Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google - Programming (3) - Nairaland
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| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by adeokunade: 9:27pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Are they telling us that Seun has not made up to $1b on Nairaland |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by savcy(m): 9:28pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Nice Topic. I want to ask. If Mark Zuckerberg were a Nigerian would FACEBOOK have seen the light of day? If Felix Emeagwali stay back in Nigeria,would he have invented the super fast computer? No! Why? The USA(and other Western nations) has got a society that is framed to support ideas & innovations. Large coys in the Western nations are constantly on the look-out for any great idea to finance. Can we say the same for Nigeria(Africa)? The problem we have is much deeper than we phantom. Its a problem that is entrenched in the very nucleus of the nation Nigeria. And the problem with Nigeria and most of Africa are our core values. Nothing more. What exactly do we as a people who make up the society value? Do we value hardwork,sincerity,honesty and like virtues? Let me ask us,what would you say to a relative who became a,say,governor and couldn't erect one building all because he wanted to be honest and make judicial use of public funds? In the open you may praise him,but,in your bedroom you will mock him. Thats the Nigeria where we want a Facebook like innovation to emanate from. In Nigeria we don't value hardwork. How much more innovations. If you an Igbo man were the CEO of a large conglomerate and a Yoruba man approached you with his innovative idea,seeking financing,what would you say/do? We can't even live in the same country as people of different tribes. Imagine going into a bank to as for loan to start up a business. Their demands will strangle all the ideas you have in your head. When MTN came to Nigeria,they were refused loan. Thats the make up of Nigeria. The process it takes for one to do simplest of things in Nigeria is cumbersome and discouraging. In the west it takes less stress if any to do these things.And we will need much more than posting on Nairaland to change that. Africans are thinking. But no one cares. If they did, the guys at Nnewi would have been sent to learn automobile Engineering abroad. If Africa care Nairaland would have expanded beyond this. If Africa cared these blog gers would have been put to better use. Africa is thinking. Yes. But Africa isn't ready for a ground-breaking,earth shaking innovation. No. At least not now. 6 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 9:33pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
'Never'? You'd be surprised. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 9:35pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
This is indeed an interesting and challenging topic! I always wish I have good programming skills cos I got lots of amazing ideas but no programming skills or enough time to acquire one...and if u think of partnering with some programmers, the Nigerian factor- corruption, selfishness and self-centeredness comes in. Yes, the major challenges to technological/IT advancement in Africa, and Nigeria as a reference point are: 1. Poverty (everyone wants to create sth that can yield cash fast to alleviate him from poverty n uncertainty of the future) 2. Bad system of education that encourages study to pass exam and not study to apply and to solve life problems. 3. Greed, selfishness, corruption and the African man mentality of ONLY ME MUST OWN THIS BUSINESS SO I CAN NAME IT MY SONS and GRAND SONS GROUP OF CO LTD. 4. Funding: a lot of Nigerian youths have wonderful ideas but no fund. Nigerians can conquer all the above challenges through partnership, but Nigerians and Africans hate to partner. They like to be an island, and that's why our companies, businesses, etc always end up local and small cos one man business has limit. Facebook wasn't founded by Mack Z alone, he had co-founders, contributors, etc. Same with Google, etc. But can a Nigerian man agree to partner with others genuinely to expand ideas and funding? No! Seun by now ought to have partners, not moderators who don't contribute much aside moderation. I mean for nairaland to go real global and stay in the future to challenge other emerging ideas, Seun must seek for partnership with creative Nigerians to further expand nairaland and its services unless he wants his children to inherit as the Nigerian businesses as usual. What am I saying? All these guys here with creative and wonderful application/web ideas, but have no enough funding and programming skills to bring those ideas to a reality, why not seek for partnership? Why no partner with others than keeping those ideas until they rot and go obsolete? Printing machine wouldn't have been in existence if the inventor refused to seek for sponsorship and partnership. Many people turned him down until a British business man agreed to fund him to produce a prototype as a prove, and that was it. So guys, get your ideas together and find like-minded partners pls. That's the only way Africans can overcome our present bad environment to advance technologically and IT wise. I love this topic so much....thanks @op for sharing, quite interesting and challenging, I must repeat. 8 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Ogabarrister(m): 9:36pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
