As part of its commitment and ongoing investment in Africa, Facebook today unveiled NG_Hub in Lagos, Nigeria – its first flagship community hub space in Africa, in partnership with CcHub. In a week-long celebration which will bring together developers, start-ups, and the wider tech community across Lagos and Nigeria, the launch will showcase the new multi-faceted space which aims to bring together communities to collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas.
With creativity and excellence existing across all of Nigeria, Facebook also announced partnerships with seven other hubs across the country including in Abuja (Ventures Platform), Jos (nHub), Kaduna (Colab Hub), Kano (DI Hub), Uyo (Start Innovation Hub), Enugu (Roar Hub) and Port Harcourt (Ken Saro Wiwa Hub). These will serve as centres of excellence and will feature dedicated Facebook spaces, where many of Facebook’s training sessions will take place, and a space where creatives and developers can book to help them advance their skills.
Featuring bespoke works of art from local artists in Nigeria, the NG_Hub space, which includes workspaces, meeting rooms, a games and chill out room, an event space and a well catered café, will also be the focal point for a number of training programmes. Aimed at attracting the best talent and driving innovation in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, these are all designed to equip Nigerian SMEs, tech entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools for economic growth. Training programmes include:
The Fb Start Accelerator programme – a research and mentorship-driven programme aimed at empowering start-ups and students with technical & business support and funding to optimize their product for growth – focused on those building solutions using advanced technology, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
Digify Pro Nigeria – a two-month intensive boot camp where 20 aspiring digital professionals will learn what it takes to have a career in digital marketing. The programme is designed to fit the specific needs of industry, covering a range of topics including community management, content and e-mail marketing, brand online reputation management, UX design and more.
Boost Your Business – Made especially for micro, small and medium sized businesses owners, Boost Your Business is a one-day training that teaches digital marketing for business growth.
#SheMeansBusiness – the first to launch on the continent, #SheMeansBusiness is a one-day training workshop and networking experience for female entrepreneurs, offering a mix of business and digital marketing training for women led businesses, along with additional opportunities to network with fellow female entrepreneurs.

Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Vice President of Partnerships said: “Technology provides expansive opportunities to engage young, creative and resourceful Nigerians, especially in delivering solutions to challenges across communities here in Nigeria. Our mission is to build community and bring the world closer together, NG_Hub provides that physical space that will serve as a centre of learning and skills development in Lagos, and I’m excited about the possibilities that this will create.”
Commenting on the partnership Bosun Tijani, Founder/CEO of CcHub, added: “Our aim has always been to provide a viable platform for creatives and innovators to express their talent and create solutions to the myriad of social and economic challenges faced by countries across the continent. Partnering with Facebook on NG_Hub enables us to achieve our objectives at scale and make the desired impact in the tech ecosystem here in Lagos.”
As part of a week-long of celebrations, Facebook will host a number of events from May 21 – 25, 2018 aimed at engaging the different communities in Lagos, and across Nigeria. This includes:
Community roundtable – aimed at bringing together Community Groups from across Lagos
DevC meetup – with Nigeria being home to the largest number of Developer Circles across Sub-Saharan Africa (over 8,800), this event will bring together DevC members in an afternoon of networking
VC & Policy Roundtable – aimed at spearheading vital conversations and helping to bridge the gap between tech entrepreneurs and VCs and policy makers in Nigeria
She Means Business/Women in Tech – a special SheMeansBusiness training offered especially for female entrepreneurs working in Lagos’ technology ecosystem
SMB Boost Your Business Training – a four-hour training session for SMBs aimed at equipping them with vital digital skills to help grow their businesses
Facebook and Instagram for Creatives – an inspirational hands-on session led by Creative Shop for Creatives building for Facebook and Instagram
Fintech SMB Training – a training session for SMBs in Fintech

“The NG_Hub highlights our ongoing commitment to supporting local talent in Nigeria. We’re delighted to be partnering with CcHub here in Lagos, as well as with many other hubs across Nigeria to deepen our engagement, increase skills development and support the next set of innovators, tech entrepreneurs, start-ups, and others in our collective bid to change the face of technology and grow the economy,” said Ebele Okobi, Director of Public Policy, Africa.

