By ‘Ifreke Inyang
Exciting things are currently happening in Nigeria’s flourishing technology scene. It’s the one place where the word start-up finds its purest meaning in Nigeria. In our Annual YNaija Power List series, we take a list of at least 10 of its most powerful names and hands.
You can agree or disagree sharply below!
- Loy Okezie
Gbenga Sesan:
Sesan is the executive director of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), ‘a social enterprise that connects underserved people-groups with ICT-enabled platforms. What stands ‘Gbenga out is how he identified technology’s potential in Nigeria especially with regard to governance and enterprise long before many people did. It is the reason why nothing happening in the industry can go on without his knowledge or active involvement.
Temi Kolawole:
Good thing this young man got that Computer Engineering degree from Babcock University. He has translated his talent and his knowledge into creating at least two of the most influential websites in the country – NotJustOk.com and BellaNaija.com. He is also the developer of TheNetNg.com through his company Antigravity LCC. Add the fact that he is chief executive of Sturvs.com and little wonder he never goes out of fashion.
OO Nwoye:
Nwoye attended University of Benin and graduated from University of Warwick where he studied Electronic Business Management. First with OnePage, he embarked on a mission to inspire “a new cadre of Nigerian entrepreneurs through education and mentoring” then now with Gbedu FM, he is set to change the game with Nigerian music online. You can’t ignore him.
- Nmachi Jidenma
Nmachi Jidenma:
It wasn’t enough that with her one-of-a-kind blog CP-Africa.com, Nmachi was already the go-to for a new generation of ideas merchants, especially in the technology industry. Soon after she was out of university in America, the woman behind one of Nigerian Top 100 blogs took up an assignment as Program Coordinator, Sub-Saharan Africa at Google. Everyone pays attention.
Ugo Nwosu:
Nwosu was for Ajengunle.org, which offered 25 students every other month the chance to learn ICT skills and get entrepreneurship training to set up their own businesses. But now that Nwosu is the man to go to when you need Microsoft funding for any technology-based ideas that build capacity or build businesses, you can bet the doors are leading to his office.
Ore Somolu:
Somolu is one of the few female voices leading the technology revolution in the country. With more than seven years’ experience, she is an Information Systems professional, focusing on technology training, and the development and application of web and instructional technology – and with a passion for building capacity for females in the industry.
- Seyi Taylor
Seyi Taylor:
This is an influential voice in Nigeria’s tech scene, both in terms of thought leadership as well as actually going in and doing it. He first began at the intersection of design and technology with Noah 69, and now there’s the innovative Blouvve.com, which is a mobile ad service used by everyone from Vanguard to the Linda Ikeji blog.
Co-Creation Hub
The guys at Co-Creation Hub – Femi & Bosun – are doing a great job. According to them, “The hub is a place for technologists, social entrepreneurs, government, tech companies, impact investors and hackers in and around Lagos to co-create new solutions to the many social problems in Nigeria.
Loy Okezie
Loy Okezie is the founder of Techloy.com, a technology news and research startup. The site, which rose from his loyokezie.com blog, has quickly made its founder one of the leading thought leaders within the African tech space. Just this week’s someone called him ‘obnoxious’ on Twitter, and not a lot of people start a story on a Nigerian website with the full F word, but who cares? You can’t ignore him.
Seun Osewa
They don’t come any bigger than Seun Osewa. Or any more mysterious. Or any more liable to give you a tit for tat if you there criticise him for anything from not improving upon Nairaland or for his other failed projects. The researcher, programmer, and webmaster is the brain behind Nairaland.com – and as long as the forum reigns supreme, he continues to be lord of the technology manor.
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Well!this is nt a comprehensive list,they r only lagos basd guys,more research sud b done plss,there r still more
I worked with Temi before he did any of the work listed here and he's always been exceptional. And he really has never gone out of fashion. I hear he's also affiliated with Jobberman somehow
I'm not sure this is a great list – there are demonstrably more successful tech people out there in Nigeria – Chika Nwobi (MTech, Jobberman.com and Cheki.com.ng), or the guys from Iroki and QluQlu.com.ng as one other commentator has suggested, or the guys behind Wakanow.com. Or VConnect. Also I'd question why you're including a tech journalist in a list of successful tech people – its not about who can bang a loud drum.
Can I bring up the CNN argument here? How did YNaija create this list? 😀 :P. I still want the average age tho. Just out of curiosity
This list is a list of people who are active on twitter, not people who are really creating big technology products
Very incomplete and one sided. Too many real doers are missing from this list. More research is needed before bring out lists like this. How about the guys at Iroking, Jobbermen, Paga, Qluqlu, Waserise etc
I don't agree with this list at all. It's the same recycled names as on every other list. YNaija, your list should be fresher than everything else out there
I will disagree with this if the concentration is on Lagos as a constituency or from a segment in a country called Nigeria
Incomplete, why are the Klein Devort guys missing? (Shola Akinlade and co) You can't about young powerful Nigerians in technology without including them….. do more research please.