... Haven't you heard of Yookos.com; fast raising social network by Africans  |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by phraze(m): 9:39pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
What can u say of 2go. This is a company juggling the succes of its application right in our faces. Its a S.A based company. We have tried emulating them. If nairaland can understand wat the 2go platform is all about, i guess we r not all that far from victory. People like me shuld be contacted, if realy this prestigous site would want to archieve such feats. I would draft a good proposal and we would win wit ease. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Matthewbriggs(m): 9:47pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
The passionate, and emotional part me is saying who is this dude spewing this trash, I will prove him wrong. Which I actually will. But the more objective and realistic part of me says I should calm down, look at our Tech scene more objectively. Given my experience in Nigeria's tech sector I can boldly tell you that money is not the core problem we face but lack of talent, a flood of not so great applications and products with weak business models To build great web products, you don't just need not a killer idea, One needs also a seasoned team of developers/engineers and a winning business strategy. The sad thing when it comes to Africa's tech industry we lack last 2. We have so much manpower but lack seasoned Talent. I tell every start-up person I see, create a very good product, design a very feasible business model the money will come chasing you. I personally wish we had more good developers that can enrich our ecosystem. I have come to realizes that developers are quite a scarce commodity, and the really good ones are like rare species. There are tons of idea people but few developers with strong skill sets to build great products. I wish we had solid educational institutions that can churn out world class talents to enrich our ecosystem, the present tech institutions like the Aptech, NITT and our Universities are not cutting it in my opinion, we need to have institution that can match the likes of Stanford, MIT, Harvard etc. We need uber engineers we need them yesterday. The real reason we might not build companies as big and successful as Facebook is not because we lack ideas but because we don't have the talent and manpower to build one. Amidst all this challenges I hope to prove the forbes writer and those that share his sentiment wrong. To those wishing to do so. I am open to teaming up with you on your ideas.I am good at coming up with very good and feasible ideas, refining existing ideas, designing breathtaking User interfaces and well thought out user experiences, crafting solid marketing strategies ,and developing formidable business models. I am one pm away incase you are looking for a cofounder. 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by ghostofsparta(m): 9:54pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Blacks in the 1913 amalgamation called Nigeria are super-talented, especially those in the south. This I know for good. Unfortunately, mediocres and those without talent, ingenuity or the ability to think-deep gets into the limelight, why? so many reason. Dis Guy: Nigerians are not curious enough and even if they are; they get shot down-Word, and that's why I refuse to attend any Nigerian university/college. Dis Guy:I know 3 people who have done this and have it done to. They cite their Pastors says it satanic to be left handed. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Ajibel(m): 9:56pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
p.josh: Bro, sorry u've got to research well on starting up. Maybe thats why u havent come up with a start up. Do u think founders of those big companies u mentioned waited for angels before starting  Its short-sighted and lazy folks that would say i have no money so cant start up. Havent u heard of kickstarter Nd co. Code/develop that unique idea of urs and promote it online, investors would come after u not d other way round. Thats d path i'm following. Change ur mindset bro  1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 10:00pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
phraze: What can u say of 2go. This is a company juggling the succes of its application right in our faces. Its a S.A based company. We have tried emulating them. If nairaland can understand wat the 2go platform is all about, i guess we r not all that far from victory. People like me shuld be contacted, if realy this prestigous site would want to archieve such feats. I would draft a good proposal and we would win wit ease.Unfortunately, Nigerians don't like to partner for greatness! We prefer to remain small, local and be the sole owner so that it can bear our name alone and so our children children can inherit that local business while our western counterparts seek for partnership and expand to all nations. Julius Berger is a partnership business, can u compare it to some dead one-man owned construction companies in Nigeria? Lots of foreign companies and businesses we hear and dream to work with are all products of foreign guys partnering together for greatness and not just limiting themselves by making it one-man business. I insist, Nigerians must learn to partner to advance and conquer or bad environment. And this calls for transparency! We all must start to imbibe and enforce the spirit of openness, transparency and truth wherever we are if we want progress. 