The fourth edition of the Nigeria Symposium for Young and Emerging Leaders, organised by The Future Project (TFP), will hold on Thursday, 31 May, 2018 at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The event will feature young and inspired leaders such as Aisha Yesufu, co-convener of Bring Back Our Girls Group; Asuquo Ekpenyong, commissioner of finance, Cross River State; Mark Okoye, commissioner for economic planning and budget, Anambra State; Ife Adebayo, special assistant to the vice president on innovation and entrepreneurship; Samson Itodo, executive director, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, among others.

Themed ‘Shaping New Narratives’, the Symposium will bring together leaders and influential personalities in politics, business, advocacy, media, and more – to engage and discuss issues of governance, public policies, and civic engagement.

As an annual knowledge-exchange and mentorship event between present and emerging leaders in government and the public sector to facilitate learning and youth inclusiveness, the event provides a platform for young Nigerians to engage public officials on democratic institutions and national development.

According to the chief operating officer, The Future Project, Bukonla Adebakin, the Symposium is intended to drive the need to change negative narratives about Nigeria while highlighting the role of the youth in demanding for better governance and improvement in the system of leadership.

“In strengthening leadership and citizen participation, it is important that we provide platforms to aid true transformation and establish democratic values while developing active and empowered citizens. With the theme ‘Shaping New Narrative’, we intend to highlight the crucial role of citizens in imperatives of open governance,” Adebakin said.

Speakers who have headlined the Symposium include Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance; Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education; Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, former minister of youth and development, Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra and Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River, among others.

The Future Project has a mandate to build empowered citizens across Africa through inclusive enterprise and active citizenship.

To register, visit http://bit.ly/TFP-Symposium-2018

After building up anticipation over the past couple of weeks, Omawumi comes out showing her fiery side in this music video to her latest work, ‘Me ke’ with everybody’s favourite lover boy, ‘Mama’ singer, Kiss Daniel.

Omawumi, in her usual knack for telling stories through her music, borrows this one, ‘Me Ke’, from the popular Nigerian (Itsekiri) folktale which tells this interesting story about a mourning dove who had a sad thing happen to ‘him’:

On his way back from a food hunt, the bird notices his only child (Kpoje) was killed by the eagle, he gets so mad and in return kills all the eagle’s children. Immediately this news went round the town, there was a meeting summoned by the elders to discuss this terrible act.

The bird explains “that when Kpoje was killed, I wasn’t upset (me o ke oo – me ke oo) now that I’m doing mine please don’t be mad as well!”

It’s a powerful tale, expertly expressed by Omawumi with the soothing interjections from Kiss Daniel.

Watch the full video below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emiSPS5z5gc

Home to the the largest number of Developer Circle members across Africa, with over 8,800 members, Facebook today brought together Lagos based DevC leads for an afternoon of networking, connecting and sharing in the new NG_Hub space in Lagos.

The developer community has played a large role in Facebook’s success to date, and is one Facebook is committed to investing in and growing. Each DevC is led by a volunteer who arranges offline meet-ups and discussions, whilst managing their dedicated Facebook groups where members continue the conversation between meet-ups, share code and deepen their knowledge on topics like React and Bots in Messenger.

Bringing together some of the country’s diverse Group leaders on its platform, Facebook today hosted the first community roundtable in Nigeria, at it’s new NG_Hub space in Lagos. Bringing together some of the country’s diverse Group leaders on Facebook – all of whom have described their purpose and ultimate goal as focused on empowering and supporting Nigerians, this event was aimed at fostering new relationships, creating dialogue and “bringing the world closer together” by connecting with community leaders to listen, share and connect.

“This community meet-up forms part of Facebook’s continuous drive to strengthen its ecosystem in Nigeria with the aim of helping users find and join meaningful communities,” says Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Vice President of Partnerships. “More than 1 billion people use Facebook groups each month and 100 million of them belong to ‘meaningful communities’ – which are groups that quickly become one of the most important parts of their Facebook experience and an important part of their real-world support structure.”

Groups have become an increasingly popular part within the Facebook universe over the past few years. This a place for users to come together and have discussions that are of a peculiar interests. They bring people together in personal, practical and powerful ways, creating new communities and strengthening existing ones.

