The Nation Newspaper

Category: Small Business and Entreprenuership

  • Netpreneur prize names Nigeria, others regional partners

    The Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) has appointed Network of Incubators & Innovators in Nigeria( NINE) from Nigeria, RiseUp from Egypt and 22 On Sloane from South Africa, as the official Western, Northern, and Southern Africa regional partners, respectively. The three organisations will work closely with Nailab, the continental and Eastern Africa partner, to promote the prize in their respective regions.

    The ANPI is a prize competition for African entrepreneurs, founded by the Jack Ma Foundation. For the next 10 years, the ANPI will host a pitch competition across Africa, culminating in a finale where 10 finalists will compete for $1 million in total prize money.

    The prize aims to support and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs across all sectors, who are building a more sustainable and inclusive economy for the future. The regional partners will mobilise aspiring entrepreneurs across the continent through grassroots outreach. Nailab Founder and CEO Sam Gichuru said: “We are excited to work with these reputable and mission-aligned partners, who will help us bring the prize to all corners of Africa, as well as discover and spotlight a new generation of entrepreneurs from across the continent. Together with our partners, we will support both technology-driven and traditional companies with a special focus on small businesses, grassroots communities and women-founded enterprises.”

    Chair, Graca Machel Trust Board and a member of ANPI advisory board, Graca Machel, noted that the regional partners will help support the prize’s inclusive and community-based approach and praised the prize’s strong focus on women entrepreneurs. “There are so many undiscovered entrepreneurial heroes, women and men alike, who once unearthed, can become game-changers of the African entrepreneurship landscape. I am happy the Africa Netpreneur Prize has decided to make women a priority.”

    The southern partner, 22 On Sloane, is a legacy project of the Global Entrepreneurship Network Africa (GEN Africa) and home to the largest startup campus on the continent.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘How incubators can help small businesses bloom’

    AFRICAN Business Angel Network President, Tomi Davies, has stressed the need for establishment of   business incubators as part of a wide range of initiatives to enhance and encourage entrepreneurship.

    Davies, who is co-founder of the Lagos Angel Network, said business incubators offer economic space and experienced leadership for entrepreneurs to grow the economy.

    He explained that there is a need to invest in tech hub system to help more small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs grow or get their ideas off the ground.

    This is because incubators connect entrepreneurs with mentors and experts, who help them navigate the early stages of starting and growing a business.

    On the investment scene in Nigeria, Davies noted: “I’m not sure I’m qualified to speak about anything outside of investments in the early stage entrepreneurial ecosystem of which I am a part, especially as Nigeria is such a large and diverse market. Within the early stage ecosystem, we continue to see increasing investment interest in fintech, agritech, off-grid power and artificial intelligence.”

    He is happy that startups are bringing exciting new ideas into the economy, creating jobs and opportunities for Nigerians.

    He said his network is providing investment support to help more entrepreneurs turn their ideas into new businesses with products and services that are ready for the market.

    His words: “At the Lagos Angel, Network to which I belong, we are always looking for driven entrepreneurial teams with innovative ideas that are solving large-scale problems and want to build companies that can scale across the continent.”

    Davies said he is working with Nigerian Hubs and Angel Networks to provide a structured approach to startup incubation services in the country.

    Business incubators around the country refer eligible entrepreneurs to the network for funding.

  • Digital platform tackles job creation

    A digital platform has been created to tackle unemployment and facilitate job opportunities for digital teams. Grupa is a unique online destination for projects, services and job creation, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    A Bowen University graduate,  Samuel Ekpe, has devised a way to ease web developers’ unemployment problem. This, he said, is through a web platform, known as Grupa, meant to serve as a gateway for web development teams that can undertake projects across the country. Ekpe is Grupa’s Chief Executive, Product Strategy.

    However, he said the platform is for project teams searching for web development jobs.

