This was reiterated on Thursday as TikTok and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) officially launched the Digital Commerce Labs in Lagos, a free training programme aimed at helping micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) build stronger digital businesses, attract more customers and expand beyond their local markets.

The initiative, unveiled at Four Points by Sheraton, brings together TikTok’s digital commerce expertise and ICC’s global business network to provide entrepreneurs with training, mentorship and access to tools designed to help businesses compete in the online economy.

Representing the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, Dr Aristotle Onumo described the programme as a commendable initiative which will expand economic opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs.

“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 program, we are building confidence, we are creating opportunities, we are expanding markets, and ultimately, we are transforming lives,” he said.

He noted that many Nigerian entrepreneurs already have the talent and ambition needed to succeed but lack access to digital skills and platforms that can connect them to global markets.

According to him, digital commerce has moved beyond being an option and is now essential for business growth and competitiveness.

“Digital commerce is no longer an option, it has become a necessity for business growth and competitiveness,” he said.

Onumo also disclosed that TikTok has committed about $20,000 to support the pilot phase of the programme, which will leverage NITDA’s digital literacy for all networks to reach entrepreneurs, including those in underserved and remote communities.

He said the partnership aligns with NITDA’s target of achieving 70% digital literacy across Nigeria by 2027 and ensuring that more Nigerians can participate 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 created to help businesses convert digital access into economic opportunity.

“The Digital Commerce Labs is a global initiative developed by TikTok and the International Chamber of Commerce to help SMEs like you build practical digital commerce capabilities, strengthen your competitiveness, and unlock new pathways for growth through a combination of community engagement, online learning, and expert-led training,” she said.

She added that many entrepreneurs still find it difficult to get market access, visibility and scaling their businesses despite advances in technology.

“Ultimately, this program is not just about technology, it’s about economic empowerment, it’s about helping businesses grow, creating jobs, and ensuring that talented entrepreneurs, whether in Lagos, Kano, Aba, Port Harcourt, or anywhere else in Nigeria, have the tools and knowledge to reach customers across the country and across the world,” Ibrahim stated.

Also speaking, Charly Gordon, ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship Global Partnerships and Development Lead, said the programme was designed to bridge a growing digital skills gap among small businesses.

He noted that while digital access has improved significantly in Nigeria, many businesses still struggle to make full use of available online tools.

“There are about 40 million small businesses in Nigeria, they contribute close to 50% of GDP, and crucially, they employ close to 90% of the Nigerian workforce,” Gordon said.

He added that more than 45% of Nigerians are now online, creating a vast customer base that businesses can tap into if they have the right digital skills.

Explaining the objective of the initiative, Gordon said: “The goal of the launch is to raise awareness of Digital Commerce Labs within the small business community, ultimately making sure that as many small businesses can actually access the training material that the Digital Commerce Labs provides, so that they can enhance their ability to leverage digital commerce to grow their business.”

He revealed that several hundred businesses have already registered, while the initial target is to train at least 1,000 SMEs, with ambitions to reach far more entrepreneurs across the country.

The programme will combine online learning modules with trainer-led workshops and is expected to begin in July. Participants will receive guidance on digital foundations, content creation, digital marketing, customer engagement, data analytics and scaling businesses for local and international markets.

For Lagos State, the initiative aligns with current initiatives to strengthen entrepreneurship and job creation.

Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Feyisayo Alayande, said the state is fully committed to supporting businesses through financing, mentorship, market access and technology-driven programmes.

She disclosed that since its establishment in 2016, LSETF has supported the creation of more than 300,000 jobs across Lagos through direct and indirect interventions.

“Any opportunity that supports small businesses, any platform, any solution that allows small businesses to grow and scale, I’m most passionate about,” Alayande said.

She encouraged entrepreneurs to take advantage of the new programme and explore digital channels for growth.

“When people think of market, they’re thinking physical markets, but 2026 is beyond physical. Why wouldn’t you consider going online?” she said.

A major attraction of the Digital Commerce Labs is the promise of practical support beyond training.

During a panel discussion, it was disclosed that participants who complete key stages of the programme will have access to experts, peer networks and advertising credits that can be used to promote their businesses.

The long-term goal is not just to improve digital skills but to help Nigerian businesses expand, create jobs and compete globally.

