Royal Ibeh
TikTok and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have launched a new initiative aimed at turning the country’s growing online population into a catalyst for enterprise growth.
The Digital Commerce Labs, unveiled in Lagos on Thursday, seeks to equip micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with practical digital commerce skills needed to attract customers, expand beyond local markets and compete in an increasingly digital economy.
The initiative comes at a time when Nigeria’s internet ecosystem is expanding rapidly. According to stakeholders at the launch, more than 45 percent of Nigerians are now online, creating a vast pool of potential consumers. Yet many small businesses continue to struggle with market visibility, digital marketing, customer engagement and the effective use of online tools.
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For TikTok and the ICC, the challenge is no longer simply getting businesses online but helping them convert connectivity into measurable economic opportunities.
Representing the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, Aristotle Onumo described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to bridge that gap.
“Today, through this partnership, we are helping thousands of Nigerian entrepreneurs create their future, one skill, one business, and one opportunity at a time. We are not merely training SMEs with this programme, we are building confidence, creating opportunities, expanding markets and ultimately transforming lives,” Onumo said.
According to him, while Nigerian entrepreneurs possess the creativity and ambition required to succeed, many still lack access to digital skills and platforms capable of connecting them to broader markets.
He stressed that digital commerce has evolved from a competitive advantage into a business necessity.
“Digital commerce is no longer an option; it has become a necessity for business growth and competitiveness,” he said.
As part of the pilot phase, TikTok has committed about $20,000 to support implementation of the programme, which will leverage NITDA’s Digital Literacy for All initiative to reach entrepreneurs across the country, including those in underserved and remote communities.
The programme also aligns with NITDA’s broader ambition of achieving 70 percent digital literacy nationwide by 2027 and expanding participation in the digital economy.
Speaking at the launch, Tokunbo Ibrahim, acting head of government relations and public policy for Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok, said the Digital Commerce Labs was designed to help businesses transform digital access into sustainable growth.
“The Digital Commerce Labs is a global initiative developed by TikTok and the International Chamber of Commerce to help SMEs build practical digital commerce capabilities, strengthen competitiveness and unlock new pathways for growth through community engagement, online learning and expert-led training,” she said.
According to Ibrahim, despite significant technological advances, many entrepreneurs still face challenges around market access, visibility and scaling their operations.
She noted that the programme’s broader objective goes beyond technology adoption.
“This programme is about economic empowerment. It is about helping businesses grow, creating jobs and ensuring that talented entrepreneurs, whether in Lagos, Kano, Aba, Port Harcourt or elsewhere, have the tools and knowledge to reach customers across Nigeria and around the world,” she added.
For the ICC, the initiative reflects growing concerns that a digital skills gap could prevent Nigerian SMEs from fully benefiting from the country’s expanding internet economy.
Charly Gordon, global partnerships and development lead at the ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship, said Nigeria’s approximately 40 million small businesses contribute nearly half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and account for close to 90 per cent of employment.
Despite their importance, he noted that many remain unable to maximise the opportunities presented by digital commerce.
“There are about 40 million small businesses in Nigeria. They contribute close to 50 per cent of GDP and employ close to 90 per cent of the workforce. The goal is to ensure as many businesses as possible can access Digital Commerce Labs training so they can enhance their ability to leverage digital commerce to grow their businesses,” Gordon said.
Several hundred businesses have already registered for the programme, while organisers hope to train at least 1,000 SMEs during the initial phase before expanding its reach nationwide.
Beginning in July, participants will undergo a combination of online learning and trainer-led workshops covering digital foundations, content creation, digital marketing, customer engagement, data analytics and strategies for scaling businesses into regional and international markets.
The initiative has also attracted support from the Lagos State Government, which sees digital entrepreneurship as a key driver of job creation and economic development.
Feyisayo Alayande, the executive secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), said the state remains committed to helping businesses grow through financing, mentorship, market access and technology-driven interventions.
Since its establishment in 2016, she disclosed, the agency has supported the creation of more than 300,000 jobs through direct and indirect programmes.
“Any opportunity that supports small businesses, any platform, any solution that allows small businesses to grow and scale, I am passionate about,” Alayande said.
She urged entrepreneurs to rethink traditional approaches to commerce and embrace digital channels.
“When people think of markets, they think of physical markets, but 2026 is beyond physical. Why wouldn’t you consider going online?” she asked.
Beyond training, organisers said participants who complete key milestones in the programme will gain access to expert support, peer networks and advertising credits that can help promote their businesses online.
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The initiative reflects a broader shift in development thinking—from expanding internet access to ensuring businesses can derive economic value from connectivity.
For Nigeria, where SMEs remain the backbone of the economy, stakeholders argue that the country’s next phase of growth may depend less on how many people are online and more on how effectively businesses can use digital tools to reach them.
Gordon said success would ultimately be measured by the number of Nigerian businesses able to expand beyond their immediate communities and serve customers across borders.
“We want to change how business is conducted and make it more digital, ensuring that all small businesses in Nigeria can fully unlock the potential of digital products,” he said.
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Royal Ibeh
Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.
Source: Businessday.ng | Read the Full Story…