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by adconline(m): 10:03pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Africa lacks everything to make it happen. Most Naija folks are resistant to using tablets in place of a bible, some university students are banned from using smart phones likes BB and iPhones. Folks believe that answering a call from a certain number is gonna kill them. Folks believe Obamacare, strictly passed for Americans, is an invitation to 666. Some folks believed a pastor drove a car without petrol from Onitsha to Lagos. Invention and innovation cometh by being open minded; and willingness to change the status quo opens the door for technology 6 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Bimpss(f): 10:03pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Krasid: What Africa lacks is creativity.We always want to copy the western world or build on what they have created. NOT TRUE!! Africa/Africans are one of the most creative people in the world! because their ability to Improvise out of nothing is quite applaudable.. When my father was young, my grandmother use to sew my father's clothes with her own hands... And also growing up in Nigeria, I remember making toy cars out of cardboard and scraps of wire just for entertainment... So No Africa doesn't Lack creativity Not by a long shot, but it does Lack Adequate Resources that can help showcase that creativity! |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by babihouse(m): 10:04pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Javanian:can u prove that? |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by pjosh1(m): 10:05pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Ajibel:look bro, it depends on wat kind of idea u ave. for example youtube founders didn't startup just like that because they knew if they would their idea was going 2 be a total failure(insufficient money to pay for servers), that why they needed angels for starting up. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 10:09pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Ajibel:Kickstarter is strictly for Americans, and it still operates on the fact that foreign folks are good, they have the spirit to fund good ideas. Imagine people donating to fund an idea they know nothing about, and will only end up getting a token, either an autographed copy, etc. How many Nigerians are ready to donate to fund an idea that doesn't belong to their blood relation or sibling I am sure none!But you are right, he needs to stop thinking that since he has no money, he shouldn't start. I will encourage him to seek for partners with similar vision and interest. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Ajibel(m): 10:09pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
uj_sizzle: Thank you. Buh most of us are scared of starting up sth cuz we arent that creative. The few with cool ideas have been brainwashed with "no cash, no startup". My argument is launch your brilliant idea, people would help u to finance it cuz they like ur idea. Lemme say i came to u for financial assistance for an idea i claim to have and tell u i want to create a forum like nairaland, would u be impressed Buh if my idea is somewhat great and its sth u need, u'd do anything to help me promote it even if u cant assist me financially. Why? Cuz my idea is unique and has the potential to be great. Even banks would consider loan for me. Buh thats not the case, most of us claiming to haue ideas even me arent coming up with great ideas buh clones of ideas already developed. Who'd be interested in sponsoring such I plead with those with good ideas to launch their start up and not hold back or be scared cuz of lack of finance.1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Ajibel(m): 10:14pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
True innovation comes from the small startup who is lean enough to launch buh lacks the heft to own it - Timm Martin |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by ghostofsparta(m): 10:15pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Krasid: What Africa lacks is creativity.We always want to copy the western world or build on what they have created.^^^Precisely another point, imagine why must NOLLYWOOD copy the WOOD to imitate HOLLYWOOD? vladimiros: THERE IS A GROUP ON FACEBOOKC ALLED SILICON AFRICAWa AND MOST OF THE INFLUENTIAL FOUNDERS IN NIGERIAN TECH MOST OF YOU NEED TO GO THERE[/quote] Why must they assume ALLIANCE SILICON AFRICA? Is it to feel equal with Silicon Valley? 2 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Ajibel(m): 10:23pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
