*Exploiting Technology during the Pandemic: Early Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112122*

### **Table 4.**

*Examples of new and NICHE platforms employing innovative business models and focusing on traditionally underserved market segments.*

schools worried about whether they would be able to complete the syllabus in time once they reopened, as the closure was seen as a temporary measure. As the reopening was delayed, private schools became innovative and began to embrace online learning. As a result, and for fear of failing to complete the syllabus in time, they started to experiment with online learning. The need to complete the syllabus in time and the urge to protect their incomes motivated them as they were unused to unexpected interruptions. After the experimentation, public schools and universities quickly went digital. Although they faced poor internet and mobile telephone access in those areas, the rest of the other places continued with the approach until schools reopened. The notable platforms used included WebEx and Microsoft Teams. To better deliver education to the students, educational institutions in Kenya created and distributed digital learning materials, video lectures, and online assessments.

### *4.1.4 Health services delivery*

For fear of infections, patients and doctors avoided contact, embracing the concept of telemedicine and allowing doctors and patients to interact via video calls or phone. In addition, there arose an upsurge in digital health apps such as Byon8 in Kenya to provide health information, COVID-19 updates, and self-assessment tools. On its part, the government used digital technology to support contact tracing, resulting in reduced growth of the COVID-19 virus.

### *4.1.5 E-commerce and work from home*

For the fear of contracting the virus, individuals changed how they did business. Those who used to frequent the fast-food places and hang out resorted to the use of food delivery services such as Glovo, Uber Eats, Jumia Food Kenya, and Jikoni Eats through increased delivery apps and services. Online shopping grew as the E-commerce platforms saw a rapid growth in demand for these services as customers resorted to online purchases for essential and nonessential goods.

Public and private sector workers were forced to stay home until the pandemic ended. However, they embraced and continue to provide services through digital tools such as video conferencing apps such as Zoom, WebEx, and Microsoft Teams. In addition, cloud-based productivity suites and project management software have become important for working remotely and virtual meetings.

### **4.2 Nigeria's uptake of technology during the pandemic**

Nigeria is the largest economy and the most populated nation in Africa, with major strides in access to technology, even before the pandemic hit. Just like other countries in the region, the use of technology in Nigeria faces some constraints. Nigerian mobile money provider Paga reported, at the outset of the pandemic, that it had doubled the number of merchants in its network, witnessing a 200 percent increase in quarterly users. "In the autumn of 2020, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) conducted phone surveys with 793 digital finance users in Nigeria. They found that 51 percent of respondents reported being exposed to attempted fraud or swindles during the pandemic, while the share of the same was 57 percent in Kenya." Buboye ([1], p. 36) also noted that "In the course of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Nigerian society adopted digital life as an alternative to physical interaction so as to keep afloat in the period of the lockdown."

*Exploiting Technology during the Pandemic: Early Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112122*

### *4.2.1 Digital platform supporting tax revenues*

From the perspective of digital revolution, Nigeria moved in 2021 to tax foreign tech firms, thereby increasing its tax proceeds (see Nigeria's Finance Act 2021 and the Digital Tax Framework). It is noted that Nigeria had modified its corporate tax legislation to enable the taxation of nonresident digital businesses between 2019 and 2020. Notwithstanding gains made thus far, existing literature points to the need for the authorities in Nigeria to improve digital networks, and enhance taxpayers' knowledge and usage of digital finance instruments to comply with their tax responsibilities, including those that are transnational [49, 50].
