http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/technology/21myspace.html?ei=5065&en=d3d8a3818bc03303&ex=1201582800&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

Enjoy!

There is another clean social networking website on the horizon. This time it is African - www.nauna.com. Watch out!

what i don't like:
"coming soon" sites

what I do like:
the curtains. It has definitely put a spin on the "coming soon" phenom. It's got me hooked. Now, I will most definitely visit everyday in hopes of witnessing the curtains being pulled back

Cool. www.nauna.com is supposed to be Facebook + Yahoo + LinkedIn + Digg + a couple of other really cool websites all in a neat package and completely tailor-made for Africa. When you pull down a country drop-down box, you are able to select states or provinces in each country (not just for the USA alone - don't you get tired of stuff like that?). It was developed ground up. It was not developed using remnant code from the other websites.

Finally, Africa gets the portal it deserves.

smith,

I wish nauna luck but I have a concern, if I may: I have noticed that so far, you stress Africa in your posts whereas facebook and myspace are worldwide. With a focus on Africa, isn't that narrowing the field? I ask especially because of you saying its a combo of different existing business models.

I see your point. There is a blog at www.naunablog.com that addresses this point. Interestingly, Nairaland is also a local community with different types of features organized in a forum layout. And, you can see the result. Membership is still on the increase.

smith,

sure, but it is amongst Nigerians (with a few Africans and other internationals I am sure) at home and the diaspora. Go to Alxexa for example and see where this forum stands among Nigerian sites then see where it stands worldwide.

Again, I only said what I said based on your "Facebook + yahoo + etc" statement above which led me to believe you are gunning for a worldwide audience, not just Nigerians, but I guess I am wrong. Either way, it's a good effort and I salute it. Anything for the advancement of Africa as a whole.

Well, I like Facebook. Just for the "clean" web interface.

My2cents:

Thanks for the feedback. The reference to the big websites - yahoo, facebook, etc was just regarding functionality. The main contributors will be Africans but the audience is global because the world wants to hear what Africa is saying and they want to benefit from it.

Niyyie:

I'm surprised you did not see the clean look of the www.nauna.com website

smith,

I think it is kind of hard to notice the clean layout with a giant brown curtain over it. When I first saw the site, all I could see was big, brown, curtain. It was only after I visited again that I saw what was beneath the curtain

sorry but that Nauna dsnt look convincing

If e no be facebook

e no fit be like am!

WELL ALL I WANT TO SEE IS HOW IT WILL WORK AFTER ONE YEAR :d

Many thanks for the comments about the website - both positive and negative. We don't like sugar-coated comments. We want to hear what people really think, so thank you for all the comments.

It's very easy to understand the scepticism about a website of this nature and it appears that this is a broad-based view. We had exactly the same view as well, which is one of the reasons that this website is being developed. It is also understandable to think that the website may be successful initially but fail over time.

This is not a hobby on the side and the slogan 'Connect to Success' is not a cliche. We are really looking to achieve development in Africa by getting the creative works of people, regardless of where they live, in front of the whole world in a very inexpensive (free in most cases) manner. The aim is to help you advertise your products or services, get good professional advice, get access to the required additional resources including capital.

At best, you'll get good entertainment from the existing portals/social networking websites, but reality hits you hard when you get off your computer. NAUNA will help you to turn your dreams into reality (regardless of what you do and where you live) and you'll have fun along the way.

We are looking to change the way people think. Looking to remove the insecurity of producing good quality products because of the time and effort it takes to do so. Time and effort that may lead to nowhere. Looking to get people to produce products and services that add true value to the lives of other people.

We believe that we can change physical communities through an online community and that's what we are setting out to do.

i think nauna is a good idea

i like the api thingy