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SMW Lagos 20I7 for newbies; All you need to know

By Desola Lanre-Ologun
27 February 2017   |   3:10 am
Social Media Week (SMW) Lagos is an annual, week-long conference which provides ideas, trends, insights and inspiration to help people and businesses understand...

Social Media Week (SMW) Lagos is an annual, week-long conference which provides ideas, trends, insights and inspiration to help people and businesses understand how to achieve more in a hyper-connected world. This year’s event will hold from today, February 27, till March 3, 2017, at Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. Currently in its 5th year, the conference will feature keynote speeches, panel sessions, workshops, and masterclasses on topics ranging from technology, art, finance, entertainment etc. It is open to the public.
Here’s all you need to know if you plan on attending SMW Lagos 2017.

Registration
There are two pass options; The campus pass and the Executive VIP pass.

The Campus pass is for sale at the venue for N1,000. This pass allows the holder basic access to keynote speeches and main stage masterclass sessions as well as basic perks like WiFi and an invite to the closing party.

The Executive VIP pass can be obtained for N140,000. Holders of this pass get to enjoy additional privileges like priority seating, access to executive lounges and meeting rooms, invites to the opening night event, dinner with the SMW board, to name a few.

Events to Attend
There are over 250 speakers at SMW Lagos 2017 who will be speaking at 125 events, for the 5-day duration of the conference. Each day of SMW Lagos has events that are themed around a crucial topic.
Sessions today the 27th of February will focus on highlighting the technology impacting Africa’s media landscape. It is recommended that you check out The Future of Media event hosted by Facebook (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM) and The Future of Digital Publishing; What Africa’s Investors Are Looking for in Digital Media event hosted by the Guardian (3:00 PM – 4:00 PM).

Tomorrow has been dubbed Travel Africa Day, programming will explore the intersection of digital media, technology and travel. The following are events not to miss; the Travel & City Bloggers Meetup, hosted by Ryno & Eat.Drink.Lagos (8:45 AM – 10:15 AM) and The Hyper-Connected Consumer: New Rules of Engagement event hosted by Troyka (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM)

Women In Technology Digital Music & Afro Beats will take center stage on Day 3. The Connected African: Empowering Young Women Through Tech event hosted by Purple (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM) and the Gender Equality in the Digital Age event hosted by Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM) are events that promise to be worthwhile and insightful.

Events on Day 4 will take a critical look at the use of technology for good governance. Recommendations for the day include the Technology as a Policy Imperative: Spotlight on Public Officials Who Leverage Technology panel session hosted by USAID SACE & EiE Nigeria (10:45 AM – 12:00 PM,) and the Using Technology & Social Media To Counter Violence Against Women & Girls event hosted by Purple (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM).

On closing day, sessions will be focused on celebrating the year’s most influential digital change makers across the African continent. Consider attending Creating Compelling Facebook Live Broadcast: Best Practices hosted by NAIJ.com (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM) and Introducing a New Cast of Characters: Tech Trends in Nigerian Film hosted by Filmhouse Cinemas (1:30 PM – 2:30 PM)

The SMW Lagos website has a page where you can find a brief bio of every speaker at the event. It is advised that attendees visit the website to determine which speakers will be preferred. Afua Osei, Chude Jideonwo and Evans Akanno are among a few speakers from last year whose speeches were highly enjoyable. They will be speaking this year as well, so watch out for them.

Events Program
You can check out the SMW Lagos 2017 schedule page on the website and bookmark events you find interesting, or grab a hard copy at the badge stand. Having the program of events will give a you a better a sense of direction and make navigating the venue easier. It will also help you save time spent wondering who’s talking about what if you show up late or get distracted.

Bring these along with you for a more enjoyable experience:

Notepad
Granted, these are a tad old-fashioned. Why take notes when you can live-tweet? This tip is especially for the old-fashioned who enjoy the feel of pen on paper.

Business cards
Having business cards handy at an event like this is vital. This makes networking all the more seamless, with no awkward phone number or email exchanges. A business card will do all the talking for you. It is advisable to carry as many as possible.

A camera
You will most likely find use for a camera (even if it’s the one on your smartphone), at an event like this. You are probably going to want to capture special moments for the standard blog post chronicling your Social Media Week experience and more importantly, for the ‘gram.

Powerbank
Documenting events is hard work that draws a lot of power. Having a power bank handy will mean that your device(s) can stay juiced up for as long as you’ll need. You don’t want to be the person crouched in a corner beside a power outlet, waiting for your phone to charge.

Comfortable shoes
Most passes are free, so this means that some of your favourite events might be packed. Seating spaces may be limited so you may find yourself having to stand to participate in a particular workshop or two. Comfy shoes would be a sensible necessity here.

A jacket for when it gets cold
Landmark Centre is a closed, indoor venue, so at some point during the conference, you might find yourself next to an air conditioning unit, so having a jacket handy would be advisable.

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