate its international expansion and strengthen its digital payment infrastructure.
The funding round attracted investments from SC Ventures, the innovation and investment arm of Standard Chartered, Sony Innovation Fund, Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital, and other strategic investors. With the latest raise, Yellow Card’s total equity financing has now exceeded $120 million.
The company said the fresh capital will be used to scale its Global US Dollar Accounts, an end-to-end dollar account designed for businesses, while expanding the stablecoin payment rails that connect businesses to markets around the world.
Yellow Card’s chief executive, Mr Chris Maurice, described the investment as a strong endorsement of the company’s long-term vision, noting that the company has spent years building infrastructure that allows businesses to move money globally without relying on traditional correspondent banking systems.
He added that the next phase of growth will focus on helping banks connect directly to stablecoin payment rails, enabling faster and more efficient cross-border transactions while expanding access to US Dollar services for businesses.
SC Ventures chief executive, Mr Alex Manson, said stablecoins are becoming an important part of global payments, but noted that widespread adoption will depend on reliable infrastructure and practical use cases.
He said Yellow Card has built the payment rails businesses across Africa need to move money efficiently across borders and expressed confidence in the company’s ability to expand both within Africa and internationally.
The investment also marks growing interest from global institutions in stablecoin-based payments. Sony Innovation Fund said its backing reflects confidence in Yellow Card’s ability to build digital payment infrastructure for emerging markets.
Mr Austin Noronha, Managing Director at Sony Ventures-US, said the company believes Yellow Card is creating the technology needed to help banks, financial technology firms and enterprises move money faster and more securely.
He added that the company looks forward to supporting Yellow Card as it expands beyond Africa into Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Yellow Card said the funding will also support the wider rollout of its Global USD Accounts, which allow businesses to hold U.S. dollars, manage treasury operations, swap stablecoins, and collect or make payments in local currencies across more than 50 countries.
The company noted that the platform is already being used by major customers, including Visa and Western Union.
Founded to simplify cross-border payments through digital assets, Yellow Card has processed more than $10 billion in transactions across its network. The company supports over 50 currencies and holds licences, authorisations and registrations in 22 jurisdictions across North America, Europe and Africa.
Yellow Card has also established strategic partnerships with global payment companies including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and Coinbase as it positions itself as a key infrastructure provider for international digital payments.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved a $4.5 billion arrangement for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited aimed at strengthening the country’s external reserves and freeing up funds for infrastructure.
This is part of the refinancing of the $3.3 billion Project Gazelle Pre-Export Finance Facility through a new $4.5 billion facility named “Project Gazelle 2”.
The approval allows NNPC Limited to refinance the outstanding balance of approximately $1.5 billion under the original 2023 facility, while unlocking an additional $3 billion in liquidity to strengthen the country’s external reserves and support ongoing fiscal and infrastructure priorities of the government.
NEC’s approval followed a presentation by the Minister of Finance, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, which was presented by the Chairman of the Council, Vice President Kashim Shettima, underscoring the importance of the project.
NEC observed the significance of unlocking additional liquidity to the federation, among other benefits, pledging its support for the actualisation of the initiative.
The Finance Minister explained that the refinancing has been structured on more favourable terms than the original facility, including a reduction in the volume of pledged crude oil from 90,000 barrels of oil per day to approximately 78,750 barrels of oil per day – a 12.5 per cent reduction.
He noted that under the new arrangement, an additional 11,250 barrels of oil per day for the federation will be released, while there will be a reduction in the pledged crude volumes by the state oil company.
Mr Oyedele added that while accessing additional liquidity on improved terms, the arrangement is freeing up resources for strategic national priorities while strengthening the country’s financing structures.
“The arrangement is freeing up resources for strategic national priorities while strengthening the country’s financing structures,” he said.
VP Shettima called for a responsive, scalable, and data-driven social protection policy to tackle multidimensional poverty in Nigeria.
According to Mr Shettima, government policies are often heard before they are seen, speak through the price of food, condition of hospitals, records in schools, strain on families, the confidence of those who invest their labour in the nation’s future, and, very importantly, the ambitions of state governments.
He implored members of Council to ensure that every decision they make assure the citizens “that their government is paying attention to the pulse of the nation and is resolved to respond with competence, compassion and purpose.”