Reflecting on what success would look like, Gordon said he hopes to see Nigerian entrepreneurs serving customers far beyond their immediate communities.

“We want that at scale, because we, at the end of the day, want to be able to change how business is conducted to make it more digital, and to ensure that all small businesses in Nigeria have the ability to fully unlock the potential of digital products,” he said.

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Businesses of all sizes thrive on TikTok and use the platform to reach new customers and build their brands.

The initiative will leverage TikTok’s suite of digital commerce tools and reach combined with the ICC’s expertise on international trade, powerful network of national committees and chambers of commerce, to expand access to training, mentorship, and digital resources in Nigeria.

Through this partnership which is also supported by Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, TikTok and ICC will equip small businesses in Nigeria with digital skills and tools to increase revenue opportunities, expand market access, and build long-term resilience.

By connecting global expertise with local business communities, the Digital Commerce Labs will create a scalable education model that can be replicated across markets to help entrepreneurs translate digital knowledge into real-world growth opportunities.

The program is designed to build long-term digital commerce ecosystems by working in close collaboration with national chambers and local organizations.

The program will deliver learning and economic impact through three integrated components:

• Community building will form the foundation, bringing small businesses together through virtual and in-person sessions with relevant local ecosystem partners to foster peer learning and network development.
• Self-led online training modules hosted on a dedicated learning platform will offer participants flexibility and depth, featuring videos produced by local experts, interactive quizzes, and a certificate of completion.
• Virtual classrooms will provide instructor-led learning opportunities where entrepreneurs can engage directly with industry experts, ask questions in real time, and deepen their understanding of digital commerce tools and strategies.

“This partnership marks a powerful step forward in our mission to build a more inclusive, dynamic, and accessible global economy. By joining forces with TikTok to launch the Digital Commerce Labs, we are equipping entrepreneurs and small businesses across ten markets with the practical tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive in the digital age. Ultimately, this initiative is about impact: unlocking opportunity, strengthening resilience, and ensuring that the benefits of digital commerce are shared more widely. Together, we are helping shape a more inclusive future for businesses globally,” said John W.H. Denton AO, secretary general, International Chamber of Commerce.

“We’ve seen how small businesses can grow rapidly on TikTok by connecting with communities in authentic ways. This has reinforced the importance of educating small business owners on how they can go beyond visibility and actively support their long-term success. Our partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce, NITDA and Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is an important step in that direction, equipping entrepreneurs with the resources they need to scale and thrive” said Tokunbo Ibrahim, acting head of Government Relations & Public Policy, Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok.

The Digital Commerce Labs program is expected to launch across 10 countries, supporting entrepreneurs through community programming, digital learning resources, and virtual training sessions.

The program will launch in select markets across Latin America and Africa this spring, followed by a broader expansion across Africa and to Thailand later this year.

Small businesses in Nigeria are encouraged to sign up to stand a chance to be a part of the comprehensive training programme, designed specifically to help local entrepreneurs sharpen their skills and scale effectively.

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• A survey by Sage, ICC, and PwC UK of over 16,000 SMEs highlights a disconnect: 70% of South African SMEs prioritise sustainability but only 4% report on their impact. 
• Reducing barriers could open up new financial avenues, growth, and employment opportunities for SMEs. 
• Sage recommends more straightforward reporting frameworks and better tech support to help SMEs act on sustainability. 

A global study of 16,423 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), launched recently, shows that a promising number of SMEs want to make progress on their path to sustainability, but are often unable to measure and report on their performance, which prevents them from acting on their ambition. 

Path for Growth: Bridging the SME Sustainability Reporting Gap, was led by Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for SMEs, in partnership with ICC, PwC UK, and Strand Partners.

Given that SMEs, which are 99% of businesses across the world, play a critical role in society’s path to sustainability, the report aimed to identify their motivators and roadblocks on that journey.

The report found, positively, that an increasing number of SMEs understand sustainability is critical to business growth.

In 2022, 76% of those surveyed said sustainability was important to them, a number that rose to 83% this year.

South African SMEs also reported feeling pressure to be more sustainable from their many stakeholders: customers topped the list at 34%, but others like suppliers (9%) and local community (9%) were also factors.

However, very few of the global SME respondents (8%) are currently measuring and reporting on their sustainability impacts.