    According to him, he has been working on software development and the platform,  his latest work, he said, welcomes big thinkers, who are  not afraid to take on big challenges

    To him, working with dedicated teams has been key to bringing projects to reality.

     

    How does it work?

    Skilled web development professionals, he said, must register as a group. The teams will be hired to perform tasks that are complex, demanding and technical, ranging from marketing, to writing and engineering. An individual team consist UX and UI designers, web developers, website designers and product managers.

    He said Grupa works with small, focused teams that are agile, efficient and focused on excellence. The pace is fast, the work is stimulating, the structure is limited and innovation is expected. Members of the teams have the opportunity to enhance experience or launch careers working side-by-side with talented professionals and thought leaders. He said the platform welcomes big thinkers, who are  not afraid to take on big challenges.

    Ekpe said some ideas built with Grupa Teams, include mobile and web Internet platforms, adding that Grupa is encouraging Nigerians to build digital competencies to benefit from local and international jobs.

    He explained that remarkable technological progress driven by the spread of new information communications technologies (ICTs) – will affect everyone’s life and every country’s economy.

    According to him, ICT service jobs are well paying but require young people, adding that there is increasing demand for professionals with tech skills.

    Ekpe said Grupa’s goal is to enable Nigerians run tech start-ups and have a competitive advantage in the job market.

    The most fundamental skill sets for individuals and companies in the digital era, he stressed, is the ability to adopt new technologies in web development. He said one way for young Nigerians to land web development jobs is to obtain diverse development skills.

    With information technology playing a role in virtually every industry, he said many developers opt to expand their job prospects to a wide variety of roles.

    Ekpe said employment prospects are wide open for developers and they have the opportunity to work on some of the latest innovations that transform everyday life.

  • Succeeding in palm oil business

    It is the season of women empowerment, with many of them taking advantage of agro commodities to launch themselves into business. A former television journalist, Blessing Affia, is one of the women exploring oil palm business, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    With a thriving business, Hebron Eagle Palm Enterprise Founder and Chief Executive, Blessing Ime Affia’s climb to the top has been an inspiration to many budding entrepreneurs. Her agro business is a subsidiary of Hebron Eagle Communication.

    Although she was trained as a journalist, her dream and passion had always been to run her own business. As a graduate of Mass Communication and with the glamour she got from appearing on television as a newscaster and producer with DBN Television, her  interest in ventures that would make her financially and economically independent had been high. The motivation to start her own business began when she realised she was not getting fulfillment in journalism.

    Her words: “I have worked with various media houses, such as NTA 2 Channel 5, where I basically learnt what media was all about, worked with Silver Bird Television as an Assistant Producer and a reporter for the day’s news bulletin. I also worked with Galaxy TV as a presenter and producer for women’s programme (Woman-to-Woman) and also Children’s programme (Tara-tata- The Children’s playhouse), which I designed. Before then, I worked with the old DBN as a newscaster and reporter.”

    But with all the places she had worked and the positions she had held, she said she was lacking something-fulfilment. She continued: “Hebron Eagle Palm Enterprise -a subsidiary of Hebron Eagle Communication – started when I realised that I was practically not being fulfilled as a journalist at that time.

    “Not being fulfilled in media haunt, I settled into full-time business in agriculture where I used Hebron Eagle Palm Enterprise as a  subsidiary to my Hebron Eagle Communication company, which I initially registered.”

    She said she capitalised on her early exposure to trading and her hands-on understanding of the nature of palm oil business when venturing into the industry.

    When  Affia switched from journalism to entrepreneurship, she was fully prepared to face the challenges that come with running a successful business. She was already queries frowns from family and friends about her decision to leave a highly respected position.

    To them, it was unthinkable leaving a dignified profession for petty business. Worse still, she was moving into oil palm business, which to them was debasing. “About two and half years, after I started, it appeared there was no direction, but going to FATE Foundation, my business ideas were restructured and my mind was and still is adventurous, reading daily and widely to get more information about palm oil and agriculture as a whole.”