p.josh: Youtube started out as a small company which the founders maintained with their pocket and family support. When they saw that people liked the idea, they reached out to sponsors who embraced them quickly. They didnt wait to be sponsored before Starting-up YOUTUBE!!! One mustnt start out BIG thats the problem most of us have. Even in america where there are hundreds of Angels, webpreneurs are always adviced to START UP SMALL & LEAN!!! Gudnyt 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by kayjegs: 10:36pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Many people on this thread have actually spoken the truth of the matter. We lack Venture capitalists and angel investors. The economy is too harsh and applications are not as attractive in the African setting as you would music or entertainment. Look at the music industry, one can actually say that the new crop of Nigerian musicians can compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world, talk of the videos, the sounds and even the money, they all have it. Why? This is just because money was pumped in, into music especially through big corporations who use them for marketing their products and services, companies such as Nigerian Breweries, MTN, Glo, Etisalat and the likes. And now those guys can produce sounds that Americans produce, no wonder we don't hear of foreign songs like before. The same thing can also be applicable to the Tech world in Nigeria, if there is a structure in place to finance tech start-ups that are promising and also find a way of making sure we use their applications, then in no time, we will produce world class applications. This is what I think. 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by psalmdave(m): 10:39pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
babihouse: can u prove that?Therz nothin 2 proove,africans are talented take it or leave it....d ryt person 2 ask dis ur question is God....i hope by askin dis question u are nt tryna say Africa lacks talent, |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by akintun: 10:43pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
A billion dollar company means about 100m in net profit depending on valuation , and if d inherent risk involved in operating in Africa is included, then we are talking about a profit of about 250m 4 a billion dollar valuation . Abeg how can d Nigeria economy generate such income. Anyway Americans do over value their companies. With d exception of google, there is no way Europeans would those companies dat high. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 11:18pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
The problem is lack of oppuntunity! Only the rich in nigeria get heard! It pains me when i see in newpapers and tv that a nigerian student ivented this or that cos those inventions re the least of my thoughts. I wanted to learn java programing it cost 140k. I cant afford it. I learn 4rm the internet buh i cant understand to sum level. I have app ideas. My parent re nt tech freaks. All they want is 4 me to enter the university, come out, find a job, and bring money home. They would nt listin to me. And no one else to share my ideas with. I live in a villiage on the island, surrounded by dumb heads. I cant build these tinz on my own. I have no training, no opptunity! I had a smart watch idea since 2011 buh if i had the opptunity then, i shuld have been the leading smart watch maker by now! I get so much ideas that i get annoyed if a company later discovers it and add it to their stuffs. Now i have 2 major ideas. 1. The world needs an alternative to youtube, if i could put heads together with few geeks we could put up something nice! But who do i tell to help me achieve this? Nobody! 2. Phone makers 2day make diffrent models of fone, buh it might nt be exacly what u want! So my idea is an online site/company where u select the exact specs and design u want in ur own phone. With price tag on each fone, then we build it 4 u and ship to ur delivry. Buh who do i tell again? NOBODY! so annoying. I draw design of fones in books and on my head. Bug assuming my father was dangote. I shuld have been making my millions by now. Unfortunatly most rich men children are dumb! The few one that have little brians we heard of them! Show host rich men children with talent that is 20 less than mine! Buh i cant get there cos there is no oppuntunity! 4 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by davida222(m): 11:23pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
Lol... Africans.!!! |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 11:32pm On Aug 19, 2013 |
uj_sizzle:Yes! We do, in my state, we had a functioning library, my local government has one too.... Public schools have a room called library (even though it houses little or no book). Hence the reason of starting the NGO is to help gather books and stuff the library up with not just physics and other school subject books, but with motivational and other educational books. I read Ben Carson's book while I was young, I still remember some part of the book that I make use of up till today. But who born me?? When Govt. Expects me to register a not for profit organization with over 100K! |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Joagbaje(m): 12:14am On Aug 20, 2013 |
Haven't you heard. Of YOOKOS? . It's going all over the world .http://www.yookos.com/login.jspa?referer=%252Fgroups%252Fsout-south-region-virtual-zone-4-staff-community%252Fblog%252F2013%252F08%252F18%252Fpower-of-ankara.pdf 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Xavier1976(m): 12:20am On Aug 20, 2013 |
