General News
‘Yookos Set to Bridge Africa’s Digital Divide’
Tomisin Fashino is the group CEO of Yookos.com, an Africa based social networking site. A computer engineering graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU and an MBA from the University of Lagos; Fashino started his carrier with JHK, a Lagos based computer company as a corper. His post NYSC saw him sojourn in the banking terrain as an IT professional across the EMEA. In 2011 he resigned to establish Yookos.com. Fashino spoke with peter ugwu on the company’s agenda. Excerpts.
Overview of Yookos.com
Yookos is an African social networking site. Yookos commenced on January 1, 2011; but only went commercial six month later in June. So, we are barely a year. We identified an opportunity to create a unique cosmological social networking platform that will bring our people together – those living in the African continent and others in Diaspora. A lot of times, we talk about social networking, and one will discover that some parts or continents of the world have developed networking infrastructure that promote their interests, values and ideas. For instance, Brazil, today has its special site, even China has two or three. So, we believe that there is an opportunity to have something that is uniquely African and that is the opportunity Yookos is ceasing.
Why Africa?
We also launched Yookos to enable us bridge a perennial digital divide that has plagued Africa and to bring Africa into the mainstream of global communications. How do I mean? In Africa today, there is about a billion people, out of this number, only about 140 million have access to the internet. That figure represents 14 percent. The global average is 32 per cent. It means that there is a significant digital divide that seats in Africa and remember that it is only 14 per cent now with the advent of mobile.
Before the advent of mobile telephone in Nigeria, only about a hundred thousand people had access to internet – that figure has risen to over 45 million. Then you can imagine that phenomenal growth in a period of 12 years, because the revolution started in year 2000. And the major driver is mobile telephony. So, we thought that to bridge the divide and even bring Africa to the global average, it means that we need about 250 million Africans to have access to the internet.
Can Africa afford 250m PCs?
I think that will be impossible now; not from our infrastructure and wealth. So, the generation of mobile phone is here. In essence, it is very possible to bridge the gap, but not on the traditional laptops. Africa is diversifying to mobile. For instance, we presently see more of iPads, Android, BlackBerry and other smartphones. Recently, I read an article on a business magazine that Nigeria is now the biggest market for BlackBerry world wide.
Yookos has identified that as a significant niche and we have launched our apps on IoS devices, that is iPads, iPhones, Android, tablets and of course, the BlackBerry. Launching our apps on these platforms make them available and make any Yookos user gain easy access to Yookos. These applications are available on Apple Stores – it is called Yookos mobile. It is part of our commitment to bridging the digital divide and to make the platform relevant to or growing user base, taking into cognizance that not everyone will get a whole of these on laptops.
For instance, while going for business trips, all I need is my iPad – the laptop is becoming increasingly no longer fashionable. With the advent of the smaller devices, you will discover that they can actually do virtually all that a laptop can do. The smaller it becomes the more convenient and available it becomes.
Digital Divide
We got huge ambitions and currently have over seven million users across the world. We are been accessed from over 180 countries and territories and we will continue to grow. Like I earlier stated, we have a cosmological social networking, however we are not restricted to Africa. The site is open to everybody, although we are focusing our marketing strategy on Africa. We looked at it and said with all the hype about Facebook, how many users are from Nigeria, only 4.5 million; in a country of 160 million people. Africa as a whole, there are 40 million Facebook users, out of a global 900 million connections.
So, there is still a huge digital divide – Africa lags behind. And we are saying that we can do something uniquely African. If China, Brazil, Russia, and India can do it, we can do it as well.
Economic Value
Talking about the economic value is not about how we will make money with Yookos. Yes, it is a business and we know that we are going to make money, but before that you must invest, build a product and render services that people will be willing to buy or patronise. In the social networking business, what is most important is to ensure that there is relevance, the product capacity is there and acceptance in the market. More so, value addition, once we have these and people see reasons to interact and connect; view our content as acceptable that will go along way in making Yookos the peoples’ delight.
