Transforming Nigeria’s Business Landscape Through Technology and Data

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially entered into a landmark Public–Private Partnership (PPP) with Focus Guide Nigeria Limited (FGMD) to modernize business registration, verification, and visibility across the country. This partnership, announced in Abuja and published widely in national media, marks a major step toward improving transparency, economic planning, and the ease of doing business.

With over 41 million businesses operating nationwide—many unregistered or lacking accurate address information—the new initiative aims to build Nigeria’s most comprehensive and reliable digital business directory powered by AI, geospatial intelligence, and blockchain technology.

A Mandate for National Economic Transformation

The Surveyor General of the Federation, Abuduganiyu Adebomehin, emphasized that the project directly aligns with the mandate of the Office of the Surveyor General (OSGOF), which is responsible for providing accurate geolocation data across the country.

Represented by the Director of Infrastructure Survey, Sally Ekagbo, the Surveyor General noted that the initiative is positioned to:

Create a verified digital database of business addresses nationwide

Improve entrepreneurial onboarding and reduce barriers to formalization

Provide accurate data for economic planning, taxation, and policymaking

Expand Nigeria’s digital economy and attract increased investment

Reduce operational costs for businesses while enhancing visibility

He reiterated that this PPP project was initially launched as a pilot scheme, with the potential for future expansion to other key government agencies.

FGMD’s Role: Digitally Mapping Nigeria’s Business Future

Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director of FGMD, Christian Eddie, highlighted the enormous digital opportunity ahead. Although Nigeria has tens of millions of businesses, less than 10% currently leverage online platforms, leaving a significant gap between enterprise activity and digital visibility.

He stated that smartphone users in Nigeria are projected to reach 850 million by 2025, creating a massive market that businesses must be ready to tap into.

Through the partnership with OSGOF, FGMD is developing a robust digital platform that will:

List and verify millions of formal and informal businesses

Geotag verified business locations using advanced GIS tools

Support online discovery, customer engagement, and digital trust

Provide government ministries, agencies, and institutions with valuable datasets

Improve tax revenue generation, compliance, and transparency

Eddie emphasized that the platform will “bridge the gap between Nigeria’s businesses and the fast-growing digital marketplace.”

Five-Year National Roll-Out Strategy

FGMD outlined a clear implementation roadmap targeting the registration and verification of 10 million businesses within five years:

Years 1–2: Establishment & Pilot Phase

System development, nationwide onboarding strategy, and operational setup

Pilot launch in Victoria Island, Lagos, covering all business entities

Rigorous testing of AI-enabled verification, data capture, and GIS mapping

Year 3: Nationwide Launch

Full national roll-out

Target to register and verify over 2 million businesses

Year 4: Expansion

Scaling to an additional 4 million businesses across states

Year 5: Sustainability & Consolidation

Strengthening long-term system reliability and adding another 4 million businesses

Driving Growth, Trust, and a Digitally Enabled Nigeria

The FG–FGMD initiative sets the foundation for a more credible, digitally inclusive, and economically competitive Nigerian market. With verified business data accessible at the click of a button, entrepreneurs can grow faster, investors can make informed decisions, and policymakers can plan with clarity.

This project represents a bold commitment to redefining the Nigerian business environment using technology, data, and innovation.

FGMD is proud to lead this national transformation.