I expect technology expenditure in Nigeria to double in 2021 compared with the 2020 number. From conversations I am having with business leaders, the trajectory is clear: companies will spend and spend next year. These elements will drive this spending in Nigeria, as I noted in The State of the Tech Nation (recorded in April 2020, below) address.

• Hybridized Supply Chain: Flexible, adaptive, global and local, at the same time.
• Remote Everything: The web will run the world across sectors.
• Digitization and Cloud Migration: The pace will accelerate.
• Semi-automation: Disintermediation of humans will accelerate.

If you are selling or offering services, find how to deliver services in or around these elements because they will drive business, in the next coming years in Nigeria and Africa in general.

On Oct 12 2009, a Finnish developer Martti Malmi sold 5,050 BTC for $5.02. Since that time, that digital value has returned  close to 1,919,430,500%. While I do not do crypto, it is something to think about, on how someone created such a staggering wealth from thin air.

Meanwhile, China continues its digital Yuan vision. Nikkei writes “China will expand trials of its digital yuan Friday evening with a feature letting individuals send money to each other by just touching their smartphones together, broadening use of the new currency beyond physical stores.”

The trial is timed to see whether the platform can handle digital yuan payments without a hitch under heavy stress. Online retailers offer steep discounts on Dec. 12 — a shopping event known as “Double 12” — and usually see a flood of orders right when the day begins at midnight.

Tests are also moving along in other cities. In Chengdu, people invited by employees at major banks are allowed to download a wallet app that can freely convert cash into digital yuan. The electronic currency can be spent at local supermarkets and other stores, and used to pay bills for smartphone service.

Why can’t we have a digital Naira to reduce corruption through electronic trails? Maybe a good idea or maybe the server will crash and all the money will be lost! You decide. But one thing is evident: nations have BIG roles to drive national growth, anchored on private sectors. Japanese government via Bank of Japan  is the largest investor in Japan’s stock exchange! China has funded state-owned-enterprises. America sends stimulus checks despite preaching capitalism, since capitalism works when things are fine, but needs socialism to bail it out at hard times.

The Bank of Japan has taken over as the biggest owner of the nation’s stocks, with the total value of its holdings climbing well above $400 billion.

Massive exchange-traded fund purchases by the BOJ to support the market amid the pandemic this year combined with subsequent valuation gains pushed its Japanese equity portfolio to 45.1 trillion yen ($434 billion) in November, according to estimates by Shingo Ide, chief equity strategist at NLI Research Institute.

Nigeria needs to pick a position and run its own playbook: there is no universal principle on how nations must run their economic policies.

2021 is the Year of Growth in Nigeria. I am feeling the indicators everywhere. There are massive shifts after passing the inflection point. Yes, there is abundance in the future. With the new CBN policy, diasporas will push funds home; they could match our “executed” national budget. Innovators will have those first $30k, or $20k to begin new missions on fixing frictions which exist in our markets. Open your mind, do not allow dogmas of disbelief to cloud your awareness and observation on emerging patterns and opportunities; tomorrow has a promise.

No matter what you are doing, leading, servicing, working or founding, let’s put our best efforts for the nation. A working Nigeria is good business for everyone. #BeReady4Year2021