NITDA and TikTok have launched a Digital Commerce Lab for SMEs in Lagos, backed by a $20,000 train-the-trainer pilot aimed at nationwide reach.
NITDA has partnered with TikTok to open a Digital Commerce Lab for SMEs in Lagos. The initiative includes a $20,000 pilot focused on training trainers who will then teach more small businesses.
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, and TikTok launched a Digital Commerce Lab for small and medium-sized enterprises in Lagos.
The partners said the goal is to improve digital commerce skills, meaning the practical know-how to sell and market products online using digital channels.
A key part of the rollout is a $20,000 pilot “Train-the-Trainer” programme. This model trains facilitators first, then those facilitators train SMEs at scale, like teaching teachers so they can teach others.
NITDA said its DL4ALL network will deliver training sessions, along with training materials and facilitator guides. The agency framed the partnership as a way to reach entrepreneurs in remote and underserved communities across Nigeria.
At the launch, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, said digital commerce adoption is now essential for SME survival and growth. He pointed to platform use as a route to new markets, higher productivity, and business growth.
For many Nigerian SMEs, the gap is not only access to smartphones or data, it is the ability to use platforms consistently for customer acquisition, sales, and support. Structured training can reduce trial and error, especially for informal businesses that rely on word-of-mouth.
The partnership also shows how a major social platform is positioning itself closer to SME enablement, not just entertainment and creator content. If the training expands beyond Lagos as planned, it could increase social commerce activity, more digital payments, and demand for logistics and inventory tools.
NITDA has been building a portfolio of digital economy partnerships, including a recent MoU with the DAWN Commission to push digital skills across Southwest Nigeria. The TikTok collaboration adds a consumer-facing platform to that broader digital literacy strategy.
Primary Source: Nairametrics
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