Fantastic topic, this similar question has been bugging me since I moved to the US. how come we don't have our own Silicon valley? I am a fan of Forbes too and I see how these IT guys are topping Wall street finances. Two issues are prominent from what the OP said - 1, Absence of quality innovations 2, Absence of Venture Capitalists I used to worked in the communication company in Nigeria, I had a colleague that finished from UNILAG, He was so very brilliant and his HOD (a renowned professor) promised to help him out in pursuing a graduate course in UK, he busted NYSC for 2 years relying on a promise by the HOD. The guy gave up on that dream when it wasn't materializing and went for the delayed NYSC, he later left for India to further study with his own meager funds. The guy came back to Nigeria at the advent of the GSM companies, he wrote 3 proposals to to 3 Telcos and they all offered him employment. The guy predicted the death of Voice services to Data service as the cash cow. He predict the reign of VOIP and packet switch versatility. Now all his predictions have come true but where is he? He started working in the Telco (Y'hello) and he got so comfortable with the salary and forgot all the research in him. I still remind him the dream he had then but now he has other concerns - wife, a child, extended family demands and the Nigerian rat race to cope with. I have compared the US system to Nigeria's system, our problem is multifaceted, starting from the Nigeria's educational idiosyncrasy to the underdeveloped economic infrastructures. Nigeria's IT development is far behind that of India and light years behind the western countries. Except there is a paradigm shift then these problems would persist for a long time. 3 Likes |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Nobody: 12:57am On Aug 20, 2013 |
One orther problem is that we re just beign blacks. To be a rich man, u need to think lyk a rich man. Same applies here. To be an innovator, u need to think lyk a white man! What makes the so-called Negro unable to stand on his own two feet? He has no self-confidence. He has no proud confidence in his own people. Because the white man destroyed your and my past. Destroyed our knowledge of our culture. And by having destroyed it, now we don’t know we have any acheivements. Any accomplishments. And as long as you can be convinced you never did anything you can never do anything – Malcolm X Thats the intro to MI superhuman ft H.H.P. We need to break out of the black skin, blood, and mentality. The whites re nt better than us. The only diffrence is blacks belives so much in superstision and culture, and dat y we dont grow! Still blacks re proud! We cant swallow our pride and look up to countries like america and great britain. Its our pride that made us fight 4 idependence at a very early stage! Blacks Loves money #fact! So they put how much they will gain 4rm their jobs and responsibilities b4 the job itself! And most blacks cant realise that these re what hinder blacks. Meaning most blacks cant discover them selves. Now if u cant discover ur own self, how do u want to discover an invention? On hw to move urself foward? 4 once STOP BEIGN BLACKS! |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by orgasticdance: 1:42am On Aug 20, 2013 |
To bring Africa into the argument would be a stretch  Europe is not even innovating, relatively speaking. American websites dominate in europe(Facebook, Google, Youtube, Gmail, Yahoo) . Europeans are big laggards on this score, but chinese social network sites eg Renren(+100m reg users comp to nairalands measly 1m ) and Baidu etc are not doing bad in china. The US of Ambition, the innovation juggernaut, is eating everyone else's lunch cept China's. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by FILEBE(m): 1:51am On Aug 20, 2013 |
Nice one Op! Nice. I couldn't resist replying even as i'm half asleep. I'm suprise that no one is mentioning the main cause of the problem which is COMPUTER ILLITERACY! Nigeria is that country where people value Certificates,KPALI they don't care much anything. Just get the Damn Certificate. As a matter of fact our parents made us go to school to prolly get these certs. Some would scold you if are seen operating a computer. They will scream: Is that your book? Na your maths be that? How then will such a child get encouraged about I.T? Come to think of it, how many primary schools and secondary schools have got a computer? Back then we were studying Computer studies...i doubt if they are doing that now. No! They are not! It's no longer in their curriculum. You must agree with me that it's easier for a child with good computer background to do well with computers as an adult. I needn't mention the fact that some of our graduates,youth corpers are computer illiterates. Someone with a first class doesn't know how to switch on a Destop computer.... Where would such a person start to learn a programming language? And what we are being taught in the Uni is far.. far... far... from it. Year 1 is V.Basic, year 2 Fortran, Year 3 Java, year 4 c# and Java, year 5 c++. Some are taught programming languages sorely by Theory. Na for your head you go compile and run it. I swear! Any good 9ja programmer has got my respect anytime anyday. It wasn't easy. I'll wake up 2moro morning to read what i jst wrote. Hope i'm coherent enough sha. Help me correct my mistakes G.9te 1 Like |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by LordBabs(m): 5:26am On Aug 20, 2013 |
Joavid:i suggest 'Afriland'. |
| Re: Why Africa May Never Produce A Facebook, Groupon, Zynga Or Google by Decryptor(m): 5:27am On Aug 20, 2013 |
Ajibel: Trash. Just watch out for some young Nigerians in few years time who'd lift Africa's image as the next IT capital particularly NIGERIA.Dude, i think you are talking about me there.  Hehehehehe |
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