Facebook has concluded plans to set a community hub space in Nigeria, and expected to open in 2018.
The global social media networking site is closely following the footsteps of Google and others tech giants pushing to get more consumers from Africa.
Hence, the use of Nigeria as a launchpad for their African business adventure.
Facebook moves to establish Africa’s largest tech community hub in Nigeria
Nigeria has the most active and developing tech ecosystem in Africa, and also the country is populated software developers and tech entrepreneurs in the Africa’s most populated country. As a result, Facebook is instituting set of initiatives are aimed at helping to develop and nurture communities, including small businesses, the tech and startup ecosystem, youths and creatives.
It is on this that the hub will be established to achieve this lofty goal.
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Nigeria leads other African countries on the social media.
(Facebook)
The company said the centre would be the host of an incubator program to help develop technology start-ups. It aims to also train SMEs and at least 50,000 youth in digital skills. The training targets software developers, entrepreneurs and students across various locations like Abuja, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Kaduna.
Ebele Okobi, Facebook Public Policy Director, Africa has commented that: “In Nigeria, more than 22 million people use Facebook every month and 87% of SMEs say that when they hire, digital skills are more important than where an applicant went to school. This demonstrates that the power of digital skills to aid economic growth and development has never been more important.”
“At Facebook, our mission is clear: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Our investments and commitments announced in Lagos today further reflect our intent to partner with Nigeria’s policymakers and its vibrant tech and entrepreneurial eco-system to create economic opportunity and independence in Nigeria and across Africa.’’
Facebook did not mention the duration of which the planned training would take place in Nigeria.
In August 2016, the Facebook founder – Mark Zuckerberg, visited Nigeria for the first time where he met with developers while he spent time learning about the startup ecosystem in Nigeria. After his visit, his charitable foundation provided $24 million to Andela, which trains developers in Nigeria.