    As a tough nut to crack and well known for her determination, she ventured into her new ‘world’ being fuelled by the dissatisfaction she had with her job as a reporter. It was there she discovered her interest in business that has led to self-sufficiency. She conquered her new challenges in no time.

    She began the oil palm business from her kitchen table in a rented house, starting small. “I started with N20, 000. I had to call my mum to ask what it would take to start the business and that I would not mind sending that amount immediately and she obliged. In fact, when the “consignments” came I was filled with joy,” she said.

    Affia admitted that she has now found herself in a tough situation – the uncertainty of the commodity prices. She used to run the business as an intermediary by buying palm oil from smallholder producers in the rural areas and sell in urban markets. Today, she has scaled up,  producing oil palm and employing more people. She has a work force of seven people.    And her business has come a long way from the early days when she was buying palm fruits from farmers.

    Nevertheless, she has her challenges: “My failure was not getting funds when I needed them, but I realised it is not all about getting the money, but with adequate structures on ground, it would help facilitate the business and create value in the lives of others. I see failures as welcome alternative to growing my business,” she said.

    The business moved from the kitchen table to the factory floor. Palm oil has been the flagship product of the company. The processing of the palm oil involves draining the product into containers carefully not to allow dirt into it.  The finished product is then stored in larger metal drums awaiting buyers, who come for it and transport to other towns.

    Her business has benefited from unquestioned loyalty, borne out of mutual trust. However, as the business continues to grow, its future success hinges on the diversification of the sector. She believes she is yet to realise the full potential of the industry. One of her major challenges is finance.

    She equally suffers from erratic product supply, coupled with the fact that she financially relied on the business to sustain herself.  But notwithstanding, she is planning to expand her business across the country with the sole goal of creating a niche for local women to market their products via value chain and also create sustainable living within the local terrain.

    Just like every other entrepreneurs, Affia is interested in creating jobs for young people in the agriculture. To her, partnerships are crucial to increasing the reach, quality and sustainability. She hopes to team up with different partners and receive support to expand her businesses and improve digital commerce capabilities.

    She also attends workshops and fora to keep abreast with the latest trends and matters facing the oil palm industry. More importantly, she is ready to help in ensuring that more women entrepreneurs follow the trail that she has blazed by tapping into her business networks. Besides running her business, she is also an active participant in non-business-related activities. She believes women have every right to realise their dreams and do remarkable things for themselves, their family and the society.

    She is trending and receiving a lot of accolades from her friends for being hardwork and productive. She is of the opinion that small businesses are playing essential role in creating sustainable economic growth and wants the government to ensure that those with the ability to grow are allowed.

  • ‘Entrepreneurs require informed knowledge to succeed’

    Tope Popoola is the Chief Empowerment Officer of Heritek Support Services Ltd, a human and business capacity building outfit as well as Team Lead, Leadership Engagement, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) Initiative in Ado-Ekiti. In this interview with Dele Morakinyo Popoola, a business incubation expert shares his ideas and ideals of productive enterprise. Excerpts:

    What inspired Entrepreneurs Hangout?

    When I relocated from Lagos to Ekiti in 2012, one of the first things that struck me was the abject poverty and the lack of drive to change the situation. I studied the environment well and came up with some findings. A significant part of the population looks up to government for survival. The paucity of industrial presence means that the largest employer of labour is government, followed by government contractors, a lot of whom don’t necessarily reinvest the money in Ekiti. Secondly, people seemed resigned to the status quo. So, when government’s ability to pay wages became an issue, the gravity of the situation was palpable.

    Third, while indigenes complained about economic hardship, they are indebted heavily to cooperatives with the money borrowed being used to finance liabilities, burials, naming ceremonies, purchase of cars etc., rather than assets. Fourth, government’s laudable attempts (this was in Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s first coming) at economic empowerment and skills acquisition trainings were largely seen as “dividends of democracy” and an opportunity to partake of the national cake.

