TACBay (Digital Retail Marketplace and Learning for Artisans, Technicians and Craftsmen)

Access to a coordinated community of skilled personnel and education/literacy (financial, health and digital) gaps remain the major challenges of the most neglected sector (Informal sector) of the planet including Nigeria at the moment.

The demand became more alarming from the return from Covid-19 pandemic with data from World Bank’s development report which says over 50% of Nigerians do not have digital skills and cannot have access to data services (according to Nigeria’s Business Days News Report, 2022). This is stemming from literacy problem and absence of mother tongue in the digital transformation dynamics and the inclusion of the uneducated skills workforce in Nigeria and Africa.

Out of over 100million Nigerians are in the category of informal sector and skilled workforce. This contributes over 50% of Nigeria’s population contributing to more than 50% of the nation’s GDP.

 Our team largely conducted research around this with the findings of these variations as impediments and resistance around “leaving no one behind” philosophy of digital transformation across the world which China as one of the number one productive economy in the world through an inclusive local language for digital business and education to promote economic activities of the informal sector.

An inclusive multi-lingual and AI market place and digital education platform that finds nexus between edtech and retail tech for the informal sector and over 50 Million skilled workers in Nigeria e.g. craftsmen, artisans and technicians to advance the development of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Nigeria - a sector which has been marginalized in the digital education transformation since post covid-era according to our research and findings as a tech organization.

 Strategically, the product enhances digital transformation experience for the informal sector skilled workers with AI component, learning and community of practice while also providing them with digital presence for the public thus leaving no one behind in the digital transformation of Nigerian and African ecosystem.

The product allows users and providers to meet, connect while the providers increase their literacy, digital and financial skills as well as health and well-being through our contents as mini-lessons and TECVO AI as a major milestone.

The target population is the informal sector and technical and vocational skilled workers across the 6 geopolitcal zones of Nigeria. These are male and female artisans, technicians and craftsmen and women who are from 18 to 60 and have completed any form of vocational and technical formal and informal education and apprenticeship and are already contributing to the economic threshold of Nigeria and who are self-employed to advance and boost their revenue and digital presence and skills development in the chosen skilled vocation.

From the executive team standpoint, our organization is one of the frontiers of digital education and learning that sprung up during covid-19 pandemic when a state government in Nigeria approached us to drive digital learning for students for 8 months while at home. The project was delivered and was streamlined across all traditional and new media on a daily basis with over 4 million viewers from Nigeria to South Africa to Australia and to United Kingdom. This led to institutionalization of digital and remote system for the same Ministry of Education to sustain the impact of digital learning.

On this project, we designed a platform accessible to all and sundry and we worked closely with the Government Media Station and the Ministry of Education to provide technical support for the teachers in delivering the lessons, recording the lesson and uploading them as contents on the dedicated government platform to the entire public. The project delivery also spanned from K12 Education to adult literacy and to technical and vocational education throughout the 8-month project timeline.

 Post covid-19, we worked with the Technical and Vocational Education Board in Nigeria to drive digital education engagements where we saw the huge gap on digital learning and skills development which led to designing a blueprint. Additionally, we consulted with various Association of Artisans in their clusters to generate generic issues that connects with their needs around digital accessibility which led to all the components found in the digital product.

All these were able to be achieved through both academic experience as a Commonwealth Scholar with a master’s degree in Online and Digital Education in The Open University, United Kingdom coupled with my co-founder who is a technology and digital education practitioner and our organization being an Education Partner to Microsoft in Africa to drive digital transformation framework in education and youth development.

With data collection, aggregation and building of the old version of the solution to test the interaction, adoption of this solution between these skilled workers and the public. This was the particular stage where the idea of multi-lingual support was made alive due to the literacy level of the beneficiaries who do not have formal schooling or basic education and English literacy.

To empower Artisans, we have now integrated AI function for skills development with TECVO AI on the App and introduced Mini- Lessons on different areas such as vocation and technical skills, literacy, digital inclusion, financial literacy and health and well-being. Professionals in these areas had been recruited and recording of contents have commenced.