Group leaders involved in the day, included:
Natural Hair Babes – Founded by Ijeoma Egeonu-Mensah – has 511,049 people discussing natural hair.
Ask the Pediatricians – Founded by Vera James, now has a community of 472,839 people who leverage the community to fill the gaps in Nigeria’s challenging healthcare system.
Beverage Room – Founded by Olufunke Philips and Ifeanyi Abraham, is a group of 75,011 people where they monetize, get discounts for their groups and organize meet-ups.
KharKharKiddies Motherhood & Pregnancy Community – Founded by Tessy Onyejekwe Onyia – has a community of 2,814 people who care about supporting moms through their journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Award winning singer, Omawumi teams up with current wave and hit maker, Kiss Daniel for new song, ‘Me Ke’ which promises to be a banger as it brings together two vocal heavy weights.

Omawumi, who has blessed us with ever green songs like ‘Today na Today’, ‘If you ask me’ has sure returned to remind us why she’s on top of the food chain as far as Nigerian vocalists are concerned.

Kiss Daniel who, since leaving his former music label G-Worldwide, has churned out recent hits including ‘No Do’ and ‘Baba’, opting to work with top artistes in the industry who he hadn’t previously been able to work with.

Omawumi and Kiss Daniel have spared no expense and wasted no time to treat fans to the visuals of this new song, ‘Me Ke’. The video is set to be released on Wednesday, 23 May, 2018.

See stunning pictures on set of the video shoot attached.

Chude Jideonwo, founder of the benefit company focused on building happier flourishing Africans, Joy, Inc. [www.joyinc.xyz] has concluded his two month #TheJoyTour with an edition of The Joy Masterclass hosted yesterday at the International Relations Institute, Yaounde, Cameroon.

During the two-month tour, which he kicked off in March with a lecture hosted by happiness professor Laurie Santos at Yale, Chude taught editions of The Joy Masterclass, met with practitioners, made case for happiness, flourishing and emotional well-being in Africa, and shared the Joy, Inc. story across several cities, including Connecticut, Ann Arbor, Miami,Chicago, New York, Cape Town, Buea and Yaounde.

The Cameroon edition of The Joy Tour, kicked off last Wednesday, with The Joy Masterclass Buea hosted at the University of Buea. The Joy Masterclass is an 8-hour session administered for individuals, teams and leaders that weaves the confluence of thinking and research about happiness, human flourishing and resilience – across psychology, economics, divinity and philosophy – into practical lessons, habits and tools that help participants transform their thinking, attitudes and actions.

The Joy Tour – Cameroon also included a visit to the Yaoundé Psychiatric hospital, meeting with neurologists and guest appearances on CRTV Mballa and Studio 106, National Radio Station.

Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe on Friday had a sit down with renowned entertainer, D’Banj to take questions from friends and fans on every and anything. The no holds barred engagement which was broadcast via the bank’s Instagram live feed had D’Banj moderating and taking the questions off the social media platform.

Here are 7 things we learnt from this exciting exchange between these two kings: 

1. On the journey so far for Access CEO, Herbert Wigwe

Herbert ran D’Banj through his life’s journey saying he always knew he wanted to “do something interesting, something different”, hence his fascination with accounting, and by extension, banking.

Speaking on his success, he explained it with the mantra: “If you do it well, you’ll do well in life”. He believes Access Bank is still in its early stages, having spread across Africa, Europe and Asia. Sooner than people know, “Access Bank will be the world’s most respected African Bank, and everybody will see it”.

2. I am happy when my team is happy

When asked by D’banj: “With so much success, what makes you happy?”, Herbert said his joy is hinged on the success of his employees, mentees and family. He said: “My greatest joy is seeing my guys (team) do well.”

“What makes me work hard, gives me joy is my children and my family”.

Herbert believes that with his knack for ensuring his team succeeds, Access Bank is headed for the top and will be a global institution.

3. What’s a typical day like for the CEO?

Herbert says he starts every day with a prayer and, no matter when he sleeps, he first wakes up by 5am, eventually starting his day an hour later. The 51-year-old also said he goes to the bank’s gym “4 times a week” to keep fit.

