By Adeyemi Adepetun
Social media platform, Facebook, has launched a new nationwide initiative in Nigeria, to further cement its commitment and investment in the country, and across the continent.
Facebook, which has 1.37 billion daily active users, announced this in Lagos, explaining that the plan incorporates a series of high profile partnerships, training programs and a physical space that will serve as a centre for learning and skills development. It stressed that this set of initiatives is aimed at helping to develop and nurture communities, including small businesses, the tech and start-up ecosystem, youths and creative ideas.
Facebook Public Policy Director, Africa, Ebele Okobi, asserted that in Nigeria, more than 22 million people use Facebook every month, and that 87 per cent of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises, SMEs, claimed that when they hire, digital skills are more important than the schools the applicant attended. In Miss Okobi’s words, “This demonstrates that the power of digital skills to aid economic growth and development has never been more important.”
She continued, “At Facebook, our mission is clear: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Our investments and commitments further reflect our intent to partner with Nigeria’s policy-makers and its vibrant tech and entrepreneurial eco-system to create economic opportunity and independence in Nigeria, and across Africa.”
Meanwhile, in partnership with CC Hub, Facebook will be opening the doors to its first Community Hub space in the heart of Lagos, scheduled to begin operations early next year.
‘NG_HUB from Facebook’ will be a multi-faceted creative space, which will connect and bring together developers, start-ups and the wider communities to collaborate, to learn and exchange ideas. The NG_HUB will also host a start-up, incubator program, as well as bespoke trainings, guest speakers and a dedicated event space, all aimed at attracting the best talents and driving innovation in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
Additionally, across Nigeria, Facebook will be supporting a number of existing tech Hubs to serve the communities outside Lagos. The hubs will function as learning centres for local communities, providing multiple opportunities for training and access.
Commenting on the announcement of NG_HUB in partnership with CC Hub, and Facebook’s further support of local hubs across Nigeria, Head of Platform Partnerships, Middle East & Africa, Emeka Afigbo, said “Nigeria is producing a new generation of exciting start-ups that have incredible potential. We understand the important role Facebook plays here in Nigeria with developers and start-ups, and are invested in helping these communities build for the next billion. One of our key passions at Facebook is nurturing and helping to develop the tech and start-up community, and I’m excited to announce our partnership with the Nigerian tech hub ecosystem especially the NG_HUB space, here in Lagos.”
Facebook, which was founded in 2004, in the United States of America, says it is committed to working with Nigerian small businesses, tech entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilize the power of digital tools for economic growth.
