Double history has been written. First, the American digital giant Facebook just launched a huge startup initiative in Nigeria, NG hub.
Secondly, the new business incubator at University of Nigeria Nsukka, Roar Nigeria is one of the partners.
This is yet another milestone achievement for the incubator, showing it is becoming the startup hot spot in southeast Nigeria.
“This is the first of its kind of collaboration for Facebook in the whole of Africa and we are happy that Roar Nigeria from UNN made the starting line-up” says one of the founders of the incubator and also alumni of UNN, Charles Emembolu.
Facebook has 22 million monthly active users from Nigeria and has big plans for its business in Nigeria. Facebook plans to host developers, start-ups, and the wider tech community across Nigeria that it hopes will stimulate community collaboration, learning, and idea exchanges.
The partnership with Roar Nigeria will include support in areas such as startup funding, equipment, mentorship and collaboration between local and international hubs.
“Technology provides expansive opportunities to engage young, creative and resourceful Nigerians, especially, in delivering solutions to challenges across communities here in Nigeria,” Facebook’s Vice President of Partnerships, Ime Archibong, said on NG_Hub launch in Nigeria.
The partnership with Facebook will give Roar Nigeria another great quality stamp as they continue to implement their startup program based on lean startup and design thinking methodologies.
The partnership will enable the startups at Roar Nigeria to get an even broader international network and help with using Facebook as a tool to develop and market their startups – Facebook being one of the strongest tools today for digital marketing for entrepreneurs.
The startups at Roar Nigeria are very excited about this development. The co-founder of TrillzApp, Nzeako Kosisochukwu, says: “I think the Facebook agreement will broaden our horizon, boost team spirit, and make it easier for users to identify with our brand”. And Precious Chuks, co-founder of RiteNanny adds: “It will be an exposure to a world of endless possibilities”.
The hub will feature dedicated Facebook spaces, where many of Facebook’s training sessions will take place, and a space where people with creative minds can advance their skills.
“This is not only a great moment for Roar Nigeria, but also a great moment for UNN. It will boost the image of UNN and create an even bigger flow of talents coming to our great University. It will also be an important part of the development of the Lion Science Park at UNN which is proceeding rapidly with the help of Ideon Science Park from Sweden”, says the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Professor Benjamin Ozumba.
Facebook has also announced partnerships with seven other hubs across the country. The hubs include CC HUB (Lagos); Ventures Platform (Abuja); nHub (Jos); Colab Hub (Kaduna); DI Hub (Kano); Start Innovation Hub (Uyo); and Ken Saro Wiwa Hub (Port Harcourt).
Roar Nigeria business incubator – a hotspot for Nigerian startups
The incubator Roar Nigeria started 2016 and now has 12 startups in areas ranging from eHealth to mobile services and hardware solutions.
It is one of the many achievements of the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Professor Benjamin Ozumba in collaboration with BOC (Benefiting Our Communities) Innovations, a private sector organization led by Charles Emembolu.
The incubator is run in close relationship with Ideon Science Park of Sweden.
Source: TechEconomy.ng