Financial barrier: The major financial barrier associated is the support to advance marketing and promotions of the solution to the nooks and crannies across Nigeria from traditional media to new media and long term engagement and retention of the large pool of users of our platform.

 Cultural: Endorsements from MIT- Solve and international agencies to promote the credibility of the brand internationally and expand to other markets.

Legal framework: Legal support to address breaches on related solutions that connect users and providers together such as cyber-bullying, internet breaches e.t.c. We would appreciate institutional framework that could be of assistance to support this great solution against litigations that may have arose in different contexts.

Security and Data Privacy Structure: We are anticipating a minimum level of digital security of all the users on the platform. National Identity Number is presumed to be our major preference and accessible option. Other technical security measures available on MIT Solve platform would be appreciated to promote confidence on the part of the users would greatly be appreciated.

The generic problem of the constituents and beneficiaries from the informal sector vary from digital skills gap, accessibility and literacy standpoints which led us to integrate the power of multi-lingual support for the mobile apps of low bandwidth and accommodate 3 major Nigerian languages.

We observed a skill gap in skills development due to a poor structure of TVET National skills curriculum and we integrated mini lessons on skills, digital literacy and financial literacy health and well-being of artisans outside being a marketplace.

On a broader scale on providing value for service for e-marketing, free in-app call, SMS and service quotation were integrated for these beneficiaries to reduce operational costs of these artisans and their customers to the lowest minimal level including the AI integration.

Our Growth Strategy are designed with the timelines framework:

Short and Mid Term Output and Outcomes within 6-12 months:

• Institutional Stakeholders session of up to 5 with Federal Regulatory Body on Technology (NITDA), Federal Ministry of Education, National Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Nigerian Police Force and Microsoft Nigeria
• Official Press Release of TACBay Upgrade and infusion of MIT Solve Framework and endorsements.
• Onboarding of Existing and new users to the platform coupled with massive publicity and with the expectation of advancing from 25,000 users to 100,000+ verified users in 6 months
• Content Creation of mini lessons (videos and e-book) of more than 200 to be transcribed in 3 national languages ranging from skills development to digital literacy, financial literacy and to health and wellbeing of the users.
• Know-Your-Customers process for 100,000+ users adequate security and data optimization framework and validation of users through National Identity Management Commission
• Massive and extended publicity to the Nigerians about the platform to get source for verified skilled workers in about 10 traditional and new media across the country.

Medium Term Plan Output and Outcomes post 6Months:

• Expand the platform to other manufacturing companies to promote their products used by these informal skilled workers on the platform e.g. sewing machines, Masonry tools, Electrical tools e.t.c.
• Organize Skilled led events for clusters within states and national coverage to promote user retention on the platform.
• Present to the government and private sector quarterly data insights on economic, digital and skills development issues relating to informal sector through survey and questionnaires and Forum conversations.

Long Term Plan Output and Outcomes post 6 Months:

• Expansion to other African markets
• Organizing a national skills event and promotions to advance the economic prosperity of the informal sector constituents.

Below are the central goals and expected outcomes for this project come next 10 years on a journey:

- A more educated and digitally inclined population through the help of technology and AI and multi-lingual support ( SDG3, SDG 4, SDG 5)

- An equitable, accessible, and civic-oriented society and people through the Forum component (SDG 10)

- An increased revenue for artisans with the marketplace/e-portal function to improve the economic prosperity (SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 8, SDG 9)

- A centrally coordinated and sustainable ecosystem of informal sector policy makers and constituents and private sector through mapping and clustering with quality and realistic data of Skills Sector for economic development of Nigeria and African continents by extension (SDG SDG17)

Our product is built on the following technologies:

• Web and Mobile Software Development: Front and Backend Web and Mobile Design and Development. The mobile Apps are specifically Playstore and the APP store.
• AI: Microsoft Autopilot integration and design as TECVO AI to promote the ethical use of AI among the artisans
• In app Call and SMS Plugins: Free in-app and sms plugins as a cost effective measure between a client and the Service Provider and notifications of intended customers who viewed each portal and learning resources updates
• Language Plug ins: Multi-lingual language support that provides English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba Language switches as the major national languages in Nigeria
• Newsfeeds plugins: Newsfeeds about updates on government policies, interventions, programmes and opportunities for the informal sector

The technical team has 9 experts comprising web and mobile software programmers, product designers, quality assurance and cyber security experts with 3-member internal team from TedPrime Hub.

