Uganda is one of the countries that will benefit from the opening of a Facebook office in Africa, the first of its kind.
Based in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, Facebook’s newest business office will be headed by Ms Nunu Ntshingila, the company’s new Head of Africa, who officially starts work in September.
According to a release, the move is to further the multi-billion dollar company’s commitment to help businesses connect with people in Africa.
Further, the release states that Facebook’s active user population in Africa has grown 20% to 120 million in June 2015 from 100 million in September 2014. More than 80% of these people access Facebook from their mobile phones.
Nicola Mendelson, the vice president of Facebook Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) said in the first quarter 52 per cent of the company’s advertising revenue was from outside the US and Canada.
“We are inspired by the incredible ways people and businesses in Africa use Facebook to connect. This momentum in Africa comes on top of strong advertiser partnerships and excellent adoption of our products across all regions,” Mendelson said and added: Africa is important to Facebook, and this office is a key part of our strategy to expand our investment and presence across EMEA. Facebook is already a central part of people’s lives in Africa, and with more than a billion people in Africa, we want to do more to help people and businesses connect.”
Ari Kesisoglu, Regional Director, MEA at Facebook echoed Ms Mendelson and said the new African office will support customers across the continent.
“We know that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work when it comes to building products and solutions that address diverse needs on the continent, which is why we are committed to creating solutions tailored to people, businesses and specifically for African markets,” Kesisoglu said.
Kesisoglu added: “Businesses need stronger, more flexible and less fragmented ways of reaching people in Sub Saharan Africa. Our mission will be to connect brands and consumers in Africa, creating value for all parties in the process.”
According to the release issued June 29 by the Africa Press Organisation (APO), Facebook will initially focus on growing its business in anchor countries in the major regions of Sub Saharan Africa: Kenya (East Africa), Nigeria (West Africa), and South Africa (Southern Africa). Other supported territories include Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique and Ethiopia.
According to available statistics, Facebook, one of the world’s fastest growing companies generates US$1.4 million in an hour.