    So, the graduates of such schemes merely reverted to status quo ante after going through the trainings and receiving take-off money. Sixth, most people in the state are risk-averse, so they mostly don’t like to part with what they have for the purpose of investment. The corollary of this is that generosity is not a very strong point among the people translating to non-circulation of resources.

    Those who are bold enough to invest only think of short-term gains. I discovered that there were several people who were in business or who wanted to do business but don’t have the know-how. Seven, I noticed a form of religion that focused attention and prayers more on personal problems and desires rather than a desire to change the environment.

    Finally, I noticed that most people believed that it was difficult if not impossible for anyone to have money beyond a certain level and anyone who had more than that must be a criminal or money-launderer of some sort. So, for them, as long as a man can put body and soul together, why does he need so much money? The burden to change the status quo occasioned by these and a few other factors actually birthed Entrepreneurs Hangout.

    In a predominantly civil service environment, has your expectation been met in terms of participation?

    Participation has been fairly encouraging. In fact, we have had to change venue three times because of space. But it could be better. The civil service orientation means that a significant part of the population will not be able to attend since we hold the programme on a Thursday. We did that because we discovered that Saturdays in the state are almost purely for merriment.

     How would you profile the participants in terms of social, economic, educational background?

    Participants cut across the spectrum. We have practicing entrepreneurs, rookie entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs as well as civil servants. It has really been mixed. However, there is a preponderance of the younger generation of entrepreneurs. I guess this is because of the platform on which we run most of the publicity, i.e. social media. This actually excites me because we have the opportunity to guide and mentor them before they start making mistakes that could prove very costly in the long run. Participants are largely educated people and the language of instruction is English.

     How many editions have been held since inception? How has the turnout been on the average?

    EHO began in August 2018 with first edition holding on Thursday 2nd August 2018. So, thus far, we have held six editions and the 7th is underway. As I said earlier, the turnout has been good, averaging between 80-120 people per edition. We plan to expand the scope to cover more participants

    What do you see the concept growing into in the immediate future?

    My vision for Entrepreneurs’ Hangout is that God would use it to grow as well as incubate businesses that will shape the trajectory of economic development in Ekiti state and nationally. I have a vision to raise through the programme, millionaires who will change the narrative that “there is no money in Ekiti” and who will become instruments of poverty eradication in the state.

     What impact do you envisage for it in Ado-Ekiti and Ekiti State as a whole? How much support is the program receiving from the government, private sector and individuals e.g. the political class? Did you approach anyone in these categories? If you were to ask for all wish for the program, as if that is possible anyway, what are the key things you will be asking for?

    At the time we started Entrepreneurs’ Hangout, Ekiti state was going through a transition from one government to another. So, involving government or any politician was completely out of the way. Let me say here that in the past, one has made several attempts to collaborate with the government at various levels but the results have been very discouraging. If we had partnership, EHO would probably have started much earlier than it did. We made overtures for collaboration with government through its relevant agencies since 2013 without any positive result.

    We even submitted a proposal to the Ekiti State University for collaboration when it started its Enterprise Development Centre. Even though we offered our services free of charge, we gave up after several visits had yielded no results. In the last dispensation, we were given a slot on TV where, for over one year, we taught on entrepreneurship on the programme ENTERPRISE 101 WITH TOPE POPOOLA.

    The programme was laid to rest when the station was suspended in the aftermath of the July 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State. One can say that that closure and the need for an alternative platform birthed EHO. The program has been largely self-funded although from time to time, we have had good-natured people who have given to support.

    However, the level of support has not been consistent and has not yet come close to what is expended on each edition. To compensate for the support that we lack in finances, God has been gracious to give us a dedicated team of people who assist with planning and execution of each program. I am eternally grateful to them because they have taken a significant burden off my shoulder.

    At present participation is free, are you considering charging a fee in the immediate future, or long term projection?