We are a private company. We have invested heavily to get to the stage we are now. We have developers still working in both U.S and South Africa to make sure the system meets global standards. It is challenging because if you are going to play in that field, you better be playing very right. We have advert banners on our web version, but not yet on the mobile apps version. The purpose is to add value to what African have to showcase to the world. And currently with seven million users, we are projecting to get up to 20 million users by the end of the year and if you ask me, we will have a hundred million by 2013.
Inculcating Moral Values
We are a value based organization, which means there are certain contents we do not permit, like pornographic pictures, foul languages, villains, threatening comments, among others. However, it does not fall under the purview of social networks to give you moral values. Moral values exist in the society. A social network can only enhance what exists in the society. And what does a social networking site enhances if not openness, transparency, communications that is free flow of information and ideas.
One of the things we must realize is that things that went wrong happened that way because there was no appropriate information or access to valuable information. But if I can go on social network and tell someone doing something the wrong way, the consciousness to embrace the right thing will be reactivated. While we were growing our parents thought us that things should be kept secret; the days that people can’t tell you where they live, but today, everything is virtually online; the openness of the social media makes everyone would want to belong there. And the more it becomes open, the more the moral rectitude of the country gets better.
Who regulates the internet? As a social platform, however, we self regulate to ensure comments, pictures that are not edifying or threatening are not given opportunities to make waves on the platform. In fact it is a combination of our self regulations and our user community that regulate what happens there. We have rules, so on signing up, one has automatically accepted to play the game according to the rules. The terms and conditions are not ambiguous; anyone who violates them, we reserve the right to investigate, although no body will be just shown the way out, but the right thing must be done.
Strategy and Expectations
We seek, in few years, to dominate Africa. We are getting to a point where if someone needs profile about any African, he or she should be able to find that on Yookos. We are getting to a point that Yookos becomes the tool for communication in Africa. We are building on other things like Yookos Literature, Yookos Education, Yookos Music, etc. We have already launched Yookos games. And we are making sure that the applications are relevant to the people. On the literature, there is something for everybody. Suffice it to say that we are going to compete well in Africa.
Selling Africa to Africans
We want everyone to embrace it as truly African. We are not just selling Africa to Africa, but we want Africans to appreciate the digital age; getting them to talk and see each other. For instance, Facebook is making impact in parts of the world is because they throw it open for apps to be written, we are doing the same. Interestingly, undergraduates in Africa will have better stories to tell, because we are taking the platform to universities in Africa. We have a lot of universities offering computer studies, but what are the chances that somebody in University of Abeokuta or a student in Malawi will write an app and get to Facebook. Such app will get to Yookos that is what makes it African. We don’t need hand outs and aides, rather opportunities.
Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has declared the N60 billion fine imposed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) on Facebook Nigeria Operations Limited Illegal.
Justice Bogoro stated that ARCON regulator exceeded its legal authority and breached the company’s constitutional right to a fair hearing.
He, who made the declaration while delivering judgment in Suit marked, FHC/L/CS/2205/2024, declared ARCON’s Notice of Violation/Demand for Compliance dated 21 October 2024, unconstitutional, unlawful, null, and void, and barred the agency from taking further steps to enforce it.
The judge also held that ARCON lacked the statutory power to impose fines for alleged criminal violations under the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act, 2022, without first obtaining a conviction from a court or other competent tribunal.
The dispute arose from ARCON’s claim that Facebook Nigeria displayed advertisements on Facebook and Instagram to Nigerian audiences without prior approval from the Advertising Standards Panel, contrary to provisions of the ARCON Act and the Nigerian Code of Advertising.
Following these alleged breaches, the regulator ordered the company to cease displaying the advertisements and imposed an N60 billion penalty.
Apparently dissatisfied with the development, Facebook Nigeria, through Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo (SAN), its lawyer, challenged the action, arguing that ARCON lacked the legal authority to determine criminal liability or impose punitive sanctions via an administrative notice without allowing the company to defend itself.
The company also argued that it does not own or operate Facebook or Instagram, claiming both platforms are owned and controlled by Meta Platforms Inc., a separate foreign entity.