According to the South African businesses surveyed, the two biggest roadblocks on their path to measure their impact were the upfront costs involved (28%) and difficulties assessing the environmental impact of their operations (26%).

Positively, South African SMEs (21%) are ‘ready’ and ‘willing’ but are not yet measuring their impacts. The statistical analysis from the report suggests that if the barriers to reporting for SMEs were removed, there is potential to triple the number of SMEs who start reporting in the next two years – this would be an addition of 51 million SMEs to the global reporting pool, signalling a serious shift in society’s potential response to climate change.

Importantly, this would allow reporting SMEs to leverage the benefits coming from sustainability reporting, which include increased access to finance from banks that include sustainability impact as part of their assessment; a more positive employer brand, allowing them to hire high-quality talent; and the ability to compete in contract processes which require sustainability information, winning them new customers.

In light of these findings, Sage, ICC and PwC UK are issuing the following recommendations for standard-setters, governments, and industry leaders to consider, so the reporting landscape can be more accessible for SMEs across the world.

Standard setters:

• Establish consistency in ESG terminology used so SMEs can understand and respond to reporting asks more seamlessly
• Work with governments to assess and increase the interoperability of emerging SME standards with leading market standards, and make clear how the requirements of one standard meet the requirements of others
• Provide user-friendly guides, templates and automated solutions that ease the burden of reporting for SMEs
• Consider if the reporting asks being made of SMEs are proportional for a business with limited resources, and prioritise material issues to help them focus on the right areas

Government:

• Build data infrastructure to support SMEs and move reporting towards accuracy and transparency, such as developing shared tools and data repositories
• Showcase the importance and benefits of sustainability reporting among SMEs, such as access to markets, funding, and cost efficiencies
• Promote the use of affordable and automated digital technologies for sustainability reporting that lighten the burden on SMEs
• Encourage SMEs to invest in their sustainability reporting considering financial incentives to mitigate upfront costs

Pieter Bensch, managing director and executive vice president of Sage Africa and the Middle East, says many of the businesses surveyed acknowledge the positive impact associated with sustainable business practices, such as attracting customers, increased financial returns, and tax subsidies.

“However, it is impossible to overlook the reporting challenges, as evidenced by the low reporting number of SMEs in South Africa (4%),” Bensch adds. “Furthermore, 45% of South Africa businesses stated that adopting sustainability reporting would be more feasible with government support, loans, or some form of financial backing. This revelation showcases the willingness of most SMEs wanting to be more sustainable, however, the undertaking of sustainability reporting, is blocked by high costs and complex reporting frameworks.”

Elisa Moscolin, executive vice president of Sustainability & Society at Sage, said:

“Beyond the figures, the report tells us one key thing: there is in an indelible connection between sustainability reporting and action – SMEs can’t fix what they can’t see. Tech is a huge part of that – 63% of SMEs told us the right digital tools will make it easier for them to report, and we are committed to being part of the solution there with tools like Sage Earth. But it will take an ecosystem to get SMEs – and society at large – to embrace sustainability, and we hope to partner closely with governing bodies and governments to make the reporting landscape more accessible for SMEs across the world.”

John W. H. Denton AO, Secretary-General of ICC, said:

“As the institutional representative of more than 45 million businesses worldwide, we see every day the potential of SMEs to lead the way in creating a more sustainable future. While it is clear that SMEs are increasingly taking action, this report identifies what SMEs need to deliver fully on the promise of a more sustainable and prosperous future. Specifically, we must provide SMEs with the right policies and incentives, effective tools and, most importantly, SMEs need a collaborative effort to transform business practices. By collectively focusing our attention on these key areas of action, we can enable SMEs to tackle the obstacles in their way to better understanding, managing and ultimately improving their sustainability performance.”

Lynne Baber, Head of Sustainability at PwC UK, said:

“The critical contribution SMEs will make in how the world meets sustainability goals must be grounded in clear and reliable reporting, and the link between accurate reporting and effective and meaningful action is clear. Just 8% of SMEs say that they are reporting on sustainability issues, indicating the need for support in navigating such a complex and resource intensive process. This will require collaboration across markets, industries, and government leaders to develop tech-powered solutions that will make sustainability reporting more efficient and accessible.”

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