    For now, because of the vision that birthed and drives the program, we intend to keep running the program for free. However, specialized programs that are organized based on the identified needs of participants will attract a modest participation fee.

     Finally, what has the experience been like?

    For me, it has been a richly rewarding experience. Although if I wanted to look at the financial implication, it has been challenging. But the thrill I feel knowing that someone will go to bed knowing exactly what he needs to do when he wakes up to step up his enterprise game, knowing that someone will be inspired to start something, that someone will become richer and more successful because he knows what to do, knowing that someone will find a higher purpose for living, is simply indescribable.

    So, we put our best into each edition. The greatest reward for me would be the lives and businesses that will be transformed positively and who will go ahead and make significant impact in the society such that the economic landscape of Ekiti will become vibrant and buoyant.

     

  • Aisha Buhari, NDE empower 1,250 women in FCT

    Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, has presented empowerment items to 1,250 women in the Federal Capital territory (FCT) to enable them to start their businesses. They also got N10,000 each.

    Mrs Buhari made the presentation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The event was organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), in collaboration with the Future Assured, an initiative of Mrs Buhari and the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA).

    Mrs Buhari said the gesture was aimed at complementing the government’s efforts in reducing poverty among women and youths. She advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the resources by engaging in profitable businesses. The beneficiaries received liquid soap as well as perfume-making tools for the smooth take-off of their small scale businesses.

    Read also: Buhari’s victory shows Nigerians determined to move forward, says BMO

    A beneficiary, Miss Marry Barnabas, praised the organisers for the gesture. Specifically, Barnabas thanked Mrs Buhari for giving her an opportunity to develop herself. She expressed optimism that the empowerment would enable her impact others’ lives.

    The beneficiaries were trained in various skills, including tailoring, cosmetology and culinary classes.

  • Firms adopt AI to boost manpower

    A set of Human resources (HR)-related start-ups focused on combining AI, a process of automation, consulting, referrals, and match-making, has emerged across the country. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Artificial intelligence (AI), the theory and development of computer systems, which performs tasks that require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages, is fast establishing itself as a game-changer in recruiting. It is enabling organisations to find and hire the right candidates.

    Consequently, fast-growing Human resources (HR) start-ups are emerging to change recruiting, payroll, training and people’s management. One of them, Proten International, established by United Kingdom-trained motivational speaker, Ope Onaboye, is promoting an automated ranking that matches applicants with firms searching for new hires.

    He said finding the right people to hire had become more difficult, adding that employers are unable to find people with the right skills.

    He stressed that hiring had been difficult, even with an abundance of applicants.

    He added that determining which candidate would be the best fit for an organisation is a critical decision and the cost of a bad hire is high.

    Onaboye said AI is changing recruiting, helping agencies to discover and hire tech talent.

    He maintained that AI, when applied to talent sourcing, enhance and speed up hiring by allowing recruiters and hiring managers to identify candidates from a pool. This is because it looks beyond a resume to access information from various sources that give them deeper, broader insight. Using AI, Onaboye said, recruiters are able to help define a job posting’s “perfect fit,” better identify strong candidates from search pools, and improve their ability to fill job openings fast.

    He said the company was determined to create an HR-management and recruiting platform.

    Onaboye said the platform would help to provide organisations with valuable insights on prospective employees they are going to work with.

    He said the platform will use AI driven chatbots in pre-application phases to provide two-way conversations both in fielding questions from job seekers and evaluating candidate responses. Through video features that will be incorporated in the platform, he said organisations would eliminate candidates that might look good to a manager, but lack the skills or traits necessary for long-term success.

    He explained that AI could help unearth candidates missed by traditional screening, sourcing and recruiting methods, even if a candidate’s résumé doesn’t appear to be relevant, perhaps they have soft skills, leadership experience or other skills that an organisation may need.

    He noted that AI eliminates this bias by assisting recruiters. Besides, it saves recruiters time and money by filtering candidates various criteria that look beyond typical screening.

