E-commerce has the potential to revolutionize the business landscape for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria. However, despite its promising prospects, the overall contribution of e-commerce to total retail sales in the country remains surprisingly low. In light of this, a recent survey conducted by GSMA – Mobile for Development in collaboration with Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, examined the impact of e-commerce on Nigerian MSMEs. The findings from this comprehensive study, involving 250 MSMEs across Africa, highlight the challenges and opportunities for MSMEs in Nigeria regarding e-commerce adoption.

The survey revealed that the majority of MSMEs in Nigeria reported a significant positive impact of e-commerce on enhancing their sales and profits. This underscores the immense potential that e-commerce holds for fostering business growth and sustainability. However, despite these positive outcomes, the overall contribution of e-commerce to total retail sales in Nigeria remains lower than expected.

The upcoming live session, in collaboration with Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, will delve into the findings of GSMA’s report, “E-commerce in Africa: Unleashing the opportunity for MSMEs.” The session aims to address the following crucial aspects:

✔️ The challenges and opportunities identified by MSMEs in Nigeria regarding e-commerce adoption
✔️ Where Nigeria’s MSMEs currently stand in comparison to their regional counterparts
✔️ How MSMEs can receive enhanced support to scale their e-commerce operations effectively

The discussion will shed light on the challenges faced by MSMEs in Nigeria when it comes to adopting e-commerce. It will explore barriers such as limited access to technology, inadequate digital infrastructure, and logistical constraints. Additionally, the session will highlight the opportunities that e-commerce presents for MSMEs in terms of expanding their customer base, accessing new markets, and improving operational efficiency.

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The live session will compare the state of e-commerce adoption among MSMEs in Nigeria with their counterparts in other African countries. By examining the regional landscape, participants will gain insights into the factors that contribute to the varying levels of e-commerce development across the continent.

One of the key objectives of the session is to discuss strategies for providing enhanced support to MSMEs in Nigeria to scale their e-commerce operations effectively. This will involve exploring potential solutions such as improving access to digital payment systems, facilitating logistics and delivery networks, and fostering partnerships with e-commerce platforms.

Speakers:

Omoniyi Kolade, Founder & CEO, SeerBit
Onochie Melvin Eche-chukwuma, Manager, Ecommerce Operations & Commercial Planning, Konga Group
Charles Odii – CEO – SMEDAN
Romain Poirot-Lellig – CEO – Kwik

Moderators:

Professor Olayinka David-West (she/her/hers) – Associate Dean and Professor of Information Systems – Lagos Business School
Nigham Shahid – Senior Insights Manager – GSMA
Lauren White, Insights Analyst – GSMA

Don’t miss this insightful session, register here: https://bit.ly/48LA81s to join the discussion and be a part of Nigeria’s e-commerce transformation journey.