Nigeria was the first port of call for Chris Cox, Chief Product Officer at Facebook, who is participating in the Social Media Week taking place this week in West Africa. He is scheduled to visit Ghana and Senegal next as part of an initiative to better understand regional challenges and opportunities faced by local entrepreneurs.
According to Facebook, 8.6 million people in Nigeria use the social network on mobile every day.
Cox spoke to local entrepreneurs and content creators in Lagos yesterday about the future of media.
He highlighted Nigeria's status as a hub for innovation and creativity because of its fast-growing mobile technology sector and its vibrant film and music industries. He focused on how the world is moving to digital video, with formats such as virtual reality, live video broadcast and 360 video giving people new ways to tell their stories.
"Stories matter, whether it's the stories of our lives or the story of Africa's growth and ascendance," says Cox. "We want Nigeria's storytellers — the musicians, the filmmakers, the novelists — to take their stories to the rest of the world. The explosion in mobile video and live video gives people a new way to share their story and perspective with the globe – and this is happening on Facebook."
Cox talked about how creators like Femi Kuti are using Facebook to bring fans into their lives and extend their presence beyond the stage and recorded media. He also discussed how innovators like Afrinolly - the creative hub where technology meets art — are using virtual reality and 360-degree video to create exciting and compelling new storytelling formats.
Cox is the most senior Facebook executive to visit Nigeria since Mark Zuckerberg visited Lagos in September 2016.
At that time Zuckerberg visited the Yaba-based Co-Creation Hub and engaged with local developers and entrepreneurs including Mark Essien, founder of Hotels.ng, and Tayo Oviosu, founder of payment company Paga.
Cox confirmed Nigeria's strategic importance for Facebook. "The level of innovation we see in this market is amazing. As Africa's most populous country, Nigeria is an important market for us."
Facebook will begin its free training sessions, Boost Your Business, on 8 March, with trainers led by She Leads Africa in cities including Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan.
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