  • 50 start-ups for MEST Africa Challenge

    Fifty firms have been selected for the regional finals of Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa Challenge. Over 1,000 firms applied.

    MEST, a Pan-African training programme for tech entrepreneurs in Africa, will hold today and tomorrow in Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town and Abidjan.

    In a statement, MEST Africa listed the firms to include Baobab Circle, Raise, Tulaa, Mosabi, Asaak Financial Services, Optimetriks, Eko Biashara, Tambua Intelligent Diagnostics,- Angaza Elimu, Dawati, – iKolilu Ghana, OZÉ, COCOA SIKA, DizzitUp,Sokocentre.com, GetRooms, eCampus,- DNA 4 Wheels and  CodeStinks Limited.

    Others are myPadi.ng, SonoCare, Crop2Cash, SecureFarmer, MUDiA Project, AMPZ, Smarthub, Livekampus, EduPoint Limited, Schoolphix, Snode Technologies, Kuba, JOBJACK, Agri360, MyBraai, Lightbulb Education, AfricaScope South Africa (Pty) Limited, Kasi Eats, Beleaf & Co and  Digital Shift. They are StarNews Mobile, CINETPAY, Moja Ride, Tripafrique, Quickcash, Digitech Africa Limited, Seekewa, Smartphorce Holding, Kalejob and Weebi.

    Regional finalists from Lagos that will participate in the contest tomorrow include myPadi.ng, SonoCare, Crop2Cash, SecureFarmer, The MUDiA Project, AMPZ, The Smarthub, Livekampus, EduPoint Limited and Schoolphix.

    The judges include: Head of Strategic Partnerships, Africa Initiatives at Microsoft, Soromfe Uzomah; Founding Partner of Ventures Platform, Kola Aina; Wild Fusion Chief Executive, Abasiama Idaresit and MEST Africa Managing Director, Aaron Fu.

    The five winners will be flown to the MEST Africa Summit in Nairobi in June, where they will compete on a global stage for up to $50,000 in equity investment and the opportunity to join the Pan-African MEST incubator community.

     

  • Enhancing youths’employability

     The Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment has held a wokshop on employability for 300 youths in Badagry, DAN ESSIET reports.

    More than half of the country’s population are youths. Of this number, 75 per cent, who are graduates, are unemployable.

    According to sources, most graduates are not getting the right education that will prepare them for life. As a result, firms are investing in intensive training for fresh graduates to enable them become productive on the job. This has drawn the attention of the Lagos State government, which is taking steps to ensure that employability of the graduates of its institutions of higher education improves dramatically and that the schools modernise their curriculum.

    Besides, the government is upgrading workers’ skills to enable them remain relevant in a technology-driven world.

    Through the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, the government trained 300 youths in Badagry. The four-day event, themed; Mindset re-orientation and employability skills programme, held at Badagry Local Government Town Hall.

    Commissioner of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, stressed that those entering the employment market should have skills and exude confidence, empathy and creativity to get jobs.

    She explained that employment requirements had changed; therefore, graduates should move with the times.

    Represented by the Director of Employment, Mrs. Iyabo Seriki Bello, the Commissioner said the government was working to create a pool of market-ready talent.

    She harped on practical knowledge that is in tune with the industry needs rather than encouraging rote learning.

    With the impact of technology on the labour market marked by continuous change, she noted that the work environment had become more complex, requiring new skills.

    She reiterated the readiness of the government to partner industries by investing in various training programmes.

    She reiterated the commitment of the government to make the state one of the smartest economies in Africa through its Mindset Re-Orientation and Employability programme.

    The commissioner stated that the initiative would help youths channel their energy properly towards career and skills that will improve their standard of living.

    She implored youths to consider technical and vocational training that could make them self-reliant.

