Facebook has announced that it will remove its apps for Windows Phone, including Messenger, Instagram, and the original Facebook app.

According to a Microsoft spokeswoman, Facebook will end its support for its apps on Windows Mobile starting April 30th. Windows Phone users will then have to resort to accessing Facebook or Instagram through their phone's browser.

The upcoming removal was first noticed this weekend on Instagram, as reported by Windows Central. Windows Phone users on Reddit said they received a notification saying that Instagram would pull its app on April 30th.

Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are all among the top free apps in the Microsoft Store, but it's unclear exactly how many active users this will impact.

Still, the departure of Facebook shouldn't surprise many Windows Phone users.Microsoft announced it was officially killing off its Windows Phone business in 2016 following lackluster sales. It halted issuing security and software updates in December 2018. Major third-party apps have been fleeing the Microsoft Store since 2015.

https://innovation-village.com/facebook-apps-pulled-windows-phone/

WhatsApp has announced it is rolling out changes to its messaging app to give users more control over how they engage with groups, thereby addressing one of the most pronounced privacy issues on the platform.

The Facebook-owned service said users will now have an option to control who can add them to groups.

Users can choose between Nobody, My Contacts (people whose phone numbers they have saved in their phone), and Everyone.

To add someone who has restricted access, users will be required to send a private message to the person with an invite link. That individual can then decide whether they wish to join the group through the invite link, which will be active for 72 hours.

The new feature is available in Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups, WhatsApp said, adding that it is beginning to roll the option out to some users starting today. The feature will roll out to users around the world in the coming weeks, the company added, but they will need the most updated version of WhatsApp to access it.

Source: https://innovation-village.com/users-control-whatsapp-group/[img][/img]

Every corner of Africa is overwhelmingly gorgeous and can be touched and explored by flights to the continent. A visit to Africa can change your life, your living, and thinking. If you are planning a trip to any part of Africa. Here are the top stunning African cities you can add to your bucket list.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg is the second most enriched city in South Africa. It is full of life, enthusiasm and an amazing culture. Though Cape Town competes with Jo’Burg, it is still an awe-inspiring destination for several travellers. Make sure you visit the Apartheid Museum and City Deep, a gigantic dry port in the world.

Tunis, Tunisia

Tunis is the most organized and developed city in North Africa. The enormous wealth and trade have a strong reflection on tourism too. The modernization and booming business allow Tunis to become one of the most visited cities in Africa.

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi's tourism offering is unbearably thrilling and spellbinding. A mere 15-minute drive from the skyscrapers of the city centre, you can enjoy a classic African wildlife experience at Nairobi National Park. Lion, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, rhinoceros, and buffalo roam the sun-soaked savanna here. Nairobi is also the gateway to the world-famous safari parks of Kenya, which have captivated adventure seekers for more than a century.

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

As the capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam is one of the most peaceful cities in Africa. Other than being peaceful, this stunning city is highly developed. Shoppers can head towards Kariakoo, which is one of the most crowded and the largest in East Africa. Purchase anything from food to furniture.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The capital of Ethiopia is an excellent city. The infrastructure and the towering buildings are mindblowing. However, Addis Ababa is much more than steel and concrete. It is also home to some of the most amazing people in Africa. Visit this place and you will love it!

Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria’s megacity of aquatic splendour, is a city that offers a well-rounded tourism experience. The city has a very bustling nightlife, amazing beaches, historical museums and of course, tourists attractions like Epe Resort, Inagbe Resorts and much more.

Today, most banks offer online banking, and you can pay your bills, transfer money, and access a record of your checking account transactions, all from your web browser. Banking from the comfort of your sofa makes everything you do with your finances a bit easier. You can access your banking information anywhere that you have access to the Internet, on your computer or mobile device. Interestingly, banks are not the only players leverage on the internet for banking transactions. Fintech companies have come on board to expand the payment options of customers.

Quick payment confirmation

It is simple and fast to validate any payment from your purchaser once you have an online connection to your business account in front of your PC monitor. You don’t need to visit your bank just to update your latest transaction because you can see it immediately online.

Send or transfer money

One benefit of this type of banking is moving business funds to other accounts or to other banks in the convenience of your house or office. You may transfer your funds from one of your accounts to other accounts for the similar bank. Moreover, you can also send funds to your seller by money transfer and there’s no need to come on to the bank just to send money since you may do it anyplace with online business banking.

Pay utility bills

Paying bills online is another benefit of online banking for your business. This has even been made seamless with the Jumia's all-in-one app, Jumia One. With Jumia One, you can buy airtime, data, pay for tv subscription, electricity and much more. The exciting thing here is that you will be paying with Jumia Pay which is Jumia's payment gateway and receive cash back.

Readily available statement of account

You don’t need to wait for your bank’s statement of account to come in the mail. You can have it in a flash with internet banking. No delay, no visit to the bank. Equally, you can revise your personal data as well as your company information. So via online banking, you can easily revise your business profile simply by entering into your account online.

Secure online transaction

In online banking, safety is very important because it involves money and confidential data. You need to protect your account from business identity theft. With this in mind, online banks have security features like login ID and password, card security number, secured encryption site, anti-virus protection as well as firewalls.

The fact is that the odds are stacked against new businesses. Half of them will shut down within five years because of challenges that they do not have control over. What about the ones they do have control over? How did they manage? These are important questions which do not really concern teething businesses and SMEs. The import here is to ensure that your business does not tumbledown and join the long list of failed businesses or that has been acquired.

Success won't come overnight

It takes years to build successful companies. You must invest all required hard work and perseverance. While an entrepreneur might have a great vision and quality products consumers want, there can’t be an expectation of a huge payday immediately upon launching a business. It is a slow and steady build. Instead, be realistic and set a timeline that measures small attainable goals and successes. Focus and commitment, executed on an enduring level, will ultimately deliver success.

Overspending

Starting a business doesn't have to require a large investment, but some new business owners feel that they need to spend a lot to purchase the best of everything from marketing help to equipment, to software. There are usually other, less expensive but equally viable options available if you're willing to do the research. Creating and sticking to a business budget to curb overspending is always an excellent idea.

Focusing on too many different things at once

The easiest way to lose focus is to do too many different things at the same time especially as an SME. Someday your business will be overwhelmed, you will have so many disgruntled customers. This is not good for your business. When Jumia kicked off in Nigeria in 2012, it started as an eCommerce company offering a platform to order appliances, gadgets and household items. As Jumia grew, so did its offering grew. It enhanced logistics with Jumia Services, created its own payment platform with Jumia Pay and you can order food, book flight and hotels. This is in a space of 6 years. So, as an SME, focus on one specific goal from the onset and expand as your market share expands.

Not delegating tasks

Similarly, many small business owners feel the need to take care of everything themselves. Remember, there’s a reason why companies hire employees: they have a job to do. So don’t be afraid to delegate appropriate tasks to appropriate people. Otherwise, there is a risk of becoming unable to direct the proper level of attention on the task at hand, rendering a business incapable of reaching its full potential.

Employing the wrong kind of people

It’s nearly impossible to have a flawless track record when it comes to hiring, so it’s inevitable that at least some of the people you hire simply won’t work out. Having the right people in place is critical for the success of any company, and it’s even more critical for small businesses. So, hiring the wrong person for a business can be just as important and can set your company up for failure.