The Product team have 5 members comprising back-end web manager and user support team 

The Content Team: 2 Finance Experts, 1 medical practitioners, 2 tech- instructors and 4 language experts.

The Administrative/Promotions Team: 1 Finance Officer, and Reporting manager and 2 Desk Social Media support officers from TedPrime Hub

The project inspiration was birthed and commenced in September 2020 during the post covid-19 lock down phase when the digital learning project for primary and secondary school (Ogun DigiClass) with the government was completed. The philosophy of leaving no one behind of TedPrime Hub expanded the tentacles to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training as the sector that got hit worst during the pandemic. Further research on the informal sector dynamics led us to generic problems and challenges this sector had been facing overtime and how technology could drive and transform the sector.

The organization is richly blessed with competent administrative and technical senior team of experts in STEM, technology, AI and programming, healthcare and finance comprising male, females and adults as expert advisors.

From Cultural perspective, we have 2 language experts each across the north (Hausa) East (Igbo) and West (Yoruba) while we have interns and Corp members.

From representation standpoint, we have product national ambassadors who are representing each regions for the TACBay and Representatives of over 21 Skills sectors identified in the framework.

Traditionally, TedPrime Hub has been a sustainable technology and education hub since 2017 due to a robust business model it adopted, and the value created for individuals, organizations, government and multinational organizations within Nigeria and African continents on education, technology, entrepreneurship and partnership for sustainability.

B2C: Our organization recognizes the technology skills gap in the 4th industrial revolution and the place of skilled workforce to drive digital economy. This led to the launch of Technology and Industrial Skills Programme for Nigerian youths and potential customers in diaspora through hybrid learning model. To date, the organization has produced over 600 skilled female and male youths in software development and programming, Data Analytics, Product Design, Cybersecurity, UI/UX and web development.

B2B: The organization values business to business relationship in providing organizational needs for their clients and customers. By recognition, the organization is one of the leading Microsoft Education Partners in Africa with access to over 5 national governments and education Ministries in digital transformation framework for teachers, students and school productivity. TedPrime Hub in this regard has implemented several projects and still in active in Botswana on Microsoft Showcase School Program currently ongoing. Additionally, the organization being a Certiport Proctoring Centre and tech training organization, was selected for the Federal Government 3Million Technical Talents currently ongoing in Nigeria.

B2G: The organization has made tremendous milestones on grant-led project activities through various multinational and diplomatic organizations with her NGO component (TedPrime Support Initiative) such as United States Department of States/US Embassy, IREX, Kind Foundation in US and University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship to work with Nigeria’s national, state and local governments to implement development projects on STEM, technology, digital learning and teacher professional development.

These models have greatly sustained the organization with an average of 80,000USD annually as turnovers.

Existing internal revenue as retained earnings for the past 2 years which led us to have invested over 25,000 USD for the technical design and deployment, framework, trademarking and registrations.

Business to Business Model: This involves marketing cards on the dashboard of both mobile and web apps on the landing page for Manufacturing companies producing the products and tools used by these artisans, craftsmen and women immediately the users reach over 50,000 upwards. The ads would be based on monthly and quarterly subscriptions.

On the other hand, TACBay is expected to position itself for digital skills programmes and events for these skilled workforces as users which companies are expected to fund and sponsor to promote users’ retention and symbiotic relationships. This can include annual skills workshops and events, Recognitions of Best Artisan, and technician at intervals.

Business to Customers: This is expected to be a direct approach to the users after 6month – 1-year freemium service to validate the value they get on the platform from access to markets, education and forum through annual subscriptions.

Business to Government and Multinational organizations: As an organization with existing relationships with government and policy makers on interventions and projects for social change, TedPrime Hub is positioning itself for technology and digital skills and creative programmes for the informal sector and by making TACBay be the robust plug for interventions that promote economic prosperity of these beneficiaries.