4. Access Bank is the best bank for young people

The CEO explained how Access Bank is all about young people, finding ways to support things young people are most interested in – like the creative industry. He cited ‘The Nolly Fund’ which is geared towards supporting Nollywood – Nigeria’s movie industry. He also pointed out how Access Bank is in almost every university in Nigeria, giving young people a unique banking experience.

5. Like Herbert, Like D’banj

Herbert, who left as an Executive Director in another bank after spending 10 years, drew similarities with D’Banj’s story leaving Mo’Hits. He pointed out that leaving wasn’t due to any disagreement, but a need for the creation of an oasis.

6. Thanks to Herbert, Access Bank will Sponsor the #MoHitsReunion

Herbert told D’Banj that he was missed at the #MavinConcert which was sponsored by Access Bank in 2015. He went ahead to give his commitment that he will be on board “1,000%” to support the Mo’Hits reunion concert.

7. I do not actively support any football team apart from the Super Eagles. 

Herbert says there was a time when he used to support football teams until he realized he was too emotional to participate actively in that endeavor, recalling one time when Arsenal (the team he supported at the time) lost to Manchester United and he realized how heartbroken he was from it – not being able to function properly the next day, so he decided that won’t be something he’d be doing consistently. Being a patriot, the only team he supports is the Super Eagles.

It was an exciting interview session between the two kings where they spoke about everything from the future of Access Bank to D’banj’s marriage, Mo’Hits, the music industry and lots more.

Becoming a widow in Nigeria is often followed by a fall into extreme poverty – a situation usually aggravated by widespread practice of property grabbing and sometimes, physical abuse. Consequently, they are subjected to food insecurity due to poverty or unemployment, failure to find basic and school necessities for their children, lack of shelter, difficulty in accessing working capital for small-scale businesses, and victimization by harmful cultural practices.

In many traditional settings, the death of a husband can put women at the risk of social segregation and the loss of the security and social status their partners would have provided. They are immediately banished to the fringe of society and suffer different forms of stigma and discrimination.

For any nation or society interested in fostering progressive development, it is important that citizens create a social climate conducive for collective achievement. Apart from the need to adopt a friendly culture that dignifies victims and recognizes their pain, widows need support systems that provide opportunities to reintegrate into society after the loss of their spouses.

If we are going to achieve this, everyone needs to understand that widows are extremely disadvantaged. In a country where culture and tradition are used as tool to oppress disadvantaged women, we have a collective responsibility to overcome these barriers with practical solutions to alleviate their poverty and helplessness. Either as a corporate imperative or individual responsibility, actions and decisions have to be taken to rehabilitate widows disenfranchised by poverty and unemployment.

Consider Lipton’s ‘Reason To Smile’, an initiative by Unilever Plc.’s leading tea brand which is aimed at supporting 1,000 Nigerian widows with necessary care packs and seed fund to start a business. Expected to be executed in states across Nigeria, the Lipton ‘Reasons to Smile’ campaign is also giving all concerned Nigerians the opportunity to get involved with one Lipton pack at a time, give widows a reason to smile and lighten their burden.

In many Nigerian communities where a lot of women are housewives, fully dependent on their husbands, it becomes a great challenge when such families lose their breadwinner and find it difficult to cater for themselves and their children. These women need to be given a helping hand – a lifeline to create a better future for themselves and their communities in general.

The challenges that widows in our communities and cities experience daily affects everyone. They are our mothers, sisters, friends, neighbours and more. They remain one of the most marginalized persons, a depressing reality that has dealt a blow to compassion and decorum in our society. The least we can do is to care for them and also provide them with opportunities for solutions – which is the objective of the Lipton brand.

Widows need be celebrated and encouraged. They are an integral part of our society and deserve as much respect and dignity as anyone else. As women and mothers, they are active members of the Nigerian society who contribute to national development. We cannot allow them to be victimized and subjected to untold hardships just because they lost a loved one, Lipton is saying we have the power to lighten their burden and put smiles on their faces.

For more information, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoQ2awQiVfc&feature=youtu.be. For updates on Lipton ‘Reasons to Smile’ campaign, follow @LiptonNg on Twitter and LiptonNigeria on Facebook and Instagram.