Not defining your market

An entrepreneur might think a particular product or service is the best idea. But without knowing the target audience and which other companies are also focusing on them, it will be significantly harder to sell the idea. If a business’s market isn’t clearly defined, it is nearly impossible to decide on how to best position the product or service in a way that is compelling. Comprehensive market research is imperative in identifying robust customer personas prior to launching a business. By knowing whom to target and how to effectively communicate with them, a business will be strongly poised to successfully thrive and grow.

Avoiding new technology

As a small business, technology can provide new opportunities, help you do our work more efficiently and even help you save money. New technology may be intimidating and require time to learn and understand, but an unwillingness to adapt to technological advances can hurt your business in both the short- and long-term.

Since the entry of eCommerce in Nigeria, it has grown in leaps and bounds. Of course, it has been robustly and economically pioneered by Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination. These have been boosted in no small measure by increased mobile penetration where there is a sudden shift from PC to Mobile. Today, e-Commerce platforms have disrupted traditional ways of doing business in Nigeria and will continue to thrive. Here are the reasons why.

Convenience

This is the ultimate reason why eCommerce will continue to survive in Nigeria. Nobody wants to return to the days of running around brick and mortar stores to purchase household items when you can easily open your Jumia app and order what you want from anywhere in Nigeria. For this alone, eCommerce will continue to remain relevant in Nigeria.

Innovation and technology

Today's eCommerce business is completely different from what was obtainable 6 years ago when Jumia kicked off operations in Nigeria. Technology and innovation have completely changed the eCommerce landscape. Now, eCommerce services are customer-focused. This is a key reason why Jumia has become an ecosystem for different services like food, travel, flights, logistics etc. As far as companies continue to innovate and technology is not static, the eCommerce sector will experience rapid growth.

Jobs

There are not enough jobs to go round in Nigeria and clearly, the government cannot do it alone. The private sector is complementing government effort by providing gainful employment notwithstanding whether it's skilled or unskilled. For an eCommerce company like Jumia, it has empowered vendors, encouraged Nigerians to become entrepreneurs and earn money on the side via its affiliate programmes and Jumia Jforce.

Online payment

eCommerce companies are at the forefront of promoting prepayment for services. They employed trust and juicy incentives to persuade Nigerians to use the prepayment option. This is why Jumia launched Jumia Pay, a payment gateway which every Jumia shopper uses if he/she decides to prepay for transactions rendered. This is easier because Jumia Pay is secure, refunds are simple and there are rewards for prepaying.

Affordable Prices

Considering the fact that orders will be delivered at your doorstep, the cost of items on online stores are largely affordable compared to offline stores. Also, it has a large product and service offerings. You only need to browse through to get your desired item.

The importance of mobile phone in marketing is increasing every day as mobile phone penetration continues to increase. One way the mobile phone is helping marketing is the instant notifications also known as “push notification”. These notifications allow a company like Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destinations, to send customers short messages with the help of the app. So, it is an important in-app marketing tool that eCommerce company now take advantage of. When used correctly, push notifications can be an effective tool in developing your customer relations. Here some of the reasons to push notifications for your online shopping app.

Maintain customer engagement

Push notifications can help businesses attract more customers. The mobile app sends real-time updates and reminders that get customers to regularly engage with the Jumia brand even if they’re not aware of it. The push notifications also allow customers to keep in touch with customers without any intrusion by providing timely messages and relevant information like reward descriptions and special offers. It is also a great way of getting customers to engage in new promotions or features.

Re-engage/retain customers

Many mobile apps have a lot of potential customers who have downloaded the app but don’t use it. Push notifications are a good way to turn these inactive customers into active customers. Through notification messages, brands can provide customers with reminders, personalized offers, and breaking offers. If your mobile notifications can show direct personal value, you’re much more likely to retain customers for the long term.

Target the right customers

Some mobile apps can ask for a customer’s permission to access their location. If they grant it, you’ll get a great opportunity to personalize the customer experience with location-based push notifications. A mobile app can send offers that are applicable to customers in a particular region. You can target customers according to state or city. Likewise, you can send push notifications to customers based on their interests.

Increased conversion rates

Timely marketing messages are the best way to increase conversion rates because they can notify customers or create a sense of urgency. With mobile notifications, you can trigger immediate purchases. Send your customers informative messages and let them know about special discounts or limited-time offers in your online shop.

Track relevant metrics

Push notifications can help to track customer behaviour as they offer analytics with data on delivery receipts, open rates, open times, and engagement. With push notifications, you can get valuable insights into customer behaviour including interaction times and click-through rates to see which messages are more likely to be opened. Based on customer behaviour data, you can launch campaigns that connect better with them.

Due to its public nature, Twitter is one of the most notorious social media platforms when it comes to online harassment. And it’s not just celebrities and public figures who get abuse heaped on them. There are endless stories of regular people who have been attacked, often for simply speaking out. Some governments have even passed laws targetted at social media users in order to fight this harassment and abuse on social media. It even more important for women to protect themselves on Twitter. Below are some of the ways women can protect themselves on Twitter.

Use multiple profiles

Women whose careers depend on keeping up a public profile may find it helpful to use multiple accounts. In fact, businesses often do in order to target different audiences. You’ll want to create a personal profile and a public one. Your personal profile should have the strongest privacy settings. Since Twitter’s default setting is public, you’ll have to opt into this. This second profile will be your public one. If you use Twitter for your job, this is going to be the one that represents you professionally, so make sure not to Tweet about anything too personal. Note that you can’t keep both accounts open on the same browser at the same time. If you want to have them both open, either use different browsers or use the Twitter-supported app, TweetDeck.

Prevent hackers from taking over your Twitter account

Twitter accounts can be hacked by people who want to harm your reputation and cause chaos. That said, regular people also have their accounts hacked with alarming frequency. To prevent this, use a strong password and allow login verification.

Report and block abusers

If you do receive an abusive tweet, you can block the person who sent it. One of the problems with blocking is that it’s really easy for users to create new accounts – often termed “sock puppets” – that hasn’t yet been flagged. One way to deal with this is with the app Block Together. Block Together will automatically block any account that tries to follow you that’s been active for under 7 days, that has under 15 followers, or that your followers have blocked. It’s most helpful when you’re being attacked by an army of trolls. In addition to blocking users, you can also report abusive incidents to Twitter.

Don’t Geotag

Geotagging is when your post includes the location from which it was sent. To keep yourself safe from doxing and stalking, it’s best not to use this function. Fortunately, geotagging requires you to opt-in, so by default, your location won’t be shown. When you compose a tweet, you’ll see a location button at the bottom. (It looks like a dropped pin.) If you tap it, you’ll have the option of adding your location to your tweet. Don’t do it.

Prevent doxing

The most extreme form of online harassment is doxing. Doxing is when someone’s personal information, such as their address, phone number, place of employment, banking details, and even information on their family members, is published online as a call for others to harass them. To prevent doxing, Google yourself, subscribe to a service that will delete you from data broker sites (PrivacyDuck or DeleteMe) and check that your email account hasn’t been involved in a data breach.

source: https://www.techawk.com.ng/2019/03/28/women-protect-twitter/

Jumia's hotel and flight marketplace, Jumia Travel, has launched cruise travel to encourage more Nigerians to go on cruise voyages. The launch is also aimed at expanding the company’s offerings to its customers.

The exciting news was disclosed by the Managing Director of the company, Miss Omolara Adagunodo in a press statement recently.

Adagunodo said that Jumia Travel made the foray into the cruise business to meet the immense demands by Nigerians for cruise travel and to expand its footprint to become a robust travel agency offering hotel, flights, airport pickups, travel insurance and cruise travel.

