General
TikTok, ICC Unveil Digital Commerce Labs to Equip Entrepreneurs
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative designed to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools and confidence to participate fully in an increasingly digital marketplace, helping them compete, scale and thrive on their own terms, has been launched by TikTok in partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Known as the Digital Commerce Labs, this programme will empower small business owners in Nigeria and accelerate economic inclusion and digital skills development across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The scheme is supported by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF).
At the unveiling in Lagos recently, stakeholders involving small businesses, entrepreneurs, digital creators, business associations, and government and industry representatives brainstormed on how Nigerian small businesses can harness the power of digital to grow, scale and build lasting impact.
“Digital commerce is reshaping how businesses grow across Sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigerian entrepreneurs are at the heart of that shift,” the acting Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok, Tokunbo Ibrahim, stated.
“Through our partnership with ICC, we are committed to making sure that the benefits of that transformation reach every small business owner in this region.
“We have seen how TikTok has made discoverability and purchase decision-making easy with hashtags such as #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. Social commerce has an extraordinary power to unlock opportunity, level the playing field and place the tools of growth in the hands of those who need them most,” Ibrahim added.
Also speaking, the chief executive of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said, “At NITDA, our vision is to make Nigeria a digitally enabled nation, fostering inclusive economic development through technological innovation. We will achieve this by fostering digital literacy and cultivating the digital talent needed among our youth to thrive in a global market.
“We have seen that platforms like TikTok have evolved beyond entertainment; they are now powerful engines for economic growth, enabling small businesses to reach new audiences, tell their unique stories, and scale rapidly.
“We highly commend TikTok’s commitment to supporting our local ecosystem through this small business event. By bridging the gap between creativity and digital commerce, we are collectively fostering innovation and building a more inclusive, digitally empowered Nigeria.”
“Digital commerce is a powerful engine for inclusive growth. By equipping small businesses with the tools and skills they need to participate in the digital economy, we are opening new pathways for entrepreneurship, trade and job creation. With the Digital Commerce Labs, ICC is committed to ensuring that small businesses in Nigeria can fully seize these opportunities and grow beyond their local markets,” the ICC Deputy Secretary General, Julian Kassum, stated.
Social commerce and the MSME opportunity in Nigeria
The timing of the DCL launch could not be more significant. Nigeria’s social commerce market is one of the fastest-growing in the world, projected to reach $2.04 billion in 2025 and expand to nearly $4 billion by 2030. Across the African continent, the social commerce sector is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.2%, reaching $9.43 billion by 2030.
For Nigerian small businesses, social media is already the primary engine of online trade. A GSMA survey found that 56 per cent of Nigerian businesses sell online exclusively through social media, with a further 19 per cent combining social platforms with a website or marketplace. Meanwhile, over 40 per cent of internet users in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa have already purchased through social commerce platforms. These figures point to an ecosystem in which the line between content and commerce has already blurred, and where the right skills and support can be genuinely transformative.
It was against this backdrop that a lecturer from Lagos Business School, Dr Henrietta Onwuegbuzie, addressed event participants on the rapid growth of social commerce in Nigeria and across the continent, reinforcing a central theme of the day: “This is not a prospect for Nigerian businesses. It is happening now, and those equipped with the right skills are already seeing the results.”
Funding made accessible by Lagos State Employment Trust Fund
In a strategic move to fortify the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has joined the Digital Commerce Labs to provide critical operational support for small businesses. Through this collaboration, LSETF will deliver robust capacity-building training focused on essential pillars of business sustainability, including financial literacy and wellness, strategic business structuring, book and record keeping, and expert taxation and legal advisory services.
Following completion of the program, market-ready small businesses will directly enter into LSETF’s financial ecosystem, with an opportunity to directly access SME funding.
A day of learning, conversation and community
Two keynote lectures set the tone for the day, examining how digital commerce is reshaping the landscape for small businesses in Nigeria. The first explored how digital platforms are fundamentally changing how small businesses reach customers, manage operations and build brand credibility. The second took a broader view, considering how digital commerce is enabling MSMEs to grow beyond profit: strengthening customer relationships, deepening community connections and building businesses with a clear sense of purpose.
Attendees were then introduced to the full DCL programme through a dedicated presentation, which offered a preview of the learning modules available, outlined the benefits of participation and explained how entrepreneurs can apply and register.
The Digital Commerce Labs offer a comprehensive, two-part learning experience designed to help Nigerian businesses harness the full potential of digital commerce. Starting in July, participants can access self-taught online modules — developed by local experts and covering topics from building a digital presence and creating effective content, to leveraging AI-driven e-commerce tools and preparing for both domestic and international growth. Delivered in a mobile-first format through short, engaging lessons with interactive elements, the modules are tailored to the Nigerian market to ensure relevant, high-quality learning. From there, virtual classrooms will complement the online modules with live, trainer-led sessions that bring theory to life in a collaborative setting, helping Nigerian entrepreneurs and businesses explore real-world digital commerce growth opportunities.
Nigeria’s Creator Economy Spotlight: Real stories, real growth
One of the most eagerly anticipated segments of the day was the Creator Economy Spotlight, in which three successful entrepreneurs and content creators shared candid accounts of how they built their businesses using platforms like TikTok. This fireside chat included Nigeria’s Dr Olawale Ogunlana, Medical Doctor, World Health Organisation’s Fides Network Creator, TikTok’s 2026 Global Discover List Creator, and Founder of HealthKraft Consulting. He was joined on stage by Kolade Mayowa, the innovative owner of the fashion brand HookedByLade, and Oluwatobi Anointing, the creative force behind the fashion business, Tobi Closet, both of whom shared invaluable insights into leveraging their TikTok platform to scale their brands.
Their accounts offered an honest and inspiring perspective on what it means to build a business in the digital age, grounded in the lived experience of entrepreneurs who use platforms like TikTok to reach customers and clients they would never otherwise have found.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