But ARCON, represented by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), contended that Facebook Nigeria acts as Meta’s operation in Nigeria and should therefore be held responsible for regulatory violations related to advertisements on the platforms.
The regulator further argued that the notice was simply a compliance directive, allowing the company the option to comply, pay the specified violation fee, or face prosecution.
However, Justice Bogoro dismissed the regulator’s arguments.
The judge stated that Facebook Nigeria is a distinct legal entity from Meta Platforms Inc. and that ARCON failed to present credible evidence showing that the Nigerian company owns, operates, or controls Facebook or Instagram.
The court maintained that the argument that Facebook Nigeria represents Meta’s interests in Nigeria was insufficient to establish liability for the alleged advertising infractions.
Regarding fair hearing, the court ruled that ARCON violated Section 36 of the Constitution by accusing the company of misconduct and imposing a N60 billion fine without first hearing its defence.
Justice Bogoro also held that Section 57(4) of the ARCON Act explicitly requires the regulator to provide a fair hearing before imposing any penalty.
The court further found that the alleged violations were criminal because Section 34 of the ARCON Act designates the unlawful exposure of advertisements as an offence.
The judge also held that, since the Act stated that punishment can only be imposed “upon conviction,” ARCON had no authority to impose the N60 billion fine through an administrative process.
He insisted that, regardless of what ARCON called it, the demand was a fine that could only be imposed by a court following proper judicial procedures.
As a result, the court invalidated the Notice of Violation/Demand for Compliance.
It declared ARCON lacked authority to impose fines for breaches of Sections 34(3), 54, or other criminal provisions of the ARCON Act.
Justice Bogoro also issued a perpetual injunction preventing ARCON, its officers, agents, and associates from enforcing the October 21, 2024 notice against Facebook Nigeria.
Abia State has inaugurated of the country’s first Manufacturing Technology University Innovation Pod (Manu-Tech UniPod) at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU).
Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, minister of Education and Governor Alex Chioma Otti at the event
The inauguration marks a significant milestone in efforts to promote innovation, research commercialisation, and industrial development.
The landmark facility, established through a partnership between the federal government of Nigeria, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Abia State Government under the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Partnership Programme (NIDTPP), is designed to transform academic research into commercially viable products, foster entrepreneurship, promote industrial competitiveness and create sustainable jobs.
Representing Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, minister of Education, described the project as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, saying it reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning higher education as a catalyst for innovation, research commercialisation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
He stressed that Nigerian universities must evolve beyond conventional teaching and research to become centres for enterprise development, technology transfer and industrial competitiveness.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Alex Chioma Otti, declared that Abia is entering a new era where science, innovation and enterprise will power economic prosperity and position the state as Nigeria’s leading hub for manufacturing and technological advancement.
Delivering his keynote address titled “Science Meets Enterprise,” Governor Otti described the UniPod as a transformational investment that bridges the gap between academia and industry, noting that development flourishes through purposeful partnerships.
He said the decision of the Federal Government and the UNDP to site Nigeria’s first Manu-Tech UniPod in Abia reflects the confidence they have in the state’s enormous economic potential.
“The siting of the Manu-Tech UniPod in Abia speaks eloquently to the institutional faith the UNDP and the Federal Government of Nigeria have reposed in our dear State and the potential it holds as an engine of growth and economic prosperity in the region,” the Governor stated.
Governor Otti explained that the innovation facility will accelerate product development, industrial-scale manufacturing, renewable energy integration and entrepreneurship while equipping more than 500,000 students and researchers with technological and innovation skills over the coming years.
He expressed optimism that the project would unlock unprecedented opportunities for Aba’s renowned manufacturing ecosystem by improving product quality, branding, competitiveness and access to regional and global markets.
According to him, the UniPod will redirect research in tertiary institutions from theoretical publications to practical solutions capable of addressing everyday challenges in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and other productive sectors.
“The expectation is that research efforts henceforth will be directed at answering questions with practical, everyday applications,”
Governor Otti said, adding that improved research outcomes would reduce the mortality rate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), strengthen investor confidence and stimulate sustainable economic growth across Abia and the South-East.