"We do not want to be known strictly for hotel and flight business. We want to evolve into an online travel agency that offers every travel related service you can think of. This is why we are going full throttle into cruise travel and most importantly our customers asked for it and this is our response," she said.

Adagunodo further stated that since the platform started selling cruises, the response has been overwhelming adding that a substantial number of Nigerians have bought cruises to various destinations around the world.

Stating the reason for this, she said: "The cruises are selling out because we have gone the extra mile to negotiate the best available rates in the cruise market for our customers and the fact that we accept instalment payment."

The Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) says that MSMEs currently represent 96% of the businesses in Nigeria and contributes 75% of the national employment. Of the 17.2 million MSMEs in Nigeria over 17 Million are micro-enterprises. Thus, the growth in this sector is directly correlated with the growth in the economy and in curbing unemployment in Nigeria.

However, a number of challenges are inhibiting the potential of MSMEs in Nigeria. Prominent among these challenges are (a) Very low access to affordable finance (b) Poor access to Business Development Service (BDS), and (c) Inadequate infrastructure/high cost of doing business. Despite these, it has not deterred MSMEs from contributing to Nigeria's economic growth. Here are a few ways MSMEs are doing this:

Encourages entrepreneurship

MSMEs are the product of the business owner’s entrepreneurial spirit. By starting a small business, the business owner is taking charge of his or her future. Entrepreneurship fuels Nigeria’s economic innovation and prosperity and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class. Hence, there is no need to wait for the government’s empowerment programmes. You can empower yourself by leveraging on digital technology to start a business

Local jobs

Small businesses are job creators despite the many challenges they face. They have enabled a certain cadre of Nigerians to earn a living. A company that supports these MSMEs is Jumia. Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination via, Jumia Lending, has supported the millions of vendors selling on its platform with small loans and ensuring that they are run smoothly without any hiccups. Jumia lending gives small businesses the opportunity to grow and expand their businesses by granting vendors access to fast and easy short-term capital. With this capital, these vendors are able to employ more hands thus creating more jobs and the society will be better for it.

Innovation and competition

Small businesses, like any business, need to stand out from the crowd in order to survive. They must serve a legitimate need in Nigeria and do it better than their competitors. Having multiple small businesses all striving to be unique, innovative, and better can result in a healthy marketplace and well-served consumers.

Investing in products and services people need

What motivates a person to start a new business? Small businesses create new businesses in response to unmet needs and demands in the market. That is, there is an opportunity to provide a product or service that is not currently in existence, or otherwise available.

New technologies promote efficiency

The ability to turn ideas into new products and services that people need is important in a developing country like Nigeria. This is driven by new technologies and creative applications. With more and more small businesses embracing technology to boost service delivery, they have positioned themselves to earn more revenue and contribute to the growth of the economy.

Unemployment is by far one of the most pronounced hurdles Nigeria is currently facing. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that youths account for 36.50% of the unemployed population. The Trading Economics reports. This is a ticking bomb waiting to explode if not nipped in the bud.

Thankfully, Nigerians have embraced the use of smartphones and the internet. This is why mobile/smartphone penetration is 84% as more people now have access to the internet.

This has prompted Nigerians to capitalise on this increased penetration to combat unemployment headlong.

In Nigeria and other parts of Africa, Jumia plays an impactful role in providing desperately needed jobs.


While taking advantage of the rise in mobile and internet access, Jumia launched its eCommerce platform in 2012, expanded to 14 African countries and has created thousands of jobs across the continent.

Vendors have been empowered, delivery associates now have a means of earning a living and degree holders are working daily to deliver convenience to the homes of millions of Nigerians. Hence, creating employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.

Mobile and internet penetrations have jilted businesses to develop or build mobile apps. Today, one of the most sought-after jobs is mobile/web development. Having these at the back of their minds, young chaps have gone ahead to study and hone their mobile/web development skills to become employable. This is because this is the job for now and the future.

What about social media entrepreneurs? Currently, you can be your own boss by simply having a product and an internet-enabled smartphone. Social media tools like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are readily available for you to use free of charge. On your part, just take good pictures of your product and share them on your pages. Anyone who is interested in what you sell will send you a direct message.

This reveals that increased mobile and internet penetration will continue to provide jobs. These jobs are already available. What is required is for Nigerians to acquire the training and skills needed to perform them. If for this reason alone, our university can be repositioned to teach these in-demand digital skills, it will go a long way in making Nigerians employable thus reducing unemployment.

Africa is faced with quite a lot of challenges that need urgent solutions. The dearth of jobs, the lack of financial inclusion, trade barriers, infrastructural deficit are some of these setbacks.

Thankfully, the continent is not resting on its oars to uncover viable and pragmatic solutions to these problems. They have resulted to technology and digital tools to solve many of these problems and the continent is already reaping the benefits.

Jumia, an Afro-centric eCommerce company with footprints across fourteen African markets, has for the past 6 years since it birthed in Nigeria contributed immensely to the growth and development of Africa’s economy.

Popularly called ‘The Alibaba of Africa’, Jumia identified and tapped the huge digital potentials of Africa to kick off an ecommerce revolution. It enabled Africans to sit in the comfort of their homes, order smartphones, washing machines and other items and it will be delivered at the customers’ doorsteps. It was a struggle at first but fast forward to today, Jumia has disrupted the way trade is done in the continent, provided thousands of jobs across Africa and has also empowered millions of vendors selling on its platform.

Additionally, it has promoted financial inclusion and the march towards making Africa a cashless economy. Presently, when you shop on Jumia, there are incentives to encourage you to prepay for your order using Jumia Pay. This automatically means there is no need for you to keep cash at home which is unsafe and plainly, too much liquidity around is injurious to the economy.

Indeed, the eCommerce company has dispelled the notion that Africa is a tough place to run a business. To show its commitment to the continent, Jumia expanded to other verticals and now have portfolio companies like Jumia Food, Jumia Travel, Jumia One, Jumia Services and Jumia Pay. These companies are taking advantage of the digital richness of the continent to satisfy customer demands. Nevertheless, Jumia can only do as much.

Interestingly, many African governments have recognised the fact that digital technology can help resolve some of the challenges on the continent. Thus, they are creating an enabling environment for the digital economy to thrive. The Rwandan government is working on a multi-billion dollar project for the production and development of technology inspired by the U.S. Silicon Valley. It calls it Kigali Innovation City (KIC) and it is expected to create over 50,000 jobs.

This is a partial reason why venture capitalists and serial investors are trooping to the continent in search of startups and digital businesses worthy of investment. The exceptional resilience of Africans in solving African problems has to be referenced. They have established businesses in fintech, agriculture, artificial intelligence, health tech, fashion, music, entertainment, edtech, insurtech, by braving the harsh economic realities of the continent.

Startups are increasingly becoming the recipient of big funding rounds of over $5 million. In total, startups raised a record $725.6 million across 458 deals, the 2018 venture investment report by WeeTracker shows.

As the digital economy takes its root in Africa and problems are being tackled by leveraging on the huge digital potentials of the continent, there is still a herculean task to bring the ‘digital orphans’ especially in rural Africa on board so that they can enjoy the digital largesse.

The aviation sector is key to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry as over 57% of international tourists now travel by air. It is, therefore, not a surprise that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently said that air transport contributed $8.2 billion to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

This figure will no doubt increase astronomically if Nigeria’s aviation sector can be repositioned for better service delivery. However, before this can be achieved, there are certain challenges that need to be addressed.