    She assured the youth that the government would not only train them, but will also ensure that they access finance for their business through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), introduced by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Also, the representative of Chairman, Badagry Local Government, Shorayo Emmanuel Akande, said the wealth creation drive by the ministry would not only reduce unemployment, but will also reduce vices, increase skilled workforce and make youths more productive and responsive.

    He affirmed the efforts of the government in ensuring that all local governments in the state benefit from its numerous training is a pointer to the fact that Lagos State government is willing to invest in improving the lives of its citizens, economically.

    The Coordinator, Messrs. O’ Cube Consult, Mr. Onalaja Obidairo, informed the participants that the government was disturbed by the plight of unemployed youths that was why it introduced the programme. He advised participants to avail themselves of the opportunities offered by the training.

    A facilitator of the programme, Francis Anyim, an Associate Professor, commended the Ambode administration, saying it is the only one in the country that created a ministry for wealth creation and jobs.

    Kayode Sanyaolu and Jimoh Segun Rewane, who spoke on behalf of other participants, appealed to the government to create more training centres to enable more youths benefit from the programme.

  • Entrepreneurs at the heart of digital publishing success

    With more than 50 million Nigerians online, some young entrepreneurs have seized the opportunity to establish thriving online publishing businesses, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    The rise of affordable and accessible technology has transformed consumer behaviour. Online reading and conversations have become a common place across Nigeria, with digital business platforms emerging to transform the way people share information. The sector is growing into a multi-million industry with many Nigerians joining the move to provide digital publishing platforms and business services.

    One of those Nigerians is Chidi Nwaogu; a rare technology icon, who arrived the tech space with a bold vision. In 2006, at the age of 16, Chidi co-founded 9ja Boi Interactive, a video game development company, with his twin brother, Chika Nwaogu. They developed video games. Their first video game was “Save the Admiral”, a second space shooter that combined weak artificial intelligence (AI) and gamification to explain global warming to teenagers. Save The Admiral was first released in 2008, with further development in 2009.

    At the age of 19, Chidi co-founded, built and organically grew Ladies And Gentlemen book (LAG book) with his twin brother, Chika. LAG book grew from zero to over one million registered members in less than three years. It was initially created for students of the University of Lagos, but later expanded to include the youth between 18 to 30 across Africa. The social network was acquired by the Canadian technology company, Gulf Pearl Limited,  for $10,000 in January 2013. Since they moved,  Nwaogu  has established Publiseer, a digital publishing platform for African Creatives,  one of his most successful online businesses. Publiseer helps African writers and musicians from low-income communities to distribute and monetise their creative works across over 400 digital stores in 100 countries, with just a single click and at no charge.

    Nwaogu said Publiseer became profitable after eight months from inception. Last week, Publiseer was announced winner of the Startup World Cup Nigeria Regional Competition that took place in Lagos. After winning the regional competition, it will compete with other regional winners, including from Mauritius, Kenya, and South Africa at the Grand Finale competition that will take place in Silicon Valley, United States (US), on May 17, this year. At the regional competition, Publiseer won over the other nine startups, including Natterbase; Edupoint; Well New Me; Sabi.ai; Spleet; Afara Partner and FarmFunded. Publiseer won after being selected by a panel of judges, which included the Founder of Coven Works, Olusola Amusa; Emmanuel Adegboye, the Entrepreneurship Center Manager of Andela; the Associate Director of Novastar Ventures, Brian Odhiambo; and Principal Investment Officer at Microtraction, Dayo Koleowo.

    Nwaogu said: “We are humbled to emerge the winner of the regional competition, and we are excited to represent Nigeria at the grand finale in May. Every startup that competed are amazing and are making great impacts and giant strides in their various fields, and that’s why we’re humbled to come on top as the winner.” Publiseer helps low-income African writers and musicians to promote their works and make money through its platform. It  distributes their works to more than 400 digital stores in 100 countries for free. So far, Publiseer has received many recognitions and awards, including ‘The Most Needed in the Region’ award and  a finalist at Harvard Business School New Venture Competition.