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to innovation-driven development, stating that government fully supported the project because it aligns perfectly with its economic transformation agenda built on quality infrastructure, security, skilled manpower and strategic partnerships.
He also announced that the operationalisation of the UniPod would accelerate the implementation of other joint initiatives with the UNDP, including the expansion of the Jubilee Fellows Programme, the Aba Export Growth Lab, energy investment initiatives, industrial competitiveness programmes and the establishment of community innovation centres across the state.
Highlighting the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Governor Otti noted that businesses in Abia now have access to a market of over 1.4 billion consumers across Africa.
“The hour of big dreams and great ambitions has arrived. If we fully harness the potential of this Manu-Tech University Innovation Pod, our challenge will no longer be finding markets but building the capacity to serve customers across Africa and the world,” he declared.
In her remarks, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, United Nations assistant secretary-general and UNDP regional director for Africa, commenced her official mission to Nigeria with the inauguration of the facility, underscoring the importance of strategic partnerships in driving inclusive and sustainable development.
Also speaking, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, UNDP resident representative in Nigeria, described the UniPod as part of a broader national innovation ecosystem designed to connect education, research, enterprise and manufacturing while enabling universities to become drivers of economic growth and global competitiveness.
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Federal Ministry of Education, TETFund and the Abia State Government for their commitment to innovation-led development, while particularly praising Governor Otti for his vision of transforming Abia into Nigeria’s foremost manufacturing and industrial innovation hub.
Earlier, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, vice-chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, described the inauguration as a defining moment in the institution’s history, saying the project fulfils the University’s mandate of deploying science, technology and innovation to advance agriculture, manufacturing and enterprise.
She expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education, UNDP, TETFund and the Abia State Government for selecting MOUAU to host Nigeria’s first Manufacturing Technology University Innovation Pod.
The inauguration attracted top government officials, development partners, academia and industry stakeholders, including: Dr. Emmanuel Meribeole, secretary to the State Government; Pastor Caleb Ajagba, chief of Staff to the Governor, members of the State Executive Council, traditional rulers and other dignitaries.
The Manu-Tech UniPod is expected to provide students, researchers and entrepreneurs with access to advanced manufacturing technologies, prototyping facilities, business incubation support and industry mentorship, enabling innovative ideas to be transformed into market-ready products and positioning Abia at the forefront of Nigeria’s industrial revolution.
General News
KPMG Urges Africa’s Most Innovative Tech Entrepreneurs to Enter the Global Tech Innovator 2026 Competition
KPMG Private Enterprise is inviting Africa’s most promising technology companies to apply for the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator 2026 competition. This competition offers innovators the opportunity to represent the continent on the global stage in Lisbon, Portugal.
Now in its sixth year, the competition brings together some of the brightest minds in technology innovation. If you are ready to demonstrate how your technology can make a difference in the world, this could be your moment to challenge the status quo, introduce transformative solutions through your unique lens, and help shape the future.
Eligible businesses from the 13 One Africa member firm countries across Southern Africa, East Africa, and West Africa are encouraged to submit their applications before Sunday, 2 August 2026.
Participants will compete through national and regional rounds, with winners advancing to the global stage where they will pitch alongside some of the world’s most innovative technology companies. Applications will be assessed on innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, growth potential, customer focus, and risk awareness by a panel of industry experts from within and outside KPMG.
Sandeep Main, Partner, Tax & Regulatory Services and Africa Head of Private Enterprise, said, “Africa continues to produce remarkable entrepreneurs who are solving complex challenges through innovation and technology.
“The Global Tech Innovator competition provides these businesses with a unique opportunity to showcase their solutions, build valuable connections, and gain exposure to investors, industry leaders, and potential partners on a global stage.
“We encourage eligible startups and scaleups from across Africa to enter and demonstrate the incredible innovation emerging from our continent.”
Beyond the competition itself, finalists will gain valuable exposure to business leaders, investors, industry experts, and fellow innovators from around the world. The overall winner will earn the title of KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator 2026.
Applications are now open and close on 2 August 2026. To learn more about the competition, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, visit the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator competition webpage.
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