The first point of call for any international tourist is the airport. Hence, it has to offer first class services right from the point of entry. Nobody wants to visit a place where they will be harassed by airport, customs or immigration officials like it is the case in some Nigerian airports.

A smart and tech solution to largely bypass some of these officials in the interim is for you to book your flight with Jumia’s hotel and flight services arm, Jumia Travel and ensure that you check-in early.

Jumia Travel has simplified the task by enabling you to search domestic and international flights offered by major airlines in Africa at the cheapest price. You can also find and compare flights, book/buy flights and buy air tickets online with ease using Jumia Travel.

This will not only save you a lot of time but will also ensure that you get through security quicker without too many hassles at the airport.

Unequivocally, the aviation sector is capital intensive. To run an airline, you need millions if not billions of dollars in your coffers. As such, quite a number of local airlines with huge potentials have gone under.

Beyond refurbishing the airport, airlines especially the local ones have to partner. The truth is only a handful of airlines can survive without partnership. On the government’s part, they need to consider granting the airlines' tax breaks.

Ultimately, this partnership will reduce airfares thus encouraging more Nigerians to travel. This automatically means that the hospitality/travel business will be smiling to the bank.

The increase in internet and mobile penetration, as well as affordability of smartphones in Nigeria, have prompted a lot of businesses and companies to invest and launch mobile apps. The Jumia Mobile Report 2018 confirmed that mobile penetration increased from 53% in 2016 to 84% in 2018 while the cost of phones sold on Jumia was priced at an average of $216 in 2016, and by 2017 the price had gone down to $100.

With more and more smartphones in the hands of consumers, they are more likely to use their mobile apps for shopping. This is actually true as the Jumia Mobile report discovered that 79% of customers accessed the Jumia website via their mobile, 18% via desktop and 3% via tablet.


Six Benefits of Using a Mobile App Whenever you Shop

Little data needed for installation

One important reason why some people do not download certain apps is because of the data required for its installation. To download some apps, you need as much as 30 to 40 Mb. This is not the case with the Jumia mobile App. For just 7.5 Mb, you will have the Jumia app on your phone!

Low data consumption during browsing

We all want to manage our data. So, we avoid any website or app that will 'eat' it up. The Jumia Mobile app does not consume data, plus you will enjoy smoother and faster browsing. Shop more on low data with the Jumia Mobile App.

Enjoy an additional 5% discount

Jumia Pay is Jumia's response to customer demand for easy and secure payment solutions. Therefore, to encourage you to use the Jumia mobile app whenever you shop, Jumia Pay will offer you 5% off your order. To enjoy this 5%, you should select Jumia Pay as a payment method.

Mouthwatering discounts on treasure hunt & flash sales

Jumia offers fantastic discounts on different products and the only way you can enjoy the discount is when you use the mobile app. You will enjoy a 99% discount off products with Treasure Hunt. For example, the Jumia Home Makeover kicked off on Monday, March 11th and on Thursday & Friday, March 14th & 15th, you can buy a Scanfrost washing machine which cost 45k for N500. The same goes for the flash sales, you will get 50% off.

Enjoy exclusive access to daily app vouchers

Jumia gives out a lot of app vouchers every day. You can only use the voucher when you shop with the app. No App, no voucher. Imagine buying a 30k appliances and get 2k off your order. In addition, you can also get 5% off if you use Jumia Pay.

Exclusive product launch + deals on the app

By activating the push notification of your Jumia mobile app, you will get exclusive information about Jumia product launch and deals on the app. Due to this information, you will be the first to buy these exclusive products and enjoy the deals.

Unlike in the past when Nigerians queue at banks for their transactions, and today you can do it in the comfort of your home with your smartphone by either using the mobile app or USSD. It’s that simple. And the emergence of fintechs has further strengthened the financial sector.

However, with the seamlessness of online payments, there is a very big disadvantage - you can easily lose your money. As such, fraud has been simplified as it only takes less than two minutes to clear out a target account. This won’t happen when you visit banks for transactions. But a lot of people will choose convenience over the stress of going to their banks because we are in the technology age and the former is no longer sustainable. Hence, trust, reliability and quick resolution of complaints are very important in this era of online payment.

This is why a lot of digital nomads and digital natives are sceptical about this digital or online payment craze! Why won’t they?

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) reported last year that Nigerian banks lost N12.30 billion to fraud in 4 years. The Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF)-a unit of the Central Bank of Nigeria-said that the value of reported electronic banking fraud over the last three years is N5.571 billion. Data released by NeFF last year shows that counter fraud has reduced over the years while the ones done through ATM and mobile devices increased.

You see there is a major cause for concern. Regardless, stakeholders in the financial sector are combating this dreadful trend in order to nip it in the bud. The Central Bank of Nigeria last year published a draft guideline on cybersecurity for Deposit Money Banks.

Like earlier stated, the entry of fintechs is gradually restoring customer confidence in the financial sector. The anti-fraud security of a fintech like Jumia Pay is first class. It is impregnable to a very large extent and you are guaranteed very smooth cum secure transactions.

So, when you shop across the Jumia verticals-Food, Travel & Mall, you don’t need to worry about using an external payment gateway. Jumia Pay is available to you to make payment and as a result, it is encouraging Nigerians to prepay for their orders thus complementing the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria in promoting a cashless economy. In any case, you have a complaint, it can be resolved and monies refunded to your Jumia Pay account.

This also goes for the banks. They are now working alongside fintechs to fight online fraud and have budgeted huge sums to deploy the latest technology to mitigate against cybercrime.

Hence, there is really no need to worry about online payments fraud.

This said, customers, have a monumental role to play in ensuring that online payment fraud is defeated. Some customers are quite negligent with their banking details. For example, unsuspecting customers expose their Personal Identity Number for their ATM cards, mobile apps and USSD to strangers. It is personal and should not be shared with anyone. If you have to, it should be shared with extremely trusted individuals. But then, your account may be hacked but it will be easier if these online thieves have your banking details. Therefore, guide your banking details as much as you can. Of course, avoid using QWERTY or date of birth as passwords.

The financial sector has been disrupted by fintechs. Whether you worry about online payment fraud or not, it does not really count because everything is moving online because it is convenient and fast. The onus now falls on the stakeholders in the Nigerian financial sector to up their cybersecurity ante to deal with fraud and for customers to be careful with their online information.

…….Eko Hotel, Ibom Hotel Win Big at Nigeria Travel Awards

The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr Steve Ayorinde through the Director, Lagos State Council of Arts and Culture, Mrs Saidat Olaitan Otulana has stated that the tourism growth plan of Governor Ambode led administration has turned Lagos to a safe and welcoming tourist destination.

Otulana stated this while delivering on behalf of the Commissioner the keynote address at the 3rd edition of the recently held Nigeria Travel Awards, organised by Jumia Travel, Nigeria’s leading online travel agency. The event, which held at Four Points by Sheraton, recognised individuals and organisations within the country’s travel and tourism industry.

"For us at the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, all we have done in almost four years is to commit to the governor's growth agenda on the creative economy through what he called “Project T.H.E.S.E” which stands for Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Sports for Excellence. It is a known fact that the agenda, which informed the deliberate investment in human capital and infrastructure with remarkable impact on the creative industry, has lived up to its promise in the last three and half years.

"Tourism has become one of the major players in ‎international commerce and represents one of the main ‎sources of income for many developing countries. And this precisely is why the Lagos State Government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has accorded the sector huge attention and committed huge resources into developing it in order to make it a model sector that will perform the tripartite role of rebranding the state as a safe and welcoming destination for visitors; of creating opportunities for different levels of stakeholders and to further develop the sector as a thriving and profitable venture for both investors and stakeholders on one hand, and government as regulators and enablers on the other hand, Otulana said.

The Wells Carlton Hotels & Apartments, Abuja won the “Hotel of the Year”, while Eko Hotel & Suites won the “Best Business Hotel” and “Jumia Travel Booking” awards. Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort won the “Best Leisure Hotel” while Air Peace won the “Best Local Airline” for two consecutive years. Emirates Airline won the “Best International Airline,” while Tour2Nigeria won the “Best Travel Blogger/Vacation Planner”. Chuks Nwanne of The Guardian newspapers won the “Travel Reporter of the Year.”

In her opening remark for the awards presentation, the Managing Director of Jumia Travel Nigeria, Miss Omolara Adagunodo said that the Awards is organized to raise the service delivery bar in the Nigeria Travel/Hospitality Industry, and encourage all hotels and airlines in the country to offer the highest quality of service to their customers.

The fact is we’re living in the golden age of technology development. In the past couple of decades, we’ve gone from relying on corded phones for the bulk of our communication to tiny computers in our pockets that are capable of dozens of simultaneous communication functions. If smartphones were one of the major tech developments of the 2000s, the next big step now is the development of smart homes. Smart home technology generally refers to any suite of devices, appliances, or systems that connect into a common network that can be independently and remotely controlled. There are many advantages or benefits of a smart home. Here are some of them.

Manage home devices in one place

The convenience factor here is enormous. Being able to keep all of the technology in your home connected through one interface is a massive step forward for technology and home management. All you’ll have to do is learn how to use one app on your smartphone and tablet, and you’ll be able to tap into countless functions and devices throughout your home.

New devices and appliances can easily connect

Smart home systems tend to be wonderfully flexible when it comes to the accommodation of new devices and appliances and other technology. No matter how state-of-the-art your appliances seem today, there will be newer, more impressive models developed as time goes on. Beyond that, you’ll probably add to your suite of devices as you replace the older ones. Being able to integrate these new devices seamlessly will make your job as a homeowner much easier.

Guaranteed home security

When you incorporate security and surveillance features in your smart home network, your home security can skyrocket. There are tons of options here — only a few dozen of which are currently being explored. For example, home automation systems can connect so you can activate them from one mobile device before heading to bed.

Remotely control home functions

Don’t underestimate the power of being able to control your home’s functions from a distance. On an exceptionally hot day, you can order your house to become cooler in just enough time before you get home from work. If you’re in a hurry to get dinner started but you’re still at the store, you can have your oven start to preheat while you’re still on your way home.

Increased energy efficiency

Depending on how you use your smart-home technology, it’s possible to make your space more energy-efficient. For example, you can have more precise control over the heating and cooling of your home with a programmable smart thermostat that learns your schedule and temperature preferences and then suggests the best energy efficient settings throughout the day.

Improved appliance functionality

Smart homes can also help you run your appliances better. A smart TV will help you find better apps and channels to locate your favourite programming. A smart oven will assist you with cooking your chicken to perfection — without ever worrying about overcooking or undercooking it. An intelligently designed home theatre and audio system can make managing your movie and music collection effortless when entertaining guests.

source: https://innovation-village.com/six-exciting-reasons-why-you-should-live-in-a-smart-home/

Digital payment has evolved beyond what happened in the past. Before its revolution, Nigerians had to carry cash around to pay for transactions, buy airtime, or even pay for DSTV subscriptions. Today, businesses and consumers have embraced technology to satisfy consumer demands to do things more efficiently, and with less time.

According to the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) reveals that the volume of electronic payment for utility bills, airtime top-up, cable TV, hotels and airlines, among others, grew by 55 per cent to reach 134,656 transactions in January this year from 87,076 transactions in the corresponding month in 2017.

Within this space, there are a number of players who are championing this cause through attractive and irresistible incentives to encourage consumers who are already comfortable paying for these services offline; some even have the contacts of the service providers, whom they beckon on anytime there is a need for such services. There is no doubt that one of the most difficult aspect of ecommerce is converting customers from offline to online, or plainly making them see why electronic payment makes life easier for them, not forgetting the cost-saving benefit.

Among such online merchants is one of Jumia’s revolutionary all-in-one, first-of-its-kind lifestyle App - Jumia One. The difference between Jumia One and other online platforms or Apps, or even banks, offering such services is that customers can pay for multiple digital services i.e. recharge airtime, pay bills (DSTV, PHCN, etc.), buy flight ticket, book a hotel, buy data, and many more.

Here are some of the ways Jumia is making digital payment attractive to Nigerians.

Enjoy 5% Cashback Bonus on Airtime & Data

Get 5% instant bonus as cashback on all your Airtime and Mobile Data recharges; up to ₦2500 cashback on each purchase!

Pay Zero Fee on Bills

Pay ZERO service fee on utility bills like DSTV, GoTV, Startimes, Kwesé TV, Smile, Swift, Spectranet, and electricity bills by saving ₦100 on each transaction.

Save Time and Money

Jumia One is the ''All-in-One'' lifestyle App, where you can get access to different services in one click. Jumia One connects you to your favourite services faster and easier. You also get to save more whenever you use the App to make transactions.

Highly Secured Mode of Payment

One of the best things about the app is that, after your first login, you can access the app via your fingerprint or pattern lock. Also, no payment is completed on the app without sending an OTP (One Time Password) via a registered phone number or email, that way you can be assured no unwanted transactions can be performed. You also get an email for every transaction performed on the app.

Instant Refunds

You get an instant refund whenever a failed or incomplete transaction occurs.

Send Airtime & Data and Get Instant Cashback

Get an amazing 5% cash back each time you recharge your phone or send airtime to your loved ones. Whenever you purchase a data plan or buy a recharge card from MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9Mobile with Jumia One, you instantly get 5% of your cash back on every transaction you make.

All of this reaffirms the importance of digital transformation and its vital role in business evolution. And clearly, with the increase in digital payments, Jumia is also helping to bridge the gap between the banked and the unbanked and at the same that promoting the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Digital payment has evolved beyond what happened in the past. Before its revolution, Nigerians had to carry cash around to pay for transactions, buy airtime, or even pay for DSTV subscriptions. Today, businesses and consumers have embraced technology to satisfy consumer demands to do things more efficiently, and with less time.

According to the latest data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) reveals that the volume of electronic payment for utility bills, airtime top-up, cable TV, hotels and airlines, among others, grew by 55 per cent to reach 134,656 transactions in January this year from 87,076 transactions in the corresponding month in 2017.

Within this space, there are a number of players who are championing this cause through attractive and irresistible incentives to encourage consumers who are already comfortable paying for these services offline; some even have the contacts of the service providers, whom they beckon on anytime there is a need for such services. There is no doubt that one of the most difficult aspect of ecommerce is converting customers from offline to online, or plainly making them see why electronic payment makes life easier for them, not forgetting the cost-saving benefit.

Among such online merchants is one of Jumia’s revolutionary all-in-one, first-of-its-kind lifestyle App - Jumia One. The difference between Jumia One and other online platforms or Apps, or even banks, offering such services is that customers can pay for multiple digital services i.e. recharge airtime, pay bills (DSTV, PHCN, etc.), buy flight ticket, book a hotel, buy data, and many more.

Here are some of the ways Jumia is making digital payment attractive to Nigerians.

Enjoy 5% Cashback Bonus on Airtime & Data

Get 5% instant bonus as cashback on all your Airtime and Mobile Data recharges; up to ₦2500 cashback on each purchase!

Pay Zero Fee on Bills

Pay ZERO service fee on utility bills like DSTV, GoTV, Startimes, Kwesé TV, Smile, Swift, Spectranet, and electricity bills by saving ₦100 on each transaction.

Save Time and Money

Jumia One is the ''All-in-One'' lifestyle App, where you can get access to different services in one click. Jumia One connects you to your favourite services faster and easier. You also get to save more whenever you use the App to make transactions.

Highly Secured Mode of Payment

One of the best things about the app is that, after your first login, you can access the app via your fingerprint or pattern lock. Also, no payment is completed on the app without sending an OTP (One Time Password) via a registered phone number or email, that way you can be assured no unwanted transactions can be performed. You also get an email for every transaction performed on the app.

Instant Refunds

You get an instant refund whenever a failed or incomplete transaction occurs.

Send Airtime & Data and Get Instant Cashback

Get an amazing 5% cash back each time you recharge your phone or send airtime to your loved ones. Whenever you purchase a data plan or buy a recharge card from MTN, Glo, Airtel and 9Mobile with Jumia One, you instantly get 5% of your cash back on every transaction you make.

All of this reaffirms the importance of digital transformation and its vital role in business evolution. And clearly, with the increase in digital payments, Jumia is also helping to bridge the gap between the banked and the unbanked and at the same that promoting the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Leading e-commerce platform in Africa announces the addition of the NBA player and tech “ambassador” on its board.

Andre Iguodala, a member of the three-time reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, has joined the Board of Directors of Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Africa. As Jumia's ambassador charged with promoting business development and technology in Africa, Iguodala will bring his network in the technology industry, interest in Africa and vast experience as an athlete on one of the most successful teams in NBA basketball history.

“Because of my Nigerian heritage, Jumia’s use of technology to deliver innovative online services to consumers and improve the quality of everyday life in Africa is very important to me," says Andre Iguodala. "I’m thrilled to be a part of this unique enterprise that is shaping the future of digital Africa”

In addition to his numerous basketball achievements, Iguodala is widely recognized for his interest and knowledge in technology and e-commerce. He has invested in over 40 companies through F9 Strategies, including GOAT, Zoom, HIMS, Lime, Walker & Co., Thrive Global, AllBirds, Casper, STANCE and Carta, to name a few. Iguodala has also partnered with Bloomberg to create the annual Players Technology Summit, which convenes top executives and leaders in the technology, venture capital and sports communities.

Noting the influence and appeal that the NBA star brings to the board, Jumia Co-Founders Sacha Poignonnec and Jeremy Hodara said: “Andre is a role model to many of us, and we are very proud to have him join Jumia and help us drive the company forward. We appreciate his commitment and passion for the tech industry and for Africa, and we can’t wait to collaborate and accelerate our impact on the continent. Finally, having Andre join our board sends the world the message that Africa has successful companies and great entrepreneurs, and that athletes can play a key role in contributing to their success.”

Nigerians party with so much pomp and pageantry. Barely a weekend passes by without having one event or the other to attend especially for the party freaks. Whether it is a christening, house warming or wedding, we celebrate to the fullest adorning resplendent and similar attires popularly called aso-ebi.

However, those who simply attend these parties may not appreciate the time and money invested in planning and organizing them. The undeniable fact is that organizing a typical Nigerian party is very, very, very stressful.

The nucleus of every party is food and drinks. Your party is incomplete without these two items. Despite the fact that you invited people to attend your wedding, you have to still offer them food. And the onus is on you to make provision for varieties: local and continental dishes. This even makes the planning cumbersome. You may have the finance to provide all these necessities for organizing a smooth and perfect Nigerian party, but you may not want to put in the time required.

Yes, you may want to get the services of an event planner. But note that you will be spending more. Why not save money and time by leveraging or jumping on the eCommerce trend?

eCommerce has injected and pumped convenience into so many lives and businesses. Today, only a handful of people visit brick and mortar stores for their purchases. They sit in the comfort of their offices and homes to order whatever they want. Leading this push is Jumia, Nigeria’s no 1 shopping destination. On the platform, you can order gift items for the party you are attending and interestingly, you can have them delivered to whomever you are presenting them to.

So, what is stopping you from replicating the same thing for your party when you have Jumia Food and Jumia Party at your service?

With Jumia Food, all the food needs of your party are fully covered and as for variety, you do not need to worry. Also, there are different restaurants on the platform you can choose from to provide your desired food services at the best price.

The same thing goes for Jumia Party. In this case, there are various types or kinds of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic you can order for your party. You do not need to stress yourself with ferrying the beverages to the venue. Jumia Party will deliver them at the agreed time anywhere in Lagos.

The goal of eCommerce is to make things convenient and this is what Jumia is riding on to ensure that it delivers convenience to the homes of every Nigerian. Therefore, organizing a party is no longer meant to be demanding and taxing like it is for a significant number of Nigerians. You can organize your party and go to sleep because Jumia Food and Jumia Party got your back.

Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Honourable Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Lagos State, has been confirmed as the Keynote Speaker at the 3rd edition of the Nigeria Travel Awards organised by Jumia Travel. Ayorinde will be speaking on the theme: “Lagos as a Model For Tourism Growth in Nigeria”.

The event which is scheduled to hold at Four Points by Sheraton on Monday, March 11th, 2019 has 3 broad objectives: to promote Nigeria’s tourism sector, encourage hoteliers to improve the quality of their services for further advancement of their respective destinations, and recognise outstanding players in the Nigeria hospitality/travel industry.

The Managing Director of Jumia Travel, the hotel & flight arm of Jumia, Omolara Adagunodo said: "We are excited to have the Honourable Commissioner as our Keynote Speaker for this year's Awards. Ayorinde's versatile and demonstrated experience in the tourism sector will definitely be useful."

Adagunodo also noted that Ayorinde has made significant contributions to the growth and development of tourism/hospitality in Lagos state. This has made local and international tourists to always add the state to their bucket list. This is one of the many reasons why the state made over N50 billion cash transactions during last year's yuletide.

It will be recalled that the current Director-General of National Tourism Development Agency (NTDC) was the Keynote Speaker at the 2nd edition of the Nigeria Travel Awards which held in Lagos.

GIFs are one of the most fun parts of using the internet. And sometimes you would want to create a GIF out of a YouTube video that you’re watching, but most people don’t know how.

If you are in a fix about doing this, here is how to make it.

Go to YouTube on your desktop, and open the video which you want to create a GIF out of.
Type “gif” before youtube in the URL, and hit enter. For instance, if the URL is ‘www.youtube.com/tnwvideo’, make it ‘www.gifyoutube.com/tnwvideo.’
You’ll be redirected to gifs.com site, where you can choose the start time, end time, and duration of the GIF as shown in the screenshot below.


You see...It is not rocket science!

Source: https://innovation-village.com/how-to-make-gifs-from-youtube-videos/

Before the internet disrupted how and where customers make their purchases through eCommerce, most of their needs were usually met via various physical points of sale scattered across different locations. When eCommerce brought the ease and convenience of shopping, many abandoned the old and stressful way of shopping.

Although, at the early days of eCommerce in Nigeria, most platforms focused on chasing one rabbit at a time, that is, creating a niche platform. So, in 2011/2012, the challenge of providing an easy and convenient way to shop was solved, with the debut of eCommerce companies like Jumia.

But, another urgent customers’ need emerged while online shopping was still trying to establish its footing. Customers wanted more than just a shopping platform where they could buy gadgets, groceries, fashion items, electronics, and other home essentials. They wanted an online platform that could provide them access to another day to day services, such as booking a flight or a hotel, ordering food, drinks, flowers, recharging airtime, paying bills i.e. DSTV, and many more.

Typical of a forward-thinking company, Jumia responded swiftly to this new request by launching several other digital platforms that could help customers with these needs. These digital services include booking hotels/flights, ordering food, production services, drinks/beverage delivery and a whole lot of other services.

A few years later, precisely in 2017, Jumia introduced an all-in-one lifestyle app called Jumia One. With Jumia One, customers do not need to have several apps for all their daily needs. They only need to download Jumia One and they can conduct all their transactions on it.

There are a number of benefits customers enjoy when they meet all their needs using a single App, Jumia One as an example: (1) only one login ID will be required to access all the digital services, (2) less data required to make multiple purchases, (3) pay zero service fee on utility bills like DSTV, GoTV, Startimes, Kwesé TV, Smile, Swift, Spectranet, and electricity bills, (4) you get an instant refund whenever a failed or incomplete transaction occurs.

Jumia, Xiaomi partner to Drive Smartphone Penetration in Africa

Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, has signed an important partnership with technology leader Xiaomi at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, giving millions of users in Africa easy access to Xiaomi products.

Through the partnership, Jumia will open the Mi official store on its platform and give Xiaomi access to millions of online customers across 14 countries in the continent, while Jumia will be able to offer Redmi Go (1GB+8GB) exclusively in Africa as well as other devices later in the year. The partnership will be supported by an ambitious joint-marketing plan over the full year 2019, leveraging Jumia’s digital assets and Xiaomi marketing capabilities, including the Mi fan community. This is the promising first step to a close partnership between both companies over the years to come.

“This partnership is very important for us, as it will definitely foster the smartphone adoption in Africa as well as support e-commerce penetration. Xiaomi and Jumia have very similar internet DNA and will serve a common purpose: delivering the best in class affordable smartphones along with the best shopping experience. This will be very beneficial for both companies and above all for the consumers in Africa”, said Jumia Group’s Senior Vice President Mr Romain Christodoulou, during the signing ceremony.

“We believe in working with companies that share our values and delighted to partner with Jumia to reach more Mi fans across Africa,” said Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi. “The e-commerce model is part of Xiaomi’s DNA and we believe that working with Jumia will help us bring innovation for everyone across the continent.”

Sandeep Narayanan, Director of Consumer Electronics & Romain Christodoulou, Senior Vice President, Jumia Group- Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President, Xiaomi Corporation, Wang Lingmings, Vice President, Xiaomi Corporation
Reacting to the news, the chief executive officer of Jumia Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Anammah described the partnership as coming in the nick of time, when Nigeria was listed among 7 countries that would contribute 700 million new mobile subscribers to hit the 6 billion mobile subscribers mark in the world by 2025.

“Availability of lower price point smartphones such as Xiaomi will deepen smartphone penetration in the country and help the country in meeting its 4% quota of the 700 million new global mobile subscribers, as predicted by GSMA Intelligence,” she added.

The partnership will initially cover Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Ghana, and aim to cover all other countries where Jumia operates. Most markets will be directly supplied from China, confirming the fast expansion of intercontinental trade in Africa.

Africa has seen the rise of affordable entry-level devices from price-focused brands especially from China, which remains a key driver of smartphone adoption in the continent. Smartphone penetration in Africa stood at approximately 36% in 2018, with the number expected to reach about 66% by 2025.

For those in the travel industry, one of the most important and powerful emerging technology trends, which needs to be understood and explored, is the Internet of Things, or IoT for short. It has the potential to fundamentally changing how many tourism companies operate, improve their revenue management, and enhance the customer experience.

The Internet of Things is used to refer to everyday physical devices, appliances and other ‘things’ that have been fitted with internet connectivity, making them capable of sending and receiving data. This effectively turns them into ‘smart’ objects, capable of ‘talking to’ or interacting with one another. The technology allows devices to be controlled or monitored remotely, and to perform actions automatically. Examples might range from smart energy meters, through to internet-connected vehicles and driverless cars.

How Can the Travel Industry Benefit From the IoT?

While many industries can benefit from IoT technology, the travel and tourism sector is particularly well-placed to reap the rewards, because the Internet of Things can enable further automation and greater customer experience. It can also streamline day-to-day tasks that go into running a hotel or travel company.

Personal control

One of the most widespread uses of IoT technology within the travel industry so far has been to enable a greater degree of personalisation within hotels, and on flights, and this is primarily provided by enabling customers to control more appliances or services through a centralised device, such as a tablet or even their own phone. By implementing internet-enabled heating, lighting and television, customers can turn them on and off from one place.

Seamless travel

Another great use for the Internet of Things involves streamlining as much of the customer experience as possible, across all areas of the travel industry. In airports, this may mean sending information to passengers’ smartphones, alerting them when their baggage is nearby and allowing them to locate it faster. In hotels, the check-in process can be made seamless, with hotels sending electronic key cards to guests’ phones which, when used, automatically check them in without them ever having to stop at the front desk.

Location information

Companies operating in the travel industry can also use the Internet of Things to send location-specific information to customers and to gather valuable data too. By combining smartphone capabilities or other sensors, messages can be sent to tourists at the point they are most relevant, based on where they are.

Innovation is all about finding or creating new ways of doing things. The survival of any business is hugely dependent on this. So, whether you are a blue-chip company or a local start-up, innovation is like the air you breathe daily. There are so many reasons why you should innovate. We discuss some of these ways.

Global recognition, thanks to the internet

In today’s business climate, the playing field just got a whole lot bigger, thanks to the internet. Your competition isn’t just around the corner, it’s across the globe. Clients can search for better customer service, lower prices, and faster production with a simple google search. Your business will simply suffer if your business does not innovate.

Business growth

Businesses that innovate are able to grow, scale up and employ more hands. Innovation makes it easier to grow, regardless of the size of the business. You might have a small startup, but if you innovate, you can grow your business.

Stand out from competitors

You are not the only one operating in your business niche. There are tons of other companies in that niche. As such, you need to stand out in some way. You can do that through innovation. The right innovation will allow you to offer something unique to your customers. For instance, Jumia dominates the ecommerce space not only in Nigeria but also in Africa; hence, it is now tagged the Alibaba of Africa. It achieved this lofty height because it innovated over the years. This has made Jumia very successful that it now wants to keep its millions of customers within the Jumia ecosystem with all the digital services that are tailored to meet everyday needs of its customers.

Meet the needs of customers

The needs of the customers are insatiable because they are constantly changing. One day, your customers might need exactly what you have to offer, and the next day, they might need something else. Innovators predict changes in the market and provide solutions before people even realize they need them. You cannot meet your customers' needs on a long-term basis unless you are willing to innovate. If you remain stagnant, your business will eventually flounder and liquidate.

Attract innovative talents

The truth is, talented and innovative people want to work for innovative companies. Your business is not going to attract someone who is going to create the next big thing unless your company has a history of creating.

Online shopping is easy and it is no longer rocket science for you to orders things online. As easy as counting A, B, C. Although some Nigerians have fully welcomed online shopping, others are still struggling to endorse or accept the idea despite the efforts of eCommerce platforms like Jumia. There is no reason why you should not be shopping especially on Jumia! So, what’s stopping you? Here are reasons why you should shop online.

It’s easy to return things

Although there are terms and conditions for returning things you buy online, the truth remains that it is very seamless to return items as long as they meet the terms and conditions. It is money-back guaranteed. But if you buy from the traditional stores, or even on social media, you won't get your money back. The only option you have is to buy another item.

It keeps on evolving

Online marketplaces are innovating daily because they want to remain competitive. They know people are becoming used to the convenience of the internet, so they are always looking for ways to make that experience exciting.

Sending gifts to relatives is easy

If you want to send gifts, you can simply have a quick look online, make your purchase and get your gift delivered that same day or the next day. In fact, you can include a little notecard and you’ll look like the most organised relative.

Use your voucher codes

There’s always a voucher code to be found and applied when you shop online. Buying large home appliances? There is a good chance that you will get a voucher code that will reduce or cut the prices.

Cheaper and affordable goods

Traditional stores rarely give discount vouchers which are something online stores do not shy away from. As a result, shopping online is very cheap and affordable plus the fact that you have to pay a token to get the items delivered at your doorstep.

Opportunity to check the reviews

Reviews play a huge role in determining whether you should buy an item or not. The more positive the reviews, the higher your chances of purchasing a particular item and vice-versa. This is why Jumia goes all out to ensure that it offers quality products to her customers to attract good reviews which influences buying decisions.

There is no need for a business to be averse or scared of competition. This is because competition make businesses efficient and non-complacent. If you tend to always copy or imitate your competition, you will discover that your business model won't be different and customers will patronise the other party.

Jumia, Nigeria's no 1 shopping destination has demonstrated over the years to be always ahead of the competition, especially in the area of innovation. It started as one vertical business. Presently, it operates in different verticals. It is, therefore, true that the biggest Jumia competitor in Nigeria's eCommerce space is Jumia.

So, how can your startup or business stand out from the competition, just like Jumia? Read on to know the ways!

Create an online presence

One of the biggest mistakes most startups make is not building an online reputation from the onset of their business. Before you even launch your startup, your company needs to have a strong online presence. Use your online presence to spread awareness about your brand. Deliver information about your new company to your followers and keep them updated about the progress.

Provide excellent customer service

The one thing that can surely set you apart from your competition is how you treat your customers. Even if you are not in the service industry, you still need to treat your customers well. Customers dislike talking to representatives who have poor knowledge about the brand. You, therefore, need to train your team well.

Sell your Unique Selling Point

You should make sure that your customers are aware of the Unique Selling Point of your business and let them know what sets you apart from your competitors. Explain the problem your business has to tackle and why you are better than the other solution providers out there.

Be honest about what you're offering

Honestly should be your business's main policy. If you cannot deliver an order or a project by a certain deadline, you should tell your customer as soon as possible. If your field reps have messed up on a bid, immediately inform your client about the blunder. Taking your customers and clients for a ride can cost you immeasurably in the future. The faster you share bad news, the more your clients will respect you.

Give your product to the right influencers

Seek out influencers that are right for promoting your brand and send your product to them before it launches in the market. They will help you create awareness in your target community. You should only use influencers who will care about the purpose of your product and provide the Return on Investment (ROI) you are looking for.

The online travel agency also disclosed that online voting for the awards has opened and will close on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019.

The Awards which aim to recognise outstanding players in the Nigeria Hospitality/Travel industry will have the Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde, deliver the keynote address on the topic: “Lagos as a Model For Tourism Growth in Nigeria".

Other top dignitaries are Annette Ibe, the Lagos representative of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Ikechi Ukoh of Akwaaba Travel Market and tourism/travel expert, and the general manager of Four Points by Sheraton, Jonathan Petterson.

There are 8 categories to be awarded and their nominees include:

Hotel of the Year 2018: The George Ikoyi, Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, Radisson Blu Lagos Ikeja Hotel, Golden Tulip Festac, The Lagos Continental Hotel (Intercontinental), Southern Sun Ikoyi, Nordic Hotel, Swiss International Mabisel Port Harcourt, The Wells Carlton Hotel & Apartments and Protea Hotel by Marriott Kuramo Waters.

Best Business Hotel 2018: Golden Tulip Festac, Eko Hotels & Suites, Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, Four Point by Sheraton, Hotel Presidential (Port Harcourt), Ibis Lagos Ikeja, Lagos Oriental Hotel, Park Inn By Radisson (Abeokuta), Radisson Blu Lagos Ikeja Hotel, Southern Sun Ikoyi, and The Lagos Continental Hotel(Intercontinental).

Best Leisure Hotel 2018: Sun Heaven Hotels & Resort, Victoria Island; Morning Side Suites and Spa, Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, Whispering Palms Hotel & Resort, Epe Resort, Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Nike Lake Resort (Enugu), La Campagne Tropicana Resort, Eko Hotel and Suite, Golden Tulip Festac, and Barracuda beach resort.

Best Local Airline 2018: Arik, Air Peace, Medview, Dana, Azman air, and Aero Contractors.

Best International Airline 2018: Ethiopian Air, Emirates, Egypt Air, Kenyan Air, Africa world Airline, Air Namibia, South African Airways, Etihad Air, British Airways, Virgin Air, Delta Air, United Airlines, and Turkish Airways.

Travel Blogger/Vacation Planner 2018: Travel with a Pen, TheUfuoma, Zeegoes, Sassyfunke, Irinajo, TVP Adventures, Naija Nomads, Tour2Nigeria, EatTechTravel and Unravelling Nigeria

Travel Reporter of the Year 2018: Pelu Awofeso (Travel Next Door), Apata Oyeniran (Daily Independent), Chuks Nwanne (The Guardian), Wale Olapade (Nigerian Tribune), Omololu Olumuyiwa (Travelscope Magazine), and Obinna Emelike (Business day)

The winners of the Nigeria Travel Awards will be honoured during an event held on March 11, 2019.

"The Nigeria Travel Awards powered by Jumia has become the most anticipated travel awards in Nigeria. Its objective is to promote the Nigeria Tourism sector and reward the top players in the industry while encouraging best practices and improved services," said Omolara Adagunodo, the Managing Director of Jumia's hotel and flight marketplace.

Interested persons can vote here and you can follow the Awards conversation on social media via #JumiaTravelAwards2019.

“Make Investment in Infrastructure, Digital Economy Utmost Priority, If Voted In”

…………..Jumia CEO Tells Presidential, NA Candidates

The Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Anammah has called on all the presidential candidates and those vying for the National Assembly seats in the 2019 general elections to prioritize making significant investment in infrastructure development as well as promote bills that will foster the country’s digital economy, if voted in.

Anammah made the call during a chat recently with journalists in Lagos to discuss how the outcome of the elections might impact e-Commerce businesses, considering the industry has the potential of becoming a top contributor to the country’s GDP, which recorded a 1.90% growth in 2018, compared to 0.80% in 2017.

She emphasized that for Nigeria to win the race to achieving potential economic output growth and its millennium development goals, huge investment must be committed to addressing the infrastructure deficits in the country because the bulk of most business transactions - citing Jumia as an example - depend heavily on logistics.

“The outcome of the 2019 elections will have an enormous impact on investment policies, debt management, public sector spending, security and governance reforms etc. One of the fundamental areas of the economy needing urgent attention is infrastructure. While considerable improvements have been made, I will like to urge the candidates aspiring for political offices to influence and implement policies that will foster economic growth by investing in infrastructure, non-oil sector, and the digital